BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to the news of the day yet again. Secretary of State Colin Powell calling for a new arrangement with North Korea, Powell telling the "Wall Street Journal" the U.S. is willing to address some of North Korea's concerns but North Korea has to abandon, he says, its ability to produce nuclear weapons. The stand-off there with Pyongyang one factor driving down President Bush's poll numbers slightly. Overall approval rating now at 58 percent, a five point decline from last week. Now to the White House front lawn, our senior White House correspondent John King tracking all of these developments -- John, good morning.</s>JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill. Let's start with Secretary Powell and his call for a "new arrangement" with North Korea. That is an extension of the Bush administration policy they were trying to get in place with North Korea before this dust up and now confrontation over its nuclear weapons program. What the Bush administration has concluded is that there were no reliable verification measures in the deal the Clinton administration struck with North Korea. That is why the Bush administration says North Korea was able to shut down some of its nuclear reactors yet still advance a secret nuclear program by trying to enrich uranium. So the Bush administration says any new deal with North Korea has to have much more stringent verification measures in there. Unclear whether North Korea will accept that. Now, as for the president's poll numbers, they see that steady decline from the September 11 highs here at the White House. They say it is to be expected given the number of challenges before the president. Mr. Bush has an opportunity about two weeks from now to try to reverse the tide, if you will. The State of the Union gives any president a major platform to address the country. Mr. Bush's speech, scheduled for January 28th. Look for the White House to try to use that to refocus attention again on the president's agenda, whether the issue be the economy or whether it be these international standoffs with both Iraq and North Korea -- Bill.</s>HEMMER: A lot of plates still spinning every day. John, thanks. John King at the White House. North Korea>
Secretary of State Powell Calling for New Arrangement With North Korea