WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright denied Wednesday she implied news of Osama bin Laden's capture was being withheld for political gain.
The insinuation that President George W. Bush was holding back such an announcement until just before next year's election was apparently made to a journalist while waiting to appear on a Fox News television program.
"She said, 'Do you suppose that the Bush administration has Osama bin Laden hidden away somewhere and will bring him out before the election?'" Morton Kondracke, Roll Call executive editor and Fox News analyst said. "She was not smiling."
Fox News said makeup artists in the room backed his observation.
Bin Laden, head of al Qaida, is wanted for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington. He is believed hiding along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
"I made a tongue in cheek comment," Albright explained.
