John Kerry (D-MA) – To be Secretary of State – Safe Senate Replacement - Dem’s to Possibly Choose Dukakis

John Kerry pictured with Michael Dukakis - from the blog beldar.blogs.com

The replacement for Hillary Clinton, who will be leaving her post as Secretary of State has boiled down to the man who brought Barack Obama to the forefront the Senator from Massachusetts, John Forbes Kerry(Boston Herald) Kerry, who has served as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be an easy nomination for the President. Kerry and Republican Senator, John McCain, both having run for the office Of the President, have worked together over the years; in the “club” that is the Senate. For all the bluff and bluster that comes with general elections, (the media recounts of what was said, so viciously, the name calling that takes place, when partisanship trumps the congenial worth done in that august body over an election), it appears that Kerry would sail through a nomination with ease.

Massachusetts will need to replace Kerry, that task falls to the Governor, Duval Patrick – who is required to name a replacement until a special election can be held. The Hill is reporting that the most likely possibility for Kerry’s replacement is the 79 year old, Michael Dukakis, former Governor of Massachusetts and also a Presidential candidate” Dukakis would be a reliable Democrat vote in the Senate, and had recently helped in the campaign for Senator Elect, Elizabeth Warren. Also said to be lobbying for the seat are several of the Congressional Democrats from the state, Capuano, Lynch and Markey. Republican’s who might run for the open seat are Weld, Baker and Brown. (The Hill) The later three are considered “Moderate Republicans” by most standards – with experience with Brown showing a more Independent streak from the party in his voting pattern in the Senate. That said a moderate Republican from Massachusetts is more likely to focus on the vote on hand than be more like a rubber stamp as the case with Dukakis.

Duval Patrick has also noted he will not run for reelection – several of the above referenced on both sides have indicated an interest in running for Govenor. Republican’s, although in short supply, have historically had success at running and winning the Governor’s office in the Bay State. Brown made history in 2009 when he won the special election to the U.S. Senate replacing Ted Kennedy. There are few Republicans that have managed to obtain a Congressional or Senate seat in the “Bluest State”, which begs the question: If a Republican can be handily elected to the Governor’s office, why the difficulty in procuring a Senate or Congressional Seat? – One would think, that with 51% of the States electorate opting for non-party status as “unenrolled”, the option for choosing an alternative to the “status quo’ would be welcome - that said, ground troops, something that is necessary in winning the City Council seat, is lacking on the Republican side in Massachusetts. How then, did the Republican’s ascend to the Governor’s office, or Brown the Senate – general disgust by the people of policies in place that directly affected them at that given time. With Patrick, pro-tax, that may be an easier route for the aforementioned Republican’s to take. That said, in Massachusetts, nothing is impossible, if the ground game, and grassroots are in place for whoever the GOP candidate may be.

Hillary Clinton 2012 Update – U.S. News Picks Up John Kerry (D-MA) Rumored as Next Secretary of State – PUMA and Palin Analysis

John Kerry (D-MA) image bokertov


An interesting blip in the September 15th web edition of US. News and World Reportnotes that John Kerry (D-MA), who will be up for re-election in 2014, is being considered as a replacement for Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State by the Obama administration. The article goes on to note that Clinton has been “hinting” at leaving the post, and as the mid-terms approach and the 2012 presidential campaigns will begin on November 3, if Clinton is to make a run at the White House, and try and save the Democrat Party from implosion, (and by that, the nation by kicking the Progressives to the curb), that announcement should come sometime before or immediately following the installation of the 112th Congress.

Kerry, who is likely to face fierce opposition from the renewed Massachusetts GOP, would likely jump at the opportunity. The Sr. Senator was most recently hounded by the local press for docking his newest “boat” in Rhode Island to avoid paying $500,000 in Massachusetts taxes and after the news broke, relented in time to avoid a Mass. Department of Revenue inquiry on possible tax evasion. Kerry was also one of the first “Democrats” to bring the first-term Illinois Senator Obama into the national spotlight at the 2006 Democrat Convention and also caused a stir among Bay State Dems by coming out early to endorse Obama over Clinton (who won the MA popular 2008 primary vote). Kerry’s chances of reelection after the routing of Obama favorite, Martha Coakley (then summarily shoved under the bus) by Republican Scott Brown in the January 19, 2010 special election are questionable, therefore a post such as Secretary of State would at least extend his public career until 2014.


