Secretkerry, for short.

December 21, 2012 11:05 AM

As of this afternoon, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) has been nominated as the next Secretary of State.

After Susan Rice withdrew her name earlier this month, Kerry emerged as the frontrunner for the post. But who will fill his Senate seat?

posted by troika (130 comments total)

OOOOH! Fingers CROSSED!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:06 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

From Twitter: "Who would have thought that John Kerry as Secretary of State was a Republican victory?"
posted by Rangeboy at 11:09 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Congrats to Scott Brown.
posted by munchingzombie at 11:13 AM on December 21, 2012 [8 favorites]

God, I wish Barney Frank was interested.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:13 AM on December 21, 2012 [14 favorites]

How does it work in the USA? If he does good in this job, he gets to run for president, or something?
posted by Wordshore at 11:13 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

C'mon Capuano, save us from this turbulent Brown.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:14 AM on December 21, 2012 [14 favorites]

And all it took for the Republicans to stop hating John Kerry was the incipient threat of a successful black woman doing things! Those guys sure are reconciliatory, if nothing else.
posted by threeants at 11:18 AM on December 21, 2012 [7 favorites]

And all it took for the Republicans to stop hating John Kerry was the incipient threat of a successful black woman doing things!

They liked Confi Rice just fine, so I don't think race was the issue with Rice.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:19 AM on December 21, 2012 [11 favorites]

Congrats to Scott Brown.

You make it seem as if there is a shortage of Democrats in Massachusetts.
posted by empath at 11:19 AM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

Presumably his bullshit non-scandal has been aged out.
posted by Artw at 11:20 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm disappointed that Obama caved on that whole Benghazi fake scandal.
posted by chrchr at 11:21 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

How does it work in the USA? If he does good in this job, he gets to run for president, or something?
posted by Wordshore at 11:13 AM on December 21 [+] [!]


He could, and the Secretary of State experience may or may not help him ( it's often seen as not helping because the SoS travels internationally a lot and obviously has to focus on foreign policy. This means that (s)he spends 4 years away from opportunities to build up political ties at home in the US, and 4 years focussing on something that the US voting public really doesn't care about for the most part) . Clinton is something of an exception in that she's seen as someone who is still likely to be a US Presidential contender (much more political capital than Kerry has) - and (before the Libyan embassy debacle at least) - and someone who actually gained domestic credibility from the her SoS gig (because she was able to drop or dilute some of the partisan baggage that the GOP lumped her with.) Kerry is seen as someone who doesn't have future Prez prospects again

Kerry will have to resign his Senate seat because the Constitution says you can't work for more than one (executive/legislative/judicial) branch of the government
posted by Bwithh at 11:21 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

I hope he salutes President Obama and says "Reporting for duty."
posted by otto42 at 11:22 AM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

They liked Confi Rice just fine, so I don't think race was the issue with Rice.

I don't think it's so simple as to work this way. The Republicans liked Michael Steele [sort of] just fine, so what's with all the racist crap sent President Obama's way?
posted by threeants at 11:22 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

How does it work in the USA? If he does good in this job, he gets to run for president, or something?

If he does bad at running for president, he gets to be secretary of state.
posted by empath at 11:22 AM on December 21, 2012 [52 favorites]

Oh, God, not Capuano.

Scott Brown's brand is pretty tarnished, so I'm hoping it won't be a tough race, but fuck.

As for Kerry, I think having a military veteran in charge of State always gives an interesting perspective.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:24 AM on December 21, 2012

@Wordshore: if he does well at his job, he does well at his job.

It's often just the end of your political/civil service career[*]. Sen. Kerry already had a failed presidential campaign, and Americans aren't historically keen on giving failed candidates a second shot.

I have a feeling that this is his last act before retirement.

[*] Madeline Albright, Gen. Powell, and Condoleezza Rice haven't done much (politically) since.
posted by sbutler at 11:24 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

It's not some sort of moustache-twisting MWAHAHAHAHA sort of racism, it's the sort where they obviously feel more comfortable having a "respectable"-looking white man like Kerry-- who reminds them of people they already associate with-- representing the US than a black woman.
posted by threeants at 11:25 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

I should also say, congratulations to Sen. Kerry. I didn't like him as a presidential candidate, but I think he'd be fine in this role.
posted by sbutler at 11:25 AM on December 21, 2012

Yay for Kerry! Though the very real possibility of losing a Dem seat in the Senate is not a good thing.

