So, Al Kamen joins in with those hinting that Condi may not stay around for long:

Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte's selection as deputy secretary of state was not, despite his public demurrals, shocking news.

Loop Fans may recall that on Nov. 15, not long after we first heard the deal was struck -- the delay apparently was finding a replacement for Negroponte -- we noted that he "was said to be unhappy" as DNI and "itching to move to a diplomatic post," maybe something like "deputy secretary of state."

The reasons, we wrote, were obvious: "The diplo world is home, because he has served as ambassador to Honduras, Iraq, the Philippines and the United Nations. Also, being deputy to Secretary Condoleezza Rice wouldn't be so bad, because at heart she's a sharing person."

We hear she's thinking of handing him such fine portfolios as Northeast Asia -- where he can deal with the Chicoms and the lunatic North Koreans -- and Iraq. That's two-thirds of the Axis of Evil (A of E) all for himself.

Of course, in a C-SPAN interview aired Dec. 3, Negroponte, when asked about his plans, said, "In my own mind at least, I visualize staying . . . through the end of the administration." And he reiterated that in a Dec. 14 chat with Washington Post reporters and editors.

But Negroponte is a guy who clearly can't hold a job. This would be his fourth since joining the administration just over five years ago. And the chatter has already begun that he may not be in this one too long before he moves up one level.

There don't seem to be too many positions that she can be promoted to without some very dramatic changes in the White House line up. Or perhaps more plausibly, would she leave altogether?

Posted by Laura at January 6, 2007 04:37 PM