President Barack Obama officially nominated Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) to serve as the next Secretary of State in a White House press conference earlier this afternoon. If confirmed by the Senate Kerry would replace former Senator and first lady Hillary Clinton, who had previously announced that she would leave the post at the end of Obama’s first term.
“John’s entire life has prepared him for this role,” Obama said of Kerry. “He understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely. He’s played a central role in nearly every major foreign policy debate in the past 30 years.
“As we turn the page on a decade of war, he understands that we’ve got to harness all elements of American power and ensure that they’re working together. John’s earned the respect and confidence of leaders around the world. He is not going to need a lot of on the job training.”
Ever the politician, Obama pointed out that it was Kerry who, as the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, invited then-State Senator Obama to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Kerry returned the favor by serving as GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s stand-in during the president’s debate prep this past fall.
Kerry was joined by his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, and Vice President Joe Biden for the announcement. Clinton was unable to attend as she is still recovering from a concussion.
Obama’s selection of Kerry to succeed retiring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is perhaps the worst kept secret in Washington this week. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Kerry, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was on Obama’s short list for a cabinet position, and last Saturday CNN confirmed that Obama had settled on Kerry for the high-profile national security position. Obama was expected to make the announcement earlier this week, but the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reportedly delayed his plans.
The announcement comes amidst the resignation of several high-level State officials who were identified as key players in the Benghazi scandal.
Kerry will likely sail through his nomination process in the Senate as his Republican colleagues have bigger officials to fry, so to speak. After successfully pressuring U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice to remove her name from consideration for the Secretary of State position, Republican Senators are now targeting former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a moderate whom Obama is expected to nominate for Secretary of Defense.
Kerry’s anticipated exit will also trigger a high-profile special election in Massachusetts to replace the five-term senator this Spring. While outgoing Republican Senator Scott Brown is widely viewed as the favorite to win the seat, virtually every Democrat in the Bay State has been named as a possible candidate, from Attorney General Martha Coakley to actor Ben Affleck.
With additional contributions by Katie LaPotin.