Has FOX News dragged-out the old swiftboat crap yet?
posted by Thorzdad at 11:25 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Wordshore: Here in the states a single senile senator can block any nomination. Susan Rice was even defamed prior to being nominated . . .and so the Preznit chose a very qualified person--one who had already been thoroughly defamed on an earlier occasion. Now the Repugnicans are expected to win the seat in the Senate that Kerry leaves open because they think Massachusetts will vote for a pretty boy candidate.
posted by ahimsakid at 11:26 AM on December 21, 2012

Secrekerriat
posted by gilrain at 11:26 AM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

I can't wait for Jon Stewart's take on this.
posted by Chuffy at 11:27 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Republicans liked Michael Steele [sort of] just fine, so what's with all the racist crap sent President Obama's way?

Racism is just another tool in the box.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012 [14 favorites]

Has FOX News dragged-out the old swiftboat crap yet?

Not that I know of, but my teabagger relatives have already been flooding Facebook with that crap for a couple of weeks now.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Scott Brown's brand is pretty tarnished, so I'm hoping it won't be a tough race, but fuck.

He has a 58/28 favoribility rating and his state wide machine still fresh. So, I'd say his image is pretty good and he has a good shot at winning the special election.
posted by munchingzombie at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

Pretty sure all the old boys in the Senate will rubber stamp their buddy, regardless of party.
posted by Burhanistan at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

Isn't Deval Patrick going to run for this seat? Why are so many convinced that this is Scott Brown's for the taking?
posted by banal evil at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012

Scott Brown's brand might not be as tarnished as we think.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2012

Isn't Deval Patrick going to run for this seat? Why are so many convinced that this is Scott Brown's for the taking?

In my experience talking to many Democratic relatives in Mass, people have not generally been very excited about Patrick. Definitely not as excited as they were about Warren, and we saw how close that was. I think Patrick would have fine odds against Brown, but it'd be far from a lock.
posted by threeants at 11:33 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

I would be more than happy to volunteer myself for the role. As somebody who is grossly unqualified to make life and death decisions regarding large swathes of the population, as well as possessing a certain moral flexibility, I think you will find I do the job every bit as effectively as any other currently sitting senator. Although I am not currently insane, nor have I ever killed somebody due to my poor driving skills, I am a very fast learner and I pledge to take at least one utterly reckless action which will hurt the American people within the first month of taking office.

Also, I am very fond of vacation and the three-day work week that Congress currently uses would perfectly suit my schedule, as it would allow me more time to have inappropriate relationships with my staff.
posted by wolfdreams01 at 11:33 AM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

Yeah, people keep forgetting how conservative Massachusetts can be. One-party rule grates on people: My brother, a Republican, can't stand talking about state politics or state politicians. Scott Brown has a good shot at returning to office.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 11:33 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't think it's so simple as to work this way. The Republicans liked Michael Steele [sort of] just fine, so what's with all the racist crap sent President Obama's way?

Because Steele and Condoleezza were both subservient to the status quo of the Republican organization. For lack of a better phrase, they knew their place.
posted by Talez at 11:36 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

Pretty sure all the old boys in the Senate will rubber stamp their buddy, regardless of party.

Most certainly. Especially if the Republicans feel confident that Brown can win the seat. It's like a freebie for them.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:36 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

On a more serious note...

Isn't Deval Patrick going to run for this seat? Why are so many convinced that this is Scott Brown's for the taking?

Deval Patrick has a history of hiring completely unqualified people who make poorly advised decisions and then defending them vigorously when the media takes him to task for it. I find it unlikely he'll even be reelected to his current position, let alone the Senate.
posted by wolfdreams01 at 11:38 AM on December 21, 2012

I can't think of any interested candidate with both the level of statewide name recognition and favorability that Brown has (it took Elizabeth Warren quite a while to build those things, and she had a regular campaign interval to do so.) And I believe that Deval Patrick has already indicated that he won't appoint himself or run.

