Posted on 01/29/2013 2:05:27 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Senate confirms Kerry for State in 94-3 vote By Julian Pecquet and Ramsey Cox - 01/29/13 04:32 PM ET
The Senate approved one of its own to become President Obama's second secretary of State in a near-unanimous vote on Tuesday.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) sailed through the chamber in a 94-to-3 vote, with Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Texas Sens. Ted Cruz (R) and John Cornyn (R) casting the only “no” votes.
Kerry's approval to replace Hillary Clinton was a foregone conclusion after Republicans urged Obama to nominate him in lieu of his ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice.
“I don’t know too many people who have oriented their whole life to be better suited for secretary of State,” Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the top Republican on Kerry's Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on the floor ahead of the vote.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who is replacing Kerry atop the committee, echoed those sentiments.
“I can think of no one better to take on the challenges of this position,” he said. “John has already built strong relationships across the world. ... He will need no introduction to the world’s political leaders.”
The Senate vote capped a whirlwind day for Kerry, whose nomination was approved by his committee in a unanimous voice vote a few hours earlier. His colleagues on the committee he's chaired since Joe Biden became vice-president four years ago gave him a standing ovation and a committee resolution honoring his service as chairman.
The resolution “commends the long and distinguished service of John F. Kerry, whose exceptional skill as a lawmaker is matched only by his commitment to an America that is, in President John F. Kennedy’s phrase, not 'first but, first when, first if, but first period'; and extends its best wishes for his continuing service to the Nation.”
Kerry is the first cabinet selection confirmed in Obama's second term, but the rare showing of bipartisan support will not extend to the rest of the president's national security picks, however.
Six Republicans — including the three who voted against Kerry — have vowed to oppose former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) for secretary of Defense, and members of both parties have raised questions with the choice of John Brennan for CIA director because of concerns over his record on drone strikes as Obama top counterterrorism adviser.
Kerry could be sworn in as early as Friday, Clinton's last day at State.
Rand Paul voted yes? Damn
Sad. Very sad.
Well,,,, They may just want him the h-— outa the Senate.
As did Flake. Kinda quick to catch Potomac Fever.
Must have been because they know what most people don’t - that John Kerry was in... Vietnam.
A lot of Repubicans voted for him. Which proves again that the major difference between a Republican politician and a Democrat politician is in the spelling.
That is just pitiful. 94 Senators ratified a traitor for SecState?
Another reason I’m not voting for Isakson or Chambliss ever again.
He is a lazy SOB who will pontificate and do nothing..thankfully.
So Kerry the anti-America sot is being replaced by a pervert....good grief.
With the NVA in charge of the State Department it should be entertaining if nothing else.
Bet the first thing Kerry does is turn over State's lists of names of Vietnamese informants to Hanoi so that if they missed anyone they can hunt them down and kill them ~ and their families.
This man has no moral fiber of any kind ~ total sociopath ~ guess he can see eye to eye with Obamugabe.
soooo,
our president and Sec. of State are complete and absolute unAmerican liars and our V.P. is a drunk.
Thank God he is finally out of the Senate!
Ketchup for the world.....
A clean sweep for the Blessed state of Texas!
John Kerry is a national security risk.
John Kerry was in Vietnam?????? Gettouddahere, you’re telling more tall tales.
The Republic is almost lost...
It’ll be interesting to see him at the other side of the mike.
Kerry has had major work done to his ugly effn face. He should keep botox manufacturers very busy for the next four years.
What the HELL did Coburn do?
John “Commie Traitor Bitch” Effin Kerry is a perfect representative of the 0dinga regime.
Pathetic that a traitor is now SOS.
The one party system strikes again.
Go Cruz!
It wasn’t the Viet Nam that bothers me - it was meeting with the communists in Paris, while we were still at war, and he was still in the reserves.
Someone please explain to me how the GOP is worth anything.
IMO the GOP is just the right wing of the political ruling class. The GOP has no principles. The GOP just guards the flank of the overt communists as they take the USA.
Never again.
My feeling about Cornyn - he knew Carey would be elected and his no vote provides cover for him. He’s up for election in 2014.
Yes it is, jaz. It is sad to see so few senators voting against his confirmation, as well.
Kerry was not only a traitor, he committed a felony by meeting with the NVA negotiators as a private citizen in Paris during the war in 1971 (collaboration).He lied about his length of service and his pretend wound. This man is just in a club of elites. But he can’t be any worse at secretary of state than that bumbling hillary. She utterly failed.
PAST time for TERM LIMITS.....way past time. Not that it would have helped here...but, I think it may have.
You can start referring to me now as Rumplestiltskin because I almost put my foot through the floor.
Despicable, treasonous, sumbitch gigolo with his ‘gentlemanly’ affectations and his botoxed ugly face makes me sick.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
John Kerry - Because Jane Fonda was not available.
Exactly, the 97 to 3 vote is as pathetic as the traitor they confirmed.
A pathetic choice for a pathetic regime. Go (to Hell) GOP!
The State Department, like the White House, will now be run by someone who hates America more than he loves it, and loves the enemy more than America. Both are perfect for each other. Probably sleep together to make further plans to destroy the Republic as fast as they can.
At least he has experience meeting with America’s enemies.
Coburn must have sipped from the same poisonous well as did Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the panel’s top Republican. He called Kerry “a realist” who will deal with unrest in Egypt, civil war in Syria, the threat of al-Qaida-linked groups in Africa and Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
My two Texas senators voted against.
Sniff. I’m so proud!
Not Inhofe. He just needed something to offset all the caving he’s been doing. Anytime there’s an overwhelming majority in the senate for some liberal cause, he casts a dissenting vote. When it’s close, and his dissent would help us, he votes with the majority and tries to tell us that it was the conservative thing to do.
Throw the bums out. All of them. Voting for a lying traitor.
None of them are worth a plug nickel. NONE.
Hoeven and Murray not voting—Kerry voting present. Any thoughts on Hoeven, who seems the only other potential ray of light? Kudos to Kerry for not voting for himself.
Yup , he went through on his way to Cambodia for Christmas, dontchaknow.
How anyone could vote anything except “Off the island” for sKerry is beyond me.
Another Communist Comrade in the Administration!
At least he will be well received by our Communist friends
and will make inroads for the new Nation to join the Communist Bloc! Nikita Khrushchev must be smiling from Hell as America digs it’s own grave and Russia will not have to bury us. We have our own shovels. A sad day indeed!
Buy Rice futures!
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