Condoleezza Rice will replace Colin Powell as secretary of state and her deputy, Stephen Hadley, will move up to her job; here's ABC's online story.

ABC's news broadcast last night contained this pre-announcement quote from Senator Chuck Hagel, one of the "good" Republicans:

What I hope we will see is some new blood in there, some new energy in there, some outside perspective that's fresh. Just rearranging people and putting them in different chairs isn't new energy and new blood.

Obviously, that hope has been dashed. But what on earth did Hagel think -- that this president sits around thinking he can do better? Beyond getting rid of people like Powell who disagree with him, Bush believes he's already achieved perfection -- there's nothing to change. He never slipped far below 50% in most polls, then he won reelection. That means there's no room for improvement. Rearrange those deck chairs!

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UPDATE: Is it really possible, as Atrios is claiming, that Douglas Feith will replace Tom Ridge as homeland security secretary? Deck chairs indeed....

(Here's USA Today reporting that Ridge and Tommy Thompson will step down; CNN and MSNBC are cited, but no possible replacements are named.)