[smonk]

---I doubt Bush would give her premission because she would probably be the only candidate directly tied to the administration, which would be seen as an implict endorsement from Bush.---

by that logic, though, vice presidents would never run for president, would they?

[JohnBDay]

by that logic, though, vice presidents would never run for president, would they?

Usually, the Vice President of a second-term President is the obvious front-runner. The last Secretary of State to become President James Monroe, so it's obviously not a stepping stone to the presidency the way being Vice President is. It would be curious as to why Bush would want Rice to be his successor. She has never held elected office, not married and her views on social issues are ambigious.