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Subscribe to RSSJohn Kerry, the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is President Obama's pick to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state after U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew from consideration. A Silver and Bronze star recipient, Kerry has played a role in every major foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Updated 2:20 p.m. -- Saying that his new pick for the nation's top diplomatic job is "not going to need a lot of on-the-job training," President Barack Obama announced Friday his nomination of Senate Foreign Relations Committee head and onetime Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry as the next Secretary of State.
"I think it's fair to say that few individuals know as many presidents and prime ministers or grasp our foreign policies as firmly as John Kerry," Obama said at the announcement at the White House as Kerry stood at his side. "And this makes him a perfect choice to guide American diplomacy in the years ahead."
Kerry, who has been considered the overwhelming frontrunner for the job since U.N. ambassador Susan Rice withdrew herself from consideration, is likely to face few hurdles during his Senate confirmation.
First elected in 1984, Kerry served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and became a famed demonstrator against the Vietnam War. Since his failed presidential bid in 2004, he has risen to prominence as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, going on high-profile visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan and helping to negotiate an arms treaty with Russia.
"Having served with valor in Vietnam, he understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power," Obama said of Kerry. "And he knows from personal experience that when we send our troops into harm's way, we must give them a sound strategy, clear mission, and the resources that they need to get the job done."
The former presidential nominee also served as Obama's stand-in for Mitt Romney for debate preparation during the 2012 campaign, a role Obama referenced in announcing Kerry's new assignment.
"John, I'm looking forward to working with you instead of debating you," he joked.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., leads a hearing Dec. 20 on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
Rice, the president's reported original pick for the job, faced vehement opposition from some Senate Republicans who questioned information she presented in the immediate wake of the Benghazi consulate attacks in September. Faced with a bruising potential confirmation battle, she withdrew herself from the running for the Secretary of State post on December 13.
Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, who had been fierce critics of Rice’s potential nomination reacted warmly to the choice of Kerry Friday. McCain said he has “confidence in his ability to carry out" the job while Graham called Kerry "a solid choice."
If confirmed, Kerry will replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has indicated she will step down from the post early next year.
Clinton was unable to attend the White House announcement, said the president, who noted that she is still recuperating from a reported illness but that she "could not be more excited" about Kerry getting the nod.
In a lengthy written statement, Clinton called Kerry "an excellent choice."
"President Obama and I have often asked Senator Kerry to undertake delicate diplomatic missions and to deliver difficult messages," she said in praising his past diplomatic and political experience. "He has forged strong relationships with leaders around the world. As I have learned, being able to talk candidly as someone who has won elections and also lost them is an enormous asset when engaging with emerging or fragile democracies."
Assuming Kerry is confirmed and therefore resigns from the United States Senate, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will appoint a temporary replacement for Kerry's seat before a special election held between 145 and 160 days from his resignation date.
Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who was defeated in November by Elizabeth Warren, is possible candidate in that special election, while several Massachusetts House members are also eying a run on the Democratic side.
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Isn't it funny to read the wingnut posts here? Words like "comrade" are funnier than hell when used by a wingnut. I always know I'm in for a good laugh when a wingnut post contains the typical language of stupidity and nonsense we are all too familiar with.
Yes, reality check 1, it is highly amusing to read their drivel. And I love the reaction from them when you change the word "comrade" to "FACIST" and throw it back at them. They go nuts, they can't handle it when you change one word of their rant and throw it back to them. It's really good for a lot of laughs.
Don't know why anyone should be surprised? A liberal President who chooses a do-nothing multi-millionaire senator who 'trashed' his own country falls right in line with the President's political philosophy!
Seeing as John "Kerry" Heinz is known for evading taxes in the state he purports to represent, how long will if be as Secretary of State before this 1%er starts evading paying his "fair share" of taxes?
Senator Kerry is a right choice to replace Mrs. Clinton. And, pray that God-speed recovery continues to be with her.
right choice for what?another good ole white aristocrat is not what this country needs,ten to one obama was forced to give this guy the jobby the people who run-really run this country the boogeymen we never see,but know they pull all these politicians strings,the free-mason nation.
