WASHINGTON—THE Bush administration yesterday suffered mass exodus with four of his cabinet ministers led by Secretary of State Colin Powell submitting their resignations, thereby raising questions about whether the just re-elected president would have the continuity which he now seeks.
Besides Powell, who had argued Bush’s case for ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before a skeptical UN Security Council in February 2003, others whose resignations were confirmed yesterday were Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. The development came just one week after the departure of Attorney-General John Ashcroft and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans.
Powell, who was rumoured to have planned only a single term with Bush, told his aides that he intended to leave once Bush settled on whom to succeed him, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Word of Powell’s imminent departure kicked off a new week of Cabinet shuffling for Bush, who is planning his second term. "I do expect some announcements shortly regarding members of the Cabinet," White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters at the White House yesterday. "There are a few resignation. I expect four today."
McClellan said he did not expect any announcements yesterday on replacements, however. The White House was preparing an announcement to confirm Powell’s resignation. According to one official, Powell expects that his departure date will be sometime in January. It was not immediately clear whether he would leave before Bush’s second inauguration, on January 20.
Most of the speculation on a successor has centred on UN Ambassador John Danforth, a Republican and former US senator from Missouri, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Powell has had a controversial tenure in the secretary of state’s job, reportedly differing on some key issues at various junctures with Secretary of Defence Donald H. Rumsfeld. Powell, however, has generally had good relations with his counterparts around the world, although his image standing has been strained by the US-led war in Iraq.
Powell, a former chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff, led the Bush administration argument at the United.
Nations for a military attack to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, arguing a weapons-of-mass-destruction threat that the administration could never buttress.
He submitted his letter of resignation to the President on Friday. He will go about his usual schedule and will continue at full speed until a successor is named and in place, a senior administration said.
Officials said yesterday that Powell planned to keep working on a number of key issues, including North Korean nuclear talks, the Iraqi elections scheduled for January and Middle East peace process.
Powell was scheduled to travel to Egypt next week for a conference on Iraq. A senior official said yesterday that the State Department was trying to arrange a meeting between Powell and the new Palestinian leadership, but added the details had not been worked out. A date and place have not been set, the official said.
