Rice 'won't run for president'
2005-03-13 20:22
Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted on Sunday she would not run for president in 2008, despite Internet campaigns by "Condistas" pushing for her candidacy.
Rice, in a round of US television talk shows, beat back speculation that she might run to succeed President George W Bush and become both the first black person and first woman to be elected president.
"I don't know how many ways to say no, so let me just say it. I don't have any desire to run for president. I don't intend to. I won't do it," Rice told ABC television's This Week.
"I won't. How's that? Is that categorical enough?" she added.
Several websites are urging Rice to run for president, including condoleezzaforpresident.com, citizensforcondi.blogspot.com, americansforrice.com.
"We support Dr Rice not simply because she can be elected. We think she will be a great leader and do truly great things for this nation and the world," says rice2008.com, which launched in February 2002 and claims to be the first "grassroots organization" to suggest her candidacy.
Americansforrice.com offers bumper stickers blaring, "Draft Condi President 2008," "I'm a Condista!" and "Viva Condi!"
A song has even been composed to lure her into the campaign: "Condoleezza Will Lead Us".
A similar Internet campaign last year played a role in former Nato supreme commander Wesley Clark's decision to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, which Senator John Kerry won.