Mubarak Decides to Hang in There

All those reports that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would announce his resignation tonight seem to have been wishful thinking on somebody’s part. When he spoke to his countrymen on television this evening, he told them that he would not step down.

According to The New York Times:

Mubarak Refuses to Step Down

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt told the Egyptian people Thursday that he would delegate more authority to his vice president, Omar Suleiman, but that he would not resign his post, contradicting earlier reports that he would step aside and surprising hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered to hail his departure from the political scene.

In a nationally televised address following a tumultuous day of political rumors and conflicting reports, Mr. Mubarak said he would “admit mistakes” and honor the sacrifices of young people killed in the three-week uprising, but that he would continue to “shoulder my responsibilities” until September, and did not give a firm indication that he intended to depart the political scene.