Mubarak to Stay in Office Through Sept.

Despite the upbeat attitudes of tens of thousands of protesters who gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for what they have labeled the “Friday of Departure,” Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq confirmed Friday that President Hosni Mubarak intends to remain in office until the September elections. "We as civilized people must honor the president, who did a good job regardless of mistakes here and there," said Ahmed Shafiq on Egyptian state TV, as translated by MSNBC. "Today the Egyptian people see that the president will not step down." Shafiq also said that it’s not very likely Mubarak will transfer power to Vice President Omar Suleiman to take his place, saying, "I doubt that this is acceptable."