I was really hoping this wouldn't happen. The Warren race was exhausting, and now we're right back at it.
posted by Kosh at 11:38 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

Zombie Ted Kennedy 2013!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:41 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

I can think of no one better to represent the United States abroad than someone who looks like they've peered at the Ark of the Covenant too long.
posted by jph at 11:42 AM on December 21, 2012 [15 favorites]

I was really hoping this wouldn't happen. The Warren race was exhausting, and now we're right back at it.

Same here. I just wanted campaign season to end.

The campaign is going to be all the fiercer for the Democrat's lack of popularity and the Republican's desperation to stay in office. Unless the Democratic Party decides not to support its stronghold.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 11:42 AM on December 21, 2012

Wake me up when he gets shot down by the Republicans too, and Jon Huntsman finally gets his turn.
posted by Apocryphon at 11:47 AM on December 21, 2012

I hope he salutes President Obama and says "Reporting for duty."

Nuts to this. The State Department is not the sixth branch of the military.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:48 AM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

Neither is the Democratic Party's Nominee for President.
posted by notyou at 11:51 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

If should-be-dependably sane Massachusetts gives Republicans a second chance to absurdly shout MANDATE! a mere three years after seeing what happened the first time, I think I'll probably give up on thinking that they're dependably sane.
posted by Flunkie at 11:53 AM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

(John Kerry accepting the Party's nomination in 2004.)
posted by notyou at 11:54 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Scott Brown has been a crap senator, because he's constantly dancing between fealty to the Republican Party and what his constituents actually want, which is the opposite of what Mitch McConnell wants them to want.

If he is elected to Kerry's seat, it wll be a fucking disaster. Two years of his bullshit was bad enough.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:55 AM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

What's wrong with Mike Capuano?

I think, if he wants to run for Senate (There's been talk of Governor), he's got plenty of sound bites of him shouting at corporations for him to face up to Brown as Man of the People. It will not be an easy fight - Brown still has cash in his war chest.

I voted for Warren and I support her, but I won't deny she was helped by the torrent of Republican Jerks On Women.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:55 AM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

Meh.
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:57 AM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

I've never voted for Capuano, even for mayor of Somerville when I lived there. I find him whiny and overly accommodationist.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:57 AM on December 21, 2012

The State Department is not the sixth branch of the military.

Yeah, it's not like the Foreign Service wear a uniform or something.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:57 AM on December 21, 2012

If it wasn't Susan Rice, it had to be John Kerry, in order to meet the required quota of Secretaries of State whose names meet at least one of the following criteria:

1) Rhymes with "pay": Jay, Clay, Day, Hay.
2) Is silly: Frederick Frelinghuysen, Elihu Root, Philander Chase Knox, Bainbridge Colby, Christian Herter.
3) Has a first name for a surname: Webster, Marcy, Cass, Blaine, Sherman, Bryan, Marshall.
4) Is edible: Fish, Bacon, Rusk, Eagleburger, Rice.
5) Is John.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:00 PM on December 21, 2012 [25 favorites]

Yeah, it's not like the Foreign Service wear a uniform or something.

From the same link: "In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order directing that no person in the diplomatic or consular service should wear a uniform or official costume not previously authorized by the United States Congress."
posted by psoas at 12:00 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

I just wanted campaign season to end

Hahahahahahahah it never ends.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:01 PM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

Yeah, I know psoas, sadly they did away with the sash. Bring back the sash!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:02 PM on December 21, 2012

I think Brown should hold off the Senate contest and run for Governor. He's fine as a Massachusetts Republican and we've had some reasonable Republican Governors - I just don't want MA Republicans in the Senate where they're going to be drenched with the Republican Brand(tm) craziness that seems to permeate some of the party from other parts of the country. (I haven't since the national party pushed Bill Weld out of their small-and-shrinking tent.)
posted by rmd1023 at 12:02 PM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

Can we convince Barney Frank to not retire and move to the Senate?
posted by inturnaround at 12:05 PM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

If he is elected to Kerry's seat, it wll be a fucking disaster. Two years of his bullshit was bad enough.

