We all knew it was coming. Secretary of State Colin Powell announced today that he will be resigning his post come George W. Bush's second term. In private, Powell had long been a critic of some of Bush's policies, but in public, it was he who frequently had to go out on damage control when the administration made an international blunder. It was Powell who delivered an address to the United Nations in early 2003 in which he promoted the president's war in Iraq.

Three other cabinet officials are planning to announce their resignations today: Agriculture Secretary Ann Venneman, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Education Secretary Rod Paige.

Expect former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani to get a cherry cabinet position. He's been Bush's lap-dog for the last three years, campaigning for him tirelessly and reminding us that it was Bush who led the nation on September 11. I watched Giuliani on CNN on election night and he claimed that what he really wanted was to keep going about his regular job "across the street" (he is now the head of a security consulting firm in New York City) and that he didn't want a cabinet position. Pardon my French, but bullshit! Giuliani's been pushing for Bush for three years; does he expect us to believe that he's been doing it out of the goodness of his heart? Of course not! His strict adherence to the Bush line will be rewarded with a cabinet-level position, most likely Secretary of Homeland Security (that position is a PR one, anyway, and such a public and well-known figure as Giuliani would do the job more effectively than the unknown Tom Ridge). Mark my words here: Giuliani will be given a cabinet-level position, most likely as Secretary of Homeland Security.