Rice To Replace Powell

Condi Rice will be nominated to succeed Colin Powell as Sec State:

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, one of President Bush's closest counselors, will be nominated to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state, ABC News has learned.
Senior administration sources confirmed that Rice would be Bush's choice. The news comes just hours after the White House announced Powell had submitted his resignation.
ABC News has also learned that Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley will likely replace Rice as national security adviser.
Powell submitted his resignation on Friday, though his departure was not announced until today.
The retired four-star general was known for his moderate views and for clashing with members of the administration on the issue of Iraq. Even so, it was Powell who went before the United Nations in February of 2003 to make a case for the U.S.- led invasion of Iraq.
Rice, if confirmed by the Senate, will take over the job of international diplomat during a war that has divided the nation and the world.
A Stellar Academic Career
The new post comes as a sort of birthday present for Rice, who turned 50 on Sunday.
Rice was the first female U.S. national security adviser. She would be only the second woman and second African-American to be appointed secretary of state.

I like the idea of Rice as Sec State. She seems to be on the same page as Bush and will not play the diplomatic games that are par for the course at Foggy Bottom. What of Ridge? More importantly, what is to become of Cheney? I'd be surprised if he is still VP a year from now.