It appears as though it might be a little longer than expected until we know if Condi Rice is confirmed as the next Secretary of State:

At the White House's request, confirmation hearings for Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state will not begin until Congress reconvenes in January, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Sunday.

When President Bush nominated his national security adviser to replace Colin Powell at the State Department, Sen. Richard Lugar said he would try to bring his committee together in the first week of December to begin the Senate confirmation process.

"The White House suggested that that would not be appropriate — that is, in December," Lugar said on "Fox News Sunday." "So we'll not be having hearings in December, but we'll have hearings as soon as possible in January."

Link.

This is relatively interesting, if mundane. It'll be fun to watch the confirmation hearings, even if she will undoubtedly be confirmed.