Kerry formally named today as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe

[sabra]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/12/kerry_officiall.html



Kerry officially gets Foreign Relations post

Senator John F. Kerry was formally named today as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe for the 111th Congress, which takes office next month.

It caps a long journey for Kerry, who testified before the same committee against the Vietnam War.

Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat and 2004 presidential nominee, released the following statement from Islamabad, Pakistan as part of his first trip abroad as the incoming chairman. Other countries on the trip include Poland, Georgia, India, Afghanistan, and Kuwait:

I am honored to serve as Chairman of a committee which I know from my own experience as a young man can impact the course of our security and help advance our values and interests in the world. It�s particularly a privilege to join in the committee�s rich history of bipartisan cooperation alongside my colleague and our distinguished Ranking Member, Dick Lugar. Whether it was under the Republican Chairman Vandenberg or the great Democratic Chairman William Fulbright, this committee has always stood for the best of American foreign policy. I look forward to working with all members of the committee to help strengthen America�s hand in Afghanistan and Pakistan, work towards global climate change solutions, and end the war in Iraq responsibly. We have a big agenda ahead of us, just as our country faces big challenges across the globe.

[democrattotheend]

1. Congrats, Senator Kerry

This is kind of fitting, since he got his start testifying before the committee. I know he wanted to be Secretary of State but this is a pretty good consolation prize.

[karynnj]

12. This is not a consolation prize - as that implies it was given to him

This was a position that was his by right of his seniority and Dodd staying with the Banking committee.

The distinction is important as it means that, as before, he owes no one other than the citizens of MA who have elected him 5 times - including in the first primary where he was the favorite of neither the media or the party. He was also just re-elected with 66% of the vote. This gives him a rare independence. An independence that he has used to do the right things in the past - even when all the powers that be wanted him to stop.

[democrattotheend]

17. I know, he was next in line

I did not mean to imply that it was given to him as a consolation prize. Sorry about that.

[karynnj]

18. I should have written that less sharply

especially as it was clear you wrote that it was pretty good. I suspect that he may have wanted to be Secretary of State, but I assume that his impact on policy may be the same either way - as it is Obama who will make the decisions. In either position, if he agrees with Kerry's ideas or advice, he will go for them. If not, in either position, they will not be the position. What he loses vs Secretary of State is that he will not be at cabinet meetings and he will not be the chief diplomat. What he gains is that he is independent and he can work on the broad range of issues that he is interested in - including a major high speed rail bill. I'm not sure, on balance, which would be better.

[grantcart]

2. I look forward to great things from Senator Kerry in this post.

[AspenRose]

3. Congratulations Senator Kerry

:patriot:

[AtomicKitten]

4. Excellent.

[babylonsister]

5. Bravo! nt

[beachmom]

6. I think it gives us an idea of how hard working Sen. Kerry is going to be

when his statement on getting the chairmanship is coming out of Pakistan.

Congratulations, Senator!

[PresidentObama]

7. Brings tears to my eyes. This man deserves so much for his service to our country.

I'll never get over our nations loss in 2004. I'm extremely happy with the results of 2008, but we truly missed the boat four years ago.

John Kerry is one of the best, through and through. His service is remarkable.

[MH1]

29. What you said,

and I love that picture in your sig. :)

[karynnj]

8. Full statement - from over on DU JK

Kerry Appointed Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thirty seven years after testifying in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a young soldier returning from Vietnam, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) today was named the Committee’s Chairman for the 111th Congress.

Kerry released the following statement from Islamabad, Pakistan as part of his first trip abroad as the incoming Chair. Other countries on the trip include Poland, Georgia, India, Afghanistan, and Kuwait:

“I am honored to serve as Chairman of a committee which I know from my own experience as a young man can impact the course of our security and help advance our values and interests in the world. It’s particularly a privilege to join in the committee’s rich history of bipartisan cooperation alongside my colleague and our distinguished Ranking Member, Dick Lugar. Whether it was under the Republican Chairman Vandenberg or the great Democratic Chairman William Fulbright, this committee has always stood for the best of American foreign policy. I look forward to working with all members of the committee to help strengthen America’s hand in Afghanistan and Pakistan, work towards global climate change solutions, and end the war in Iraq responsibly. We have a big agenda ahead of us, just as our country faces big challenges across the globe.”

In his 23 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kerry has chaired the Asia and Middle East subcommittees and authored and passed major legislation on international drug trafficking, global AIDS, international money laundering, and climate change – and negotiated the UN’s genocide tribunal to prosecute war crimes in Cambodia’s Killing Fields.

