President Bush announced Tuesday he will appoint National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state for his next term in office. Bush's announcement, following the Monday release of Secretary of State Colin Powell's decision to resign from the position, raises the possibility of a significant change in direction for the office of secretary of state since both Powell and Rice differ markedly in their relationships with the president.
Powell, having served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and national security advisor, has extensive political experience, which has given him the standing to be able to operate separately from the president.
\Powell has a long-standing relationship with George W. Bush, but he had an independent image and a broad set of experiences independent of the current incumbent in government before he was appointed as secretary of state,"" said UW-Madison senior sociology lecturer G. Donald Ferree.
Powell has exercised his independence by disagreeing with the president on numerous occasions, as in his cautious approach to the war in Iraq.
Rice differs from Powell in that she is seen as anything but independent of the president.
""Rice has been so identified with President Bush not only because of her position as national security advisor, but because she almost was his tutor in foreign policy and so, in many cases, what he expresses is what she has expressed to him in regard to foreign policy in advance of him expressing it,"" said UW-Madison political science emeritus Professor Charles Jones.
Rice's relationship with Bush will be a major factor when she takes office as secretary of state. Just how this closeness will manifest itself is open to speculation. Rice's loyalty to Bush may influence the way she will convey information to the president. Jones said many foreign leaders question whether she will accurately relay their perspectives on issues to the president.
Having Bush's ear, however, could prove to be a tremendous asset for Rice and the U.S. Department of State in that it could give them more influence with the president. Rice may lack Powell's experience of leading a large bureaucracy such as the State Department, but as secretary of state, her closeness to Bush will give her strong sway with him.
""As secretary of state, I don't expect to hear her telling him anything he really doesn't want to hear,"" said UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin. ""But, she's in a personal relationship with him that she can potentially be more influential with him than I think Powell could have been.\