Kerry's term is up in 2014, so this would be a similar amount of time, and in theory would give Democrats time to recruit someone who can build a statewide network and have time to recover from a primary, which the candidate for this seat will not have in the special election. Unless we see an unusual degree of party unity and Deval Patrick chooses to appoint someone who will run for the seat rather than be a 'caretaker' like Paul Kirk was, I'm preparing myself now for having to deal with Brown until 2014 and hope that the party gets its act together by then.
posted by Kosh at 12:10 PM on December 21, 2012

The dental assistants at my dentist's office have a uniform. I don't think they're a branch of the military.
posted by Flunkie at 12:10 PM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

I can think of no one better to represent the United States abroad than someone who looks like they've peered at the Ark of the Covenant too long.

Charlie Brooker once described him as looking like a haunted tree and I've never been able to un-see that image.
posted by atrazine at 12:14 PM on December 21, 2012 [35 favorites]

The dental assistants at my dentist's office have a uniform. I don't think they're a branch of the military.

Do they work for the Public Health Service (e.g. the Surgeon General), because that would make them part of the "Uniformed Services".
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:15 PM on December 21, 2012

Sys Rq:
If it wasn't Susan Rice, it had to be John Kerry, in order to meet the required quota of Secretaries of State whose names meet at least one of the following criteria:

1) Rhymes with "pay": Jay, Clay, Day, Hay.
2) Is silly: Frederick Frelinghuysen, Elihu Root, Philander Chase Knox, Bainbridge Colby, Christian Herter.
3) Has a first name for a surname: Webster, Marcy, Cass, Blaine, Sherman, Bryan, Marshall.
4) Is edible: Fish, Bacon, Rusk, Eagleburger, Rice.
5) Is John.

Oooh, so I guess Hillary met number 3? I wish I would have known this in my quizbowl days. Would have made it easier to remember everyone.
posted by frecklefaerie at 12:15 PM on December 21, 2012

Oooh, so I guess Hillary met number 3?

No, #4. As we learned during the Lewinsky days, Clinton is edible.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:19 PM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

Hey lady. Nice band-aid (the internet doesnt forget)
John Kerry is gonna be the next Secretary of State and youre still just a know-nothing dumbfuck who will forever be remembered for your offensive purple band aid bullshit.
(Ya see, Purple Hearts only count when they're given to conservatives. Srsly. Look it up. )

Anyhoo, enjoy your eternal status as footnote and punchline. Dumbass.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 12:21 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

No, #4. As we learned during the Lewinsky days, Clinton is edible.

whoa!
posted by riruro at 12:22 PM on December 21, 2012

I also was going to say that Hillary met #4, but not as a joke.
posted by Flunkie at 12:23 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

How does it work in the USA? If he does good in this job, he gets to run for president, or something?

I liked it when Alan Alda played this character. Kerry doesn't look anything like him.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:25 PM on December 21, 2012

That's probably why the W.H. was in no great hurry to announce this.
posted by cookie-k at 12:37 PM on December 21, 2012

No, guys, it's just a quota, not a hard requirement. Condoleezza Rice counted for two, so Clinton got a freebie. It's all there in the Constitution.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:38 PM on December 21, 2012 [7 favorites]

Eagleburger sounds like the most American meal ever.
posted by DynamiteToast at 12:40 PM on December 21, 2012 [8 favorites]

Make mine with a side of freedom fries!
posted by Flunkie at 12:41 PM on December 21, 2012

Eaglebauer's Eagleburger was a great burger joint in Westwood back in the late 70s.
You could get anything there. Burgers, shakes, relationship advice.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Exceptin' Alice.
posted by COBRA! at 12:46 PM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

Oooh, so I guess Hillary met number 3? I wish I would have known this in my quizbowl days. Would have made it easier to remember everyone.

Number 2, on account of having a man's name while being a lady.
posted by atrazine at 12:58 PM on December 21, 2012

FYI, "Hillary" is not a man's name in America.
posted by benito.strauss at 1:14 PM on December 21, 2012

riruro: whoa!

Try the veal. Here 'til Thursday.
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:46 PM on December 21, 2012

But "Clinton" is, although not an especially common one.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:46 PM on December 21, 2012

How does it work in the USA? If he does good in this job, he gets to run for president, or something?

