Ridge to leave Cabinet position.(Main)

Byline: RICHARD W. STEVENSON and DAVID JOHNSTON New York Times

WASHINGTON - Tom Ridge, who as the first secretary of homeland security led the post-9/11 effort to protect the United States from a terrorist attack at home, said on Tuesday that he would leave his job no later than Feb. 1.

Ridge, best known as the official who announced changes to the color-coded terrorism alert system, was the seventh member of President Bush's Cabinet to announce his resignation since Election Day in a thorough reshaping of the administration.

The decorated Vietnam veteran told Bush of his decision on Tuesday morning. At a news conference later, he did not rule out the possibility of eventually taking another job in the administration or running for office. But he said …