Washington, D.C.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week tried to dispel rumors that she would run for president in 2008. I dont have any desire to run for president, Rice said. I dont intend to. I wont do it. Hows that? Is that categorical enough? Rice had tried to deflect speculation before, but four Web sites have sprouted up touting her as a possible GOP successor for President Bush. Rice, a former provost of Stanford University, said she would rather return to academia. But when asked if she was definitively ruling out a White House bid, Rice balked, saying, Oh, thats not fair.