(2005-01-19) -- On Day Two of her confirmation hearings, Condoleezza Rice admitted today that she has "no exit strategy" to extricate herself from what has already become a "pointless, hopeless quagmire."

"I'm bogged down, taking wearying fire from the opposition," said the Secretary of State nominee. "Even though the outcome is certain, I confess that I failed to anticipate the intensity of the resistance, and contrary to our pre-hearing intelligence, there are no stockpiles of No-Doz or other anti-soporifics in the chamber."

Sen. John Kerry, D-MA, a new face in 108th Congress, called for "an immediate withdrawal of the nominee and an end to Republican ideological hegemony in the Bush administration."