Spokesman: Rice not campaigning for U.S. vice president

Source: Xinhua | 04-08-2008 15:40

WASHINGTON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is not campaigning for the vice presidency, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said here on Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice smiles during U.S. President George W.  Bush and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic's joint dinner in Zagreb April 4, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

"If she's actively seeking the vice presidency, then she's the last one to know about it," McCormack told a news briefing.

"She plans on going back west of the Mississippi to Stanford when she's completed her work as secretary of state," McCormack said.

The spokesman also denied the saying that Rice considers running for California governor. "I think what she is considering is focusing on her work as secretary of state, because there's quite a bit left to do here as secretary of state."

"Once her work as secretary of state is done, then she looks forward to going back out to California to resume her activities at Stanford.

"Keep in mind, she's actually on leave from Stanford. She's still a tenured professor at Stanford University."

Rice has said repeatedly that she has no desire to be president. "I've got my hands full, and I know what my skills are," she said once.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei