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U.S. News and World Report (10/25, Bedard) reports in its "Washington Whispers" column that few expect Attorney General John Ashcroft to remain if there is a second Bush term. Ashcroft "has been wearied by a painful bout of pancreatitis. And politically, Bush will need a mediator, not a terminator, when sensitive matters like reauthorizing portions of the controversial U.S.A. Patriot Act come up next year. The fear among some administration and Hill officials is that Ashcroft is so polarizing he'd only get in the way." The frontrunner to replace Ashcroft "is said to be former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, who was recently named general counsel at PepsiCo, followed by Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman Marc Racicot." US News also reports, "If Sen. John Kerry prevails, his nominee is thought to be New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid --who, being Hispanic and female, would give Kerry a twofer. Next up would be Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, an African-American." The Frontrunner October 18, 2004