Hillary Clinton - 2012 Democrat Nominee for President? image top news India

Does Clinton have the support, however, to win a primary? With the Democrats in Congress trying to distance themselves from Obama in the midterms, while being forced by DNC party leaders to find funds, even if it means breaking the law (see audio of Congresswoman calling Lobbyist for funds here), Clinton should have the support necessary to garner super-delegates and take the reins of the Democrat Party in a 2013 convention).

An interesting article on the Tea Party, published by a Clinton PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) supporter, post Republican Primaries is a must read. The article entitled “The Blood of Revolution” addresses the successes of the Tea Party during the September 14th Republican primary, and interestingly enough, gives “bona fides” to the Tea Party as a Movement by quoting Scott Rasmussen article in the Washington Examiner which the Puma article notes “explains the significance of the Tea Party Movement”. Although the article begins with a partisan jab at a list of GOP “Tea Party/Sarah Palin” successes by calling them “losers”, it goes on to accurately depict the movement as one of the people, calling the Tea Party a “revolution”. Also somewhat insightful is the paring of Palin with the Tea Party, as Palin’s popularity with the G.O.P. electorate (not necessarily party leadership who would back a Romney) make her the likely party standard bearer in 2012. These supporters are laying the groundwork now, for a Clinton vs. Palin match-up in 2012.


Sarah Palin with Supporters, image Hartford Courant

As Obama’s popularity among the important unenrolled electorate fades completely, and the Tea Party is drawing from an electorate that is mixed with Conservative Republicans, Independents, Moderate Democrats (thus the revolution), the fact that Palin is at the forefront and acknowledged as being so by Clinton supporters sets up a scenario for, what would be, a grounds breaking American historical event – the choice between one of two women for the top job in 2014.


Suffragettes 1920 not that long ago image constitutional conflicts


What is not necessarily understood about the oppression of women in the United States, (or more to the point, shoved under the proverbial rug) is the fact that until 1920, and the ratification of the 19th amendment women did not even have a voice in government. Palin, has given that voice to an unprecedented amount of conservative women his election cycle, by supporting candidates either backed by Tea Party activists (see Christine O’Donnell’s upset in DE) or GOP party favorites (see Kelly Ayotte’s victory in New Hampshire), while Clinton as a potential 2012 counterpart, has been a stalwart supporter of women’s rights throughout her political career (which incidentally began as a Goldwater Republican (see 2000 article Berkeley article that makes Clinton’s personal believes sound somewhat more conservative than Palin’s (Side note: the Berkley article, although condensed, is similar to information available in the book “”The Truth About Hillary Clinton” by Edward Klein which both conservative (Fox News Bill O’Reilly) and left of moderate’s tagged as a “smear book”, once read, actually invites the Conservative feminist reader to like and understand Clinton – which may explain the pundits aversion to the book on both sides of the aisle).

As a Conservative Feminist who agrees to disagree with friends that stand on the opposite side of the political spectrum (liberal feminists), a Clinton-Palin match up would ensure, regardless of the outcome, a win for women specifically, and the nation as a whole, the media and male establishment in the combined political party’s hierarchy will, undoubtedly do their best to undermine any chance of this occurring, but with confidence in the media (Gallop Confidence in Institutions) ranking right above Congress and Unions, 2008 may have taken the ability of that medium to effect the “masses”. In fact, judging from the growth of the Tea Party and events sponsored by individuals such as Glenn Beck one sees the more the media “tags” Tea Party members/events as radical, the more “revolutionary” they become. The next two election cycles will, in all likelihood, bring change to a broad spectrum of the political establishment in the United States.