Persian Realm

Russia wants John Kerry, not Susan Rice as US Secretary of State

by Darius Kadivar on Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:03 AM PST

Russia wants John Kerry, not Susan Rice as US Secretary of State ...

 

WASHINGTON ­— The handicapping began even before all the votes were counted.

Thomas Wright, a foreign policy specialist at the Brookings Institution, posted on his Twitter account early Wednesday that the election “is very good news for John Kerry’s prospects for secretary of state.” Within hours Russian and British press reports made it sound all but a foregone conclusion that the Massachusetts Democrat will be elevated to the position of America’s top diplomat in President Obama’s second term.

 

Maaloumeh ... What did you think ? ... 

 

John Kerry stays quiet as secretary of state speculation swirls

by Darius Kadivar on Sat Dec 01, 2012 03:40 PM PST

John Kerry stays quiet as secretary of state speculation swirls

 

WASHINGTON  — Sen. John Kerry is angling to be the nation's top diplomat by being, well, diplomatic.

The longtime Massachusetts lawmaker has largely stayed quiet while President Barack Obama considers him for his next secretary of state. Kerry has asked his supporters to avoid lobbying the White House on his behalf. And he's defended his chief rival for the State Department post, Susan Rice, amid Republican criticism of her explanation of the deadly attack on Americans in Libya.

 

Kerry's strategy reflects what people close to the senator say is his disdain for some aspects of Washington's personnel politics. But it also underscores his awkward role in the process. If Obama taps Rice for the job Kerry covets, the senator will have to shepherd her nomination through the foreign relations committee he runs.

G.O.P. Unites Around John Kerry for Secretary of State - NYTimes

by Darius Kadivar on Sat Dec 01, 2012 03:36 PM PST

G.O.P. Unites Around John Kerry for Secretary of State - NYTimes.

 

 

WASHINGTON — As President Obama’s potential nominee for secretary of state, Susan E. Rice, comes under increasing fire, Congressional Republicans appear to be coalescing around a familiar name as an alternative candidate: their current colleague and former presidential foe, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Gone are the criticisms of Mr. Kerry as a waffler who tried to have it both ways on the Iraq war and the caricature of him as a windsurfing symbol of privileged East Coast liberalism. Instead, Mr. Kerry, a Democrat, is depicted as a deeply knowledgeable statesman who would breeze through confirmation on his way to Foggy Bottom.

“I think he would do a great job,” gushed Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska. “Anyone who has worked with Senator Kerry knows his good, hard work ethic and his expertise on foreign relations.” Ms. Rice, the United Nations ambassador, she added, “would face a lot of questions.”

 

Hillary Clinton wants John Kerry Over Susan Rice

by Darius Kadivar on Sat Dec 01, 2012 03:33 PM PST

Report: Hillary Clinton Wants John Kerry Over Susan Rice as Her ...

 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reportedly taken sides in the ongoing question of who President Barack Obama will select to replace her: She wants Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) over embattled U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.

“Hillary is not close to Rice, who is tough — but is not the friendliest person,” a “top White House source” told Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed. “And Hillary’s brief comment recently that Rice had done ‘a great job’ was considered underwhelming and tepid.”

Clinton gave her first words of support for Rice on Wednesday, yet hardly endorsed her for the job.

“Susan Rice has done a great job as our ambassador to the United Nations,” she said. “Of course, this decision about my successor is up to the president, but I am very happy he has the opportunity with a second term to make a decision.”

Rice is considered the top contender for the post, despite heavy criticism and objections from Republican senators over her initial comments calling the deadly terror assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya a response to an anti-Islam film. The attack was later classified as terrorism, and Rice said she was going off the best information given to her at the time and said she did not intentionally mislead anyone. Rice met privately with senators earlier this week, a meeting Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) left her “more troubled” than before.

A major consideration in Obama picking Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, would be whether his vacant seat would be left vulnerable for a Republican challenger. 

 

US envoy admits Benghazi error

by Darius Kadivar on Tue Nov 27, 2012 04:27 PM PST

US envoy admits Benghazi error (bbc)

 

Republicans go on the attack as a US envoy tipped to replace Hillary Clinton admits releasing incorrect information after a raid on a consulate in Libya.

Who will be next president: romney or niac's choice: obama

by MOOSIRvaPIAZ on Thu Nov 22, 2012 02:02 PM PST

oops, looks like niac won this round. Sorry cheif, play again...