Perhaps, but highly unlikely. It has been many moons since a former Secretary of State was elected president.
posted by IvoShandor at 1:50 PM on December 21, 2012

Run. I can read I swear. But since Kerry's run once and was the nominee, I don't think anyone expects that.
posted by IvoShandor at 1:51 PM on December 21, 2012

Great, so first off, the GOP learns (or perhaps, has the existing idea reinforced) that lying and smearing 24/7 for a week or two works. Next we have the nomination of a droopy man who will probably not live up to what Clinton had become by the end of her term. And last, but not least, we have the GOP getting a run at what was once a safe senate seat.

Braaaaaaavo.
posted by Slackermagee at 1:56 PM on December 21, 2012 [3 favorites]

You have to be from Harvard and enjoy pushing cookies.

Y'know, it's not a bad move. It's really not. Flournoy would have made Obama's office more of an echo chamber. Donilon too. I'd've liked to see Hagel. But this is probably the job Kerry was born for.
I don't like Kerry not politically, personally. He's a smart and well educated man. But he's one of those types of guys who you can't really have as a boss because he thinks he knows everything. Like Chad from “In the Loop” or the manager of Chotchkie's in "Office Space." Except you have no f'ing idea what he's driving at because he's from Harvard.

Kerry: Would you come here for a moment, please?

FSO: I'm sorry. I was late. I was having lunch.

Kerry: I need to talk about the 13 dimensions and your engendering of social energy.

FSO: Really? I way past the A100 stuff. I'm already serving. Just got back from Afghanistan in fact. Had to go over the mountains with a mule for months just to get people to vote. So, uh..

Kerry: Well, it's up to you whether or not you want to just do the bare minimum. But I believe in paragraph 2, section 6 of Charter 157, and upon increased intercourse in different culture a fostering of cultural iteration opens unprecedented opportunities for individuals to engender dynamic cultural content inexpensively through skill revetment. Diversity can inspire initiative in positive factors in communities through their economies and even digitalization of their cultural heritage, with a view to enhancing public success.

FSO: So...yeah, ok. More?

Kerry: Look. Joanna.

FSO:Yeah.

Kerry: Other countries can get cookies from any ambassadors, ok? They come to the United States Department of State for the atmosphere and the attitude. That's what it's about. It's about fun. Look at Brian, he got shot six times preventing a kidnapping in South America. He still has a terrific smile without egregious objurgation of the perquisites. You do want to express yourself, don't you?

FSO: Yeah. Uh, yeah.

Kerry: Great. Great. Just do your best. That's all I ask.

But even if I did like him, I'm really damn tired of seeing the same few names in government.
You'd think people would be tired of seeing Rumsfeld for example. Or for having presidents and people from the same families holding high offices. Kerry is also a Forbes scion, for example.
Rice was a good secretary of state. Liked her. But too, her dad was the governor of the Federal Reserve.

Offhand, Obama (currently) is the only thing close to the Horatio Alger story we believe happens in our government. I'd have liked to seen William Burns get a chance to be brilliant. He was the only guy who knew who Medvedev was a bit back. Still, Burns, meh.

Ahh, Kerry kicked some ass with the BCCI thing way back. Maybe he's the guy we need now what with the banks and such. Hagel probably would have been as much as a lightning rod as Kerry.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:19 PM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

What should we conclude from the fact that Hilary decided to step down as Secretary of State? Does that decision make it more or less likely that she'll be a Presidential candidate in 2016?

Presumably, she decided that the Sec of State role has already yielded as much political capital as she can reasonably expect it to, and she feels her time is now better spent in fundraising and putting her campaign together? Or have I got that wrong?

So many questions...
posted by Paul Slade at 2:31 PM on December 21, 2012

It has been many moons since a former Secretary of State was elected president.

I think the most recent attempt was by Alexander Haig, Secretary of State under Reagan 1981–82, who ran for President in 1988. Haig's predecessor, Edmund Muskie, is a closer parallel to Kerry (in this narrow sense): he was the Democratic nominee for VP in 1968, ran for President in 1972, and was Secretary of State under Carter 1980–81. Before Haig and Muskie, a quick troll through Wikipedia suggests the next similar thing was James F. Byrnes, a candidate for the Democratic VP nomination in 1944, who was appointed Secretary of State in 1945.
posted by stebulus at 2:36 PM on December 21, 2012

Protip for Mr. Kerry. Whenever anything happens anywhere, your first statement about it should include the words 'terror' and 'terrorist' at least three times. For some reason it soothes and calms Republicans, and they get fussy and tantrummy if they don't hear it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 2:37 PM on December 21, 2012 [6 favorites]

Except you have no f'ing idea what he's driving at because he's from Harvard.

