While the White House spoke with one voice in its Supreme Court briefs, some top administration officials — particularly Secretary of State Colin Powell — acknowledged that they hold different views. Powell has said he supports the University of Michigan policy.
Bush also received input on the issue from national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, a former provost at Stanford University. Rice is playing down reports that she had a key role in formulating Bush's policy on the case following a front-page article in the Washington Post, saying just that. She said she supports diversity in higher education and believes universities should be able to use race as a factor in admissions policies. She also said she supports the president's decision.
"I think the president has come out in exactly the right place here," she said on "Meet the Press" last month. Bush made a "strong statement" about the importance of diversity in higher education, but he also came out against quotas.
"I believe that while race-
neutral means are preferable, it is appropriate to use race as one factor among others in achieving a diverse student body," Rice said in a released statement.
Proponents of the Michigan case have until mid-February to file their briefs in the case.
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