[HairOfTheDog]

Why the hell would Bush have a Sec. of State that doesn't work for him? You really think Bush is that weak? That Bush and Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al would tolerate it? Powell is the moderator, the one who gets to play it cool and soothe the feathers if needed.

It is Diplomacy...... keeping the other guys on the phone until the very last minute that we decide to storm the house.

[ejdrapes]

Why the hell would Bush have a Sec. of State that doesn't work for him? You really think Bush is that weak? That Bush and Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al would tolerate it?

You know what the response to that would be. Powell is black and he has high approval ratings. If Bush fired him the liberal RATS in the media would cry racism. And Karl Rove wouldn't stand for that, certainly not before a general election.

I still believe though that the media plays up supposed "rifts" within the administration and they would love nothing more than to see Powell leave or be fired. And I'm sure they love every minute of it when Powell is taken to the woodshed by conservatives. But if there are all these "rifts" between Powell and the rest of the Administration why is it that his viewpoint seems to previal (e.g., going to the UN before the Iraq war, the Mideast "roadmap", aid to Africa, ect.) - unless of course others in the Administration (e.g., Bush, Rice) happen to agree with him.