Yale, actually. And he's a Bonesman, so you've got the whole rule-the-world-with-the-skull-of-Cochise thing.

Really, Kerry had a good war, followed by a spurt of moral courage, followed by thirty years of mostly undistinguished service in government briefly interrupted by one of the worst presidential campaigns ever. How does he rate this job?
posted by steambadger at 2:39 PM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

With Hagel as Sec of Defense this makes two real live Vietnam Vets in foreign policy roles and I say FUCK YES to this.
posted by three blind mice at 2:45 PM on December 21, 2012

And Goddamned overdue.
posted by three blind mice at 2:46 PM on December 21, 2012

steambadger: "Really, Kerry had a good war, followed by a spurt of moral courage, followed by thirty years of mostly undistinguished service in government briefly interrupted by one of the worst presidential campaigns ever. How does he rate this job?"

His service in government has been largely focused on the diplomatic side of things, to the point where he supposedly has relationships with foreign governments rivaling our actual ambassadors'. A Kerry state department would be one that knows exactly what buttons to push in a lot of countries.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:48 PM on December 21, 2012 [5 favorites]

People like Bashar Al-Assad also know how to push Kerry's buttons...
posted by Burhanistan at 2:53 PM on December 21, 2012

A Kerry state department would be one that knows exactly what buttons to push in a lot of countries.

Yeah, I've heard that, and I hope it's right. His foreign policy judgement, however, has never struck me as being unusually acute, from his early support for the Iraq invasion to his warm relations with Bashar al-Assad.
posted by steambadger at 3:05 PM on December 21, 2012 [5 favorites]

I'm concerned that Clinton is pretty ill. This seems off and not in a scandal kind of way.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:14 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

What should we conclude from the fact that Hilary decided to step down as Secretary of State?
...
I'm concerned that Clinton is pretty ill. This seems off and not in a scandal kind of way.

It is so common as to be essentially meaningless for Secretaries of State to step down after a few years and for a new SoS to be appointed.

Colin Powell was SoS for Bush's first term. Rice was SoS for Bush's second term. Warren Christopher was SoS for Clinton's first term. Albright was SoS for the second. The last SoS to serve more than four years was Shultz under Reagan. One could speculate as to why he didn't resign when Reagan was re-elected. I have my suspicions. But that might be gauche.

Anyway, it doesn't mean anything.
posted by Justinian at 3:37 PM on December 21, 2012

I'm concerned that Clinton is pretty ill.

And why might that be?
posted by indubitable at 3:40 PM on December 21, 2012

What should we conclude from the fact that Hilary decided to step down as Secretary of State?

Not much of anything, really.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:48 PM on December 21, 2012

Obama calls up Kerry and tells him that he's on "a swift boat to nomination. Ooops, I meant a fast track."
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:02 PM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm concerned that Clinton is pretty ill.

And why might that be?

Hillary Clinton had a concussion due to a fall due to dehydration due to a virus due to a trip to Europe.

Don't kick people when they're down.
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:08 PM on December 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Someone tell Mitt to run for Senate.
posted by pashdown at 5:51 PM on December 21, 2012

Also, I am very fond of vacation and the three-day work week that Congress currently uses would perfectly suit my schedule

Did you even read the article you linked to? It's not vacation, it's district work time.
posted by naoko at 5:59 PM on December 21, 2012

Someone tell Mitt to run for Senate.

Now that Edward Kennedy is out of the picture, he has a real chance. In other news, Mitt Romney has been named Time Magazine's Man of the Year, 1912
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:12 PM on December 21, 2012

Why the long face, John?
posted by metaplectic at 6:29 PM on December 21, 2012

Hillary Clinton hasn't looked well since Bin Laden was fed to the sharks.
posted by brujita at 8:13 PM on December 21, 2012

I was reading up on John Kerry and stumbled across this picture (SLNYT) showing John Kerry as the most determined, heavily armed, oriental carpet shopper of all time
posted by cacofonie at 8:24 PM on December 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

I read there was a poll of various state dems against scott brow, and they were all losers, but deval patrick did the least bad, at-7 points.