I still think Kerry isn't the right one. He should have chosen the pig boy Newt Gingrich. It would save the D's Senate seat, and we would have fun watching the pukebags tear apart Newt. That would be some popcorn type moments.
Sally...FYI....'pig boy' as you call him is 'head and shoulders' above Kerry in intellect and knowledge of foreign affairs. BTW, when you reply with the 'he has no morals', give it a break....Kerry does! LOL!!
"...rubbing the poor itch of your opinion make yourselves scabs ?"
Coriolanus, Act 1, Sc. 1
This presents a problem to the world. Kerry believes in manmade global warming. Eastern Europe is again going through one of the coldest winters on record. If Kerry plays his global warming card he will look like an Obama or an Obama Turd. You can't claim global warming when half of the globe is below normal unless you are a US Democrat, a US news journalist, or a moron (they are all the same). Kerry will get laughed out of Russia as they have predicted global cooling! Again, Kerry will look like an Obama Turd or a US news journalist - they all smell the same.
rober, thanks for that display of total ignorance and absolutely no measurable grasp of the dynamics of global warming.
Go read something... Or you can continue to amuse us with your lack of information on the subject.
Hell of a lot better than Conti Rice under the Cheney administration..
Bill...'better than Condi Rice'? Surely you jest.....based on what?
Condi Rice proved herself to be a competent, intelligent, knowledgeable American servant on the world stage.....Anything to the contrary is a crappy leftwing lie....
Condi pushed the "weapons of mass-destruction" crap for years. She also ran with Rumsfeld and Darth Cheney on the whole "links to 9-11" nonsense. They pushed a war based on lies, justified a warbased on lies. Thousands of Americans died, tens of thousands were maimed.
Yet Susan Rice makes a few controversial statements and the Republicans are outraged by it. Give me a break. This was all political grandstanding to get Kerry out of the Mass Senate seat and open the door for Loser Scott Brown to run again. Kerry - the same guy they called a disgrace and a traitor while swiftboating him out of presidential contention. Now, he's OK with repubs. Again, give me a break.
Hey Kerry..Kerry...Kerry (tap)....Kerry...Kerry..Kerry...(tap) Kerry..Kerry...KERRY...
What?
Wanna be my secretary
Yes, he's a great choice... for me to poop on. ugh. And affirmed by Hilary? Yes, because she's been so stellar. << facepalm >>
So we're going to BORE the world to death.
Will Kerry accuse conservatives of cutting off the ears of liberals and minorities? And state that he participated??? That was part of his tactics after VietNam in his accusations against our soldiers. And, no one would come forward to support his lies.
I know a vietnam vet who supports Kerry's previous claims about the way the war was waged.
You also claim to be friends with the man in the moon....You believe anything that a liberal says, dont you. I also know a person who claimed to be a Vietnam war hero(wounded and decorated) and it came out that he actually spent his time as a barber on a troop ship and was never in a war zone.....Remember that many came forward with the information that Kerrys accusations were full of lies. None of his statements were proven facts. there was a great deal of anti war sentiment at that time and Kerry wanted the publicity.
My thinking can be found here:
http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/what-to-call-a-grouping-of-senators/
It was good they put a muzzle on Kerry so he couldn't speak otherwise he would have said he agreed to take the post before he disagreed.
"You rang....", "Yes Lurch, I decided you should be my next Secretary of State...", "uhhhhhhhhhhhh....".
Kerry first response "Does this mean I might get to meet a real Kennedy?"
Perfectly played by the Republicans. Get Susan Rice out of the way for something not of her doing, set up another election in which Scott Brown gets back in US Senate. Obama blinked on this one
Celtic...
Why would they deny Brown the seat a few months ago and then go stupid and put him back in?
It makes no sense unless some crackpot takes the left nomination which is unlikely. The again, as a former Ma resident strange things happen in that state.
