Clearing up speculation that she was leaving the door open to a 2008 presidential run, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said flatly Sunday morning, "I won't do it."
"I don't have any desire to run for president," Dr. Rice told ABC's "This Week." "I don't intend to. I won't do it."
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"You will not run for president?" "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos pressed.
"I won't," Rice repeated.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," host Tim Russert pressed Dr. Rice even harder.
"There was a great American named General William Sherman," he began. "And this is what he said: 'If nominated, I will not accept. If elected, I will not serve.' Will you issue a Shermanesque statement?"
"Tim, I don't want to run for president of the United States," Rice countered.
"I will not run"? Russert responded, putting words in her mouth.
"I do not intend to run for - no," Rice replied. "I will not run for president of the United States. How is that? I don't know how many ways to say 'no' in this town. I really don't."
"I think people who run are great," she added. "I don't want to run."
"That is a Shermanesque statement?" Russert asked. "You're done. You're out?"
"I'm done," declared Rice. "I won't run . . . All right? There you go."
The popular top diplomat seemed to leave the door open to a possible presidential bid in an interview with the Washington Times on Friday, when she said that questions about whether she would rule out a 2008 run were "not fair."
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