Frankly the dems ought to nominate an out of state figure, which warren kind of was. She lived in MA but wasn't a part of the local political macine.

If I were them, id just run hillary clinton. The senate has no residency requirement.

Also the susan rice rice thing had nothing to do with race or anything else about susan rice at all. They just wanted a scalp over bengazi to 'legitimize' it as a 'real' scandal after it was ignored entirely during the election
posted by delmoi at 8:49 PM on December 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

The whole nomination was Borked.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:03 PM on December 21, 2012

Yale, actually.

Oh, God how gauche. A Yalie. Well, at least it wasn't Clown College.
Pardon me, but I'm going to have to get a dry one on the veranda.
posted by Smedleyman at 9:22 PM on December 21, 2012

I was reading up on John Kerry and stumbled across this picture (SLNYT) showing John Kerry as the most determined, heavily armed, oriental carpet shopper of all time

Why is it the none of those three men look like they're actually in that photo, to me anyway? It's like when people see a movie scene and complain about the CGI, and it turns out it was actually real.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:09 PM on December 21, 2012

How would any of you react if Mitt Romney announced he's running for Senate in the special election as a Democrat?

I would laugh!
posted by JKevinKing at 10:35 PM on December 21, 2012

Frankly the dems ought to nominate an out of state figure, which warren kind of was. She lived in MA but wasn't a part of the local political macine.

If I were them, id just run hillary clinton. The senate has no residency requirement.

Hmm? Warren isn't an out of state figure at all, unless you mean she hasn't lived in Mass all her life. She had a successful career as a professor at one of the most important and powerful institutions in the state.

I don't think a true out of state candidate would be a lock at all. The competitive demographic here isn't the Democratic elite but less-and-less-middle-class suburban folks who like Brown's apparent authenticity. Someone like Clinton might be able to win tactically on star power alone, but I think that would be a serious strategic mis-step for the Democrats nationally. It also strongly recalls the arrogance of the Democrats in the Coakley-Brown debacle. I'm wary of someone like Ted Kennedy Jr., who is now floating his name, for the same reason. Weary, too-- how many dang Kennedies do we need in government? The district I grew up in is now represented by one, which is fine, but do people really need their Congressperson and their Senator to go to the same Thanksgiving dinner? It's just too dynastic. Then again...my extended family has an uncanny amount of interest and affection when it comes to the Kennedies, and they talk about them as if they're family themselves; it's like an SNL skit. I imagine this isn't uncommon in liberal Massachusetts families.
posted by threeants at 1:18 PM on December 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have to hope Scott Brown's racist, mean-spirited campaign against Warren would have permanently prevented a victory in Massachusetts for him.
posted by EtzHadaat at 3:09 PM on December 22, 2012

I think having a military veteran in charge of State always gives an interesting perspective.

What would be interesting is seeing how much the bank balance grows of the family involved in the position.
posted by rough ashlar at 3:18 PM on December 22, 2012

How would any of you react if Mitt Romney announced he's running for Senate in the special election as a Democrat?

I'd say its time to change the Constitution and go to a lottery system.

"Greetings from the Election Lottery of the United States. Your friends and neighbors have selected you to represent [them] in the Congress of the United States. You are hereby ordered to report for induction no later than Jan 20th, 2014."
posted by rough ashlar at 3:30 PM on December 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

Hmm? Warren isn't an out of state figure at all, unless you mean she hasn't lived in Mass all her life. She had a successful career as a professor at one of the most important and powerful institutions in the state.

I explained it in the part of my comment you quoted: the dems ought to nominate an out of state figure, which warren kind of was. She lived in MA but wasn't a part of the local political machine.
posted by delmoi at 10:03 PM on December 22, 2012

I explained it in the part of my comment you quoted: the dems ought to nominate an out of state figure, which warren kind of was. She lived in MA but wasn't a part of the local political machine.

My mistake; I saw that but it didn't really make any sense to me. How does not being part of the local political machine make someone an "out of state figure"?
posted by threeants at 1:52 AM on December 23, 2012

f I were them, id just run hillary clinton. The senate has no residency requirement.