[riqster]

9. He'll do a fine job in that post nt

[SharonRB]

10. Congrats, Senator Kerry

You've come full circle. I'm sure you'll do an amazing job as chairman.

[beachmom]

16. Nice pic, Sharon!

[SharonRB]

19. Thanks, beachmom! n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

11. Excellent news

for Senator Kerry and for the country.

[FrenchieCat]

13. Congrats to John Kerry! Lord knows he's earned it. n/t

[Laelth]

14. Glad to hear it. Well deserved. n/t

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[ProSense]

15. Awesome. n/t

[thatsrightimirish]

20. very good

He was made famous for testifying in front of that committee in the Vietnam war

[YvonneCa]

21. Congratulations to a great Senator and patriot! n/t

[ProSense]

22. Here's a

terrific Daily Kos diary on the announcement.

[beachmom]

27. Thanks for the shout out, Prosense. :) nt

[sandrakae]

23. Congratulations Senator Kerry

You will do a wonderful job.

[globalvillage]

24. Fantastic.

He's going to be a great SFRC chair.
Congratulations to the Senator!

[hibiscus]

25. Congratulations to Senator Kerry!!!

:patriot: :patriot:

:loveya: :loveya:

[Starry Messenger]

26. Thank you, John Kerry. n/t

Here he is hard at work as usual in Islamabad.



edit: picture I found from today

[ProSense]

28. This article belongs here:

Kerry poised to cap long journey

[JustAnotherGen]

30. Yippee!

I'm so happy for him! :-) He earned the right to be there. And like another person posted - I was disappointed at the shenanigans in Ohio in 2004 that kept him out of the Oval Office. I don't say/type this often - but Kerry is a GOOD man. He's one of the good guys.

[ProSense]

31. Kennedy on Kerry as Foreign Relations chair: He’ll do an ‘excellent job’

Kennedy on Kerry as Foreign Relations chair: He’ll do an ‘excellent job’

By Jeremy P. Jacobs, PolitickerMA.com Reporter

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy commended the appointment of U.S. Sen. John Kerry to be the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that Kerry will take the helm of the influential committee, though he was already in line for the post.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, said Kerry is well-prepared for the job.

"John will do an excellent job as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the nation's fortunate to have him in this high position," Kennedy said in a statement. "I know he'll make significant contributions to our foreign policy in dealing with the many challenges we face in our relationships with other countries, and he'll work well with President (Barack) Obama and Secretary of State (Hillary) Clinton to restore America's respect in the world."

[ProSense]

32. Kerry named head of foreign relations panel

Kerry named head of foreign relations panel

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari met with Senator John F. Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, in
Islamabad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Senator John F. Kerry was named chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, pledging to use his stewardship of the influential panel to strengthen American interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, help end the war in Iraq, and craft solutions to the climate change crisis.

The Massachusetts Democrat is already on an extended tour of trouble spots that will probably consume the foreign policy attention of President-elect Barack Obama. Kerry met yesterday with leaders in Pakistan and India, trying to ease tensions between the two nuclear powers over the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

He next goes to Afghanistan, where Obama wants to deploy thousands of additional troops to fight the war on terrorism. The first stop on Kerry's itinerary, which began over the weekend, was the Republic of Georgia, the front line in Russia's more aggressive stance against the West. On Sunday, he and Obama talked about a global warming conference in Poland that Kerry attended.

<...>

Over the weekend Kerry met in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili and President Mikheil Saakashvili, who are still reeling from the Russian invasion of their territory in August and are seeking membership in the NATO alliance.

Yesterday, Kerry met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi before traveling to Islamabad to meet with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and other leaders.

<...>

Today, Kerry is to meet with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and visit US troops from Massachusetts who are serving there, according to his Senate office.

The Senate Foreign Relations chairmanship remains among the most prized in the Senate. It is responsible for vetting international treaties, conducting the confirmation hearings for presidential nominees for the State Department, and overseeing the State Department budget. The panel also helps set policy for foreign aid and arms control programs and authorizes military training for allied nations.

more

[Fireweed247]

33. Kerry did not even care about the recent Winter Soldier hearings

He was asked on video and said he wasn't paying attention to the Winter Soldier hearings last March.

[politicasista]

34. Congratulations Senator Kerry

And Happy Belated Birthday! :patriot:


Already recommended. :kick:

[ProSense]

35. Video

clip