Ashcroft aides say he'll resign; other top officials may follow

Attorney General John Ashcroft is likely to leave his post before the start of President Bush's second term, senior aides told the Associated Press Thursday.

Ashcroft, 62, is described as exhausted from leading the Justice Department in fighting the domestic war on terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Stress was a factor in Ashcroft's health problems earlier this year that resulted in removal of his gall bladder.

Ashcroft is expected to resign before Bush's Jan. 20 inauguration, aides said. They said there is a small chance he would stay on, at least for a short time, if Bush asked him.

Ashcroft, a former Missouri governor and senator, has long been a favorite among Bush's base of religious conservatives -- but also is a lightning rod for Democrats and other critics on issues ranging from the anti-terrorism USA PATRIOT Act to abortion rights and gun control.

Names that have been floated in recent weeks as a possible replacement include Ashcroft's former deputy, Larry Thompson, who would become the first black attorney general. Others include Marc Racicot, who was Bush's campaign manager and a former governor of Montana, and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales.

Other Cabinet members and key administration officials are also said to be considering stepping down. At a news conference Thursday, President Bush acknowledged that staffing shifts were likely.

"I have made no decisions on my Cabinet and/or White House staff," Bush said. "There will be some changes. I don't know who they will be. It's inevitable there will be changes. It happens in every administration. To a person, I am proud of the work they have done. And I fully understand we're about to head into the period of intense speculation as to who is going to stay and who's not going to stay."