Yes it does:

"No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen."
posted by Flunkie at 8:35 AM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

What Kerry should tell Obama as secretary of state
posted by growabrain at 10:46 AM on December 23, 2012

It is so common as to be essentially meaningless for Secretaries of State to step down after a few years and for a new SoS to be appointed

Its very common. Its incredibly uncommon for a cabinet officer to not be at the press op regarding her sucessor.

I'm concerned because it was apparently diagnosed on the 12th but occured early in the prior week according to the NY Times. She's been recovering for a long time. People fainting can occur from dehydration, yes, but there are a lot of brain issues that can also cause loss of consciousness. The NYT has the inury happening on the 2nd-4th of December. That's a long recovery time.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:45 AM on December 23, 2012

Assuming Kerry is picked, and the pattern holds up, I guess the odds-on favorite for the next Secretary of State would be Gore?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 12:37 PM on December 23, 2012

Assuming Kerry is picked, and the pattern holds up, I guess the odds-on favorite for the next Secretary of State would be Gore?

Possibly; but I'm holding out for Hugh "Losing Pitcher" Mulcahy.
posted by steambadger at 11:14 AM on December 24, 2012

I have to hope Scott Brown's racist, mean-spirited campaign against Warren would have permanently prevented a victory in Massachusetts for him.

Such plants as racism and meanness of spirit might not grow as tall in Massachusetts as they do elsewhere, but the soil of the Commonwealth hardly rejects them. Scott Brown has no reason to change his strategy. I hope the Democrats can find a candidate who doesn't balk at shaking hands in the cold, or the man I voted against will remain, smiling and hateful as always.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 8:26 PM on December 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yep. Give the jamokes something to vote for, alongside some smart progressivism.
posted by benito.strauss at 10:23 PM on December 24, 2012

Such plants as racism ... might not grow as tall in Massachusetts as they do elsewhere

The hell they don't. I think the racism is a lot less obviously phrased these days, but the 1970's aren't that far in the past.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:30 AM on December 25, 2012

The hell they don't. I think the racism is a lot less obviously phrased these days, but the 1970's aren't that far in the past.

That's what I was saying. And I did say "might." The racism just isn't as obvious to people who see the D beside our politicians' names and decide that things are better here than in Arizona.

Even today, my mother was saying she didn't like basketball because it's a sport played by "thugs." She went on to say that she disliked a basketball player at the high school where she teaches. One of my relatives then asked whether he was a METCO student.

I left the room at that point.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 3:49 PM on December 25, 2012

Ah, sorry for the misunderstanding. And, yeah.

And, wow... Thugs? Uh-huh. Except for that one guy - he's only Thug on his mother's side?

*sigh*
posted by rmd1023 at 11:44 AM on December 26, 2012

With Hagel as Sec of Defense this makes two real live Vietnam Vets in foreign policy roles and I say FUCK YES to this.

Chuck Hagel's views on war forged by Vietnam experience
posted by homunculus at 9:33 PM on January 6

Obama’s Pick for Defense Is an Ally, and a Lightning Rod
posted by homunculus at 9:34 PM on January 6

Obama’s Pick for Defense Is an Ally, and a Lightning Rod

Calista Flockhart?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:11 PM on January 6

In other nomination news: John Brennan as CIA Director: What It Means
posted by homunculus at 9:49 AM on January 7

The Seduction of John Brennan’s “Moral Rectitude”

The Official John Brennan Story
posted by homunculus at 9:55 AM on January 7

God, I wish Barney Frank was interested.

Can we convince Barney Frank to not retire and move to the Senate?

Apparently your wishes have come true!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 10:08 AM on January 7 [2 favorites]

Charles Pierce: Chuck Hagel Already Knows How To Be Defense Secretary
posted by homunculus at 7:21 PM on January 7

Rachel Maddow: Divining modern military mindset from Obama's CIA, Pentagon nominations
posted by homunculus at 12:32 PM on January 8

Glenn Greenwald: John Brennan's extremism and dishonesty rewarded with CIA Director nomination - Obama's top terrorism adviser goes from unconfirmable in 2008 to uncontroversial in 2013
posted by homunculus at 12:52 PM on January 8