Bush likely to name Negroponte on Friday
Thu Jan 4, 3:20 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
President Bush is expected on Friday to nominate national intelligence director John Negroponte to become deputy secretary of state, a senior administration official said on Thursday.
Bush will also likely nominate retired Navy Admiral John McConnell, currently a senior vice president at the Washington contracting and consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, to replace Negroponte, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The official said Negroponte accepted the position to serve as deputy to Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice at the personal behest of Bush and insisted that "this is by no means a demotion."
"John Negroponte's done a great job. He is also somebody who is a career diplomat who is going to be able to continue to use those skills in the No. 2 position at State," the official said.
"This is something where the president went to John and asked him to take the job because it was that important," the official said.
The official said new Defense Secretary Robert Gates was a strong supporter of naming McConnell to the intelligence position.