Washington briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 7, 2001

Sen. Clinton: Presidency not my goal

NEW YORK -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was viewed as a potential presidential candidate even before she secured her Senate seat, is facing a new round of speculation over her ambitions.

The New York Post reported Friday that the former first lady had told one of its reporters she has ruled out running for the White House not just in 2004, but in 2008 and beyond.

The statement came when Clinton was pressed to clarify a comment she had made Thursday in Washington, referring to the presidency as "not something I'm going to be doing."

Clinton was later asked by the Post: "So, Sen. Clinton, are you ruling out a run for president not just in 2004, but in 2008 and beyond?"

"Yes," she replied, the Post wrote.

When asked in Washington to elaborate on those comments, Clinton said Friday: "I didn't say anything differently yesterday than I've always said. I'm going to be the best senator I can be. I'm going to serve out my term and I don't intend to run for president."

Clinton added unequivocally: "I'm saying what I always said."

The phrase "what I always said" left room for doubt. Clinton was asked repeatedly during her successful Senate bid last year whether she would seek the presidency and she routinely responded that she intended to serve her term. That would rule out a run in 2004, but not necessarily in 2008 or later.

Bush appoints ambassadors to Czech Republic, Vatican

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Friday nominated Craig Stapleton as ambassador to the Czech Republic and former Republican National Committee chairman Jim Nicholson as ambassador to the Vatican.

Nicholson, a partner in the Washington consulting firm Greener and Hook, was Republican National Committee chairman for four years before stepping down last year.

Stapleton of Greenwich, Conn., was on the Peace Corps board under Bush's father when he was president. He is president of Marsh and McLennan Real Estate Advisors.

A Democrat, Stapleton said he was a partner with Bush in the Texas Rangers baseball team. His wife, Dorothy, is a first cousin of Bush's father, he said.

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