Secretary Powell says he's not leaving. It's been a Democratic wet dream for two years that Powell would end up repudiating his boss and leaving the administration. It would be a shame if it happens, since I think Bush relies heavily on Powell's wisdom, even if they end up disagreeing. Besides, Powell is mature enough, and enough of a career military man, to know that he won't always get his way. He's right, too, that his work through the UN was a triumph, and that 1441 is significant, legally and diplomatically. Part of the Democrats' problem with Powell is that they hate to see a black man on Bush's team (hence the "race traitor" talk). As much as they may call him a sellout, what's really going on is that they wish he was on their side.

I disagree with Powell on a lot of things, but the man has gravitas to spare. Some people earn the right to be a comfortable dissenting voice in an administration (a role I imagine David Gergen played for Clinton, domestically).