As a retired Marine Officer (Viet Nam Era) I think we've really reached the bottom of the barrel. I wouldn't trust this schmuck to walk my kids across the street I'm not the worlds greatest Hillary fan, but she puts this idiot in the dust. Please, please, someone, give me a single example of what Kerry has done for this country, (not for himself) in the last twenty-five years. ANYTHING
America deserves better!
This is the best that Obama can or will do. He has no clue. Another four years of crap.
J.A. So what 'you're basically saying what we've known all along. The Republican Party is clueless...
I mean, their leadership is in support of this nomintation so you must be very disappointed in the right side of the aisle, right?
I am disappointed in anyone who participates in these ridiculous appointments. I dont think that you can blame Kerry on republicans alone. It is not a politically motivated attitude that I have against Kerry, it is just that I believe he is crap regardless of what political party he belongs to. Jane Fonda would be a similar situation. Are you supporting him simply because he is a democrat...regardless of his slimey record?
J.A. I don't classify his record as slimey. If you're referring to his Viet Nam protests I would hardly classify them as slimey. Secondly, I would never support anyone based on their political affiliation alone. Radicals do that, thinking people do not.
"Blaming Kerry on..."... I'm not sure where to go with that one...
Kerry was a self promoter who would eagerly lie for his own benefit. He had his crew making movies with himself as the hero and used those movies(sent to politicians and upper ranks) in order to get his medals and possible promotions. His stories never checked out and he was receiving medals for wounds that he claimed himself without real documentation. The military was very eager for war heroes at that time whether they were real heroes or not. He also claimed to be operating in areas that he was not in. The worst part is that he went before congress after the war with his many lies claiming that fellow soldiers tortured, maimed and killed(cut off heads and cut off ears for souvineers) many innocent people and that it was an everyday thing....and yet there never was any proveable substance to his claims.
Kambodian Kerry Kouldn't Ketchup to Bush. He's perfect. All that experience in Cambodia during Christmas of 68 negotiating with Pol Pot, General Giap, Amelia Earheart and Judge Crater will stand America in good stead. ROFL
The matter the politics of Kerry, NO one should be Secretary of State that knowingly lie about our troops in Viet Nam at Senate Hearings in 1971 while our troops are still there claiming them as "murderers" and made up atrocities for his own political gain at the time.
Nhan Quyen Cho Viet Nam! Human Rights for Vietnam!
Senator Kerry, do you think the Israeli policy on the Palestine and the Palestinian people as "war crimes"?
War crimes might be hard to define literally, but Isreal treat the Palestinian people with disdain, disrespect, they oppress them and prosecute them continually on a level that no American would allow.
They flaunt us while taking aid and continue to break UN resolutions.
I'm not talking about Hamas or the PLA, I'm talking about the poor people guilty of nothing trying to survive.
If the selection of Sen Kerry is an indication that President Obama is willing to shift the policy in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict toward a more neutral position, then I am all for his appointment. However, if the status quo remains as it has been for the past 4-5 decades, then Kerry will only make things worst in the middle east.
The Palestinian will simply call Kerry a hypocrite as soon as he voices his support for Israel. They will charge, how can you call the US policy on Vietnam as "war crimes" and support Israeli treatment of the occupied Palestinian people?
If Mr Obama wants to address the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in his second term, then Sen Kerry is the wrong choice.
There are things about Kerry I like and things I don't like. I will wait and see.
The most important thing is what does the lobby say?
What. Did Billary fall on her sword after Benghazi!
nah she was dodgin another sniper shot and slipped
Didn't think much of him but with all the rightys getting they're panties in a bunch may have to rethink this.
I am sure you and the other lefties and sheeple will love him - he is a lying sack of @!$%#, pompus ass, and 1%er who cares for no one but himself and his millions.
He is everything that liberals claim to hate....except that he is a democrat, so liberals will accept his lies...and phony attitude.
Where is Mr. Obama? On one of his several million dollar vacation in our American state Hawaii?