AP: Kerry says Obama administration talk `speculation'

[beachmom]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/11/11/kerry_says_obama_administration_talk_speculation/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Top+political+stories

BOSTON—Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday he hasn't spoken to anyone in the Obama camp about a possible position in the new administration, and talk of him being tapped for secretary of state or some other post is "speculation."

"I haven't talked to anybody. I've had no conversations. It's all speculation, and I have nothing further to say," Kerry said after attending a Veterans Day ceremony at the Statehouse.

The Massachusetts Democrat said he's interested in ascending to the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the same high-profile panel he appeared before as a 27-year-old Navy veteran to testify against the Vietnam War.

...

"Well, as of now, apparently, it looks as if I'll be the chairman, but nothing's firm until we get back to Washington next week and we see where, you know, where everything sorts out," Kerry said. "Chris Dodd's apparently going to Banking, so, for the moment, you know, I'm the chairman. But, you know, it's not ratified until it's ratified by the caucus."

...

Talk that Kerry has been waging a backdoor campaign to become secretary of state has prompted fierce denials by his staff.

Kerry has served on the Foreign Relations Committee for 24 years. Becoming its chairman would close a loop begun in April 1971, when he expressed his opposition to the Vietnam War by saying, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

...

On another topic, Kerry expressed agreement with the president-elect about the future of Sen. Joe Lieberman. He said punishing Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, for supporting Republican presidential contender John McCain might set a bad tone for the new Congress and the new administration.

"I think we need to be thoughtful about it so we're not, you know, setting a tone that just somehow almost mars what we're staring at here, in terms of the bigness of it, if you will," Kerry said.

A lot of "you know's". This just muddies the water more. I officially know nothing except that some other third party has been pushing the story that Kerry is actively seeking the job of Sec. of State.

[beachmom]

1. Then there is this BoHe article:

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2008_11_06_Deval_Patrick__John_Kerry_mum_on_seat/

Deval Patrick, John Kerry mum on seat

As aides to Sen. John Kerry refuted rumors he is seeking a position in President-elect Barack Obama’s administration, Gov. Deval Patrick said he’s open to changing a law that would allow him to appoint Kerry’s successor instead of holding a special election.

Currently, if a Bay State senator leaves midterm it would prompt a special election within 160 days. Legislators changed the law in 2004 to prevent Gov. Mitt Romney from appointing a Republican to the Senate if Kerry was elected president.

“I haven’t really come to rest on a view . . . I got a lot of other important and difficult decisions to make; I’m not looking to grab additional ones,” Patrick told reporters yesterday, adding he is not actively pushing the change.

I wonder if this is more of the talk about one Senator when they really mean the other.

[karynnj]

4. True - speaking of Kerry allows Patrick to speak of it

and the legislature to deal with pretending it is Kerry - knowing they would be better off sometime in the next 4 years if the law were changed back. They need to raise this now, so it would be in effect when needed.

I do think the other reason is actually flattering to Kerry - in the This Week roundtable there was not even much discussion that he is emminently qualified with all the skills needed. It also is recognition that he will be someone the President will likely speak to - as he did though the campaign. That Obama did not vet Kerry's outstanding convention speech says a lot - as does the exceptional job Kerry did as a surrogate.

[Mass]

2. Of course, as long as Obama has not announced his cabinet, it is all speculation.

[cadmium]

3. Exactly Beachmom--My instincts tell me

the same thing. It is like a murder mystery when they start to throw too much suspicion on the butler. I bet some third party wants to stir up controversy and/or someone wants him out of the Senate.