Posted on 07/05/2013 4:26:19 AM PDT by abb
U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry — who spent the Fourth of July on sun-splashed Nantucket even as the chaos from a military takeover rocked Egypt — drew fire from Republican critics who said it’s a bad time for the nation’s top diplomat to be seen cavorting on an island getaway.
“It doesn’t look good, and I think it sends the wrong message” said Republican strategist Brad Marston. “If I were advising him, I’d already have him on a plane.”
As first reported on bostonherald.com, Kerry, who owns a house and a yacht on the ritzy retreat, was seen yesterday strolling down Federal Street away from July Fourth festivities on Main Street in jeans and a light-colored polo shirt.
Later in the afternoon, Kerry was seen offloading bags from a single-person kayak to a boat in Nantucket Sound after launching from the beach behind his home at 5 Hulbert Ave.
Republicans pounced on the image of the vacationing secretary of state and sought to use it as a symbol of what they deem a big Obama administration failing — the inability to convey a clear message on foreign policy on hotspots like Syria, Turkey and Egypt.
“I would think the secretary of state would interrupt his vacation and at least send a very clear signal — even by flying back to Washington for a day or two — that on our Independence Day we are very concerned about the freedom and democracy that we hope is instilled for some period of time in the Arab World,” said Patrick Griffin, a New Hampshire-based GOP strategist.
Added Republican operative Ford O’Connell: “Egypt’s in a very fragile place, and the U.S. needs to be out front doing what it can to return Egypt to civilian rule. Having the nation’s top diplomat vacationing on Nantucket doesn’t send the right message to the international community.”
Kerry’s staff yesterday insisted he’s fully engaged and has been logging long hours and high miles, including a recent 12-day, 25,000-mile trip to the Middle East and Asia.
Yesterday he dialed into a meeting with President Obama and members of his national security team in the Situation Room, according to the State Department. Kerry also called foreign dignitaries from Egypt, Israel, Norway, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
“Secretary Kerry has been working tirelessly around the clock since he returned from his 10-day trip and there has not been a moment where he has not been focused on doing everything possible to communicate with his team in Washington and in Egypt, within the administration and with his counterparts around the world,” Kerry spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the Herald last night.
Former state Democratic Party chairman Phil Johnston said these days the secretary of state can effectively work out of anywhere in the world.
“The man’s been working 24/7 for weeks to create peace in the Middle East — I think he’s entitled to a day on Nantucket,” said Johnston. “If there’s anything we know about John Kerry, it’s that he’s a very hard worker. The American people don’t need to worry about that.”
There once was a man from Nantucket...
If I recall correctly, he admitted he didn’t know what to do on 9/11 so for the first 45 minutes, he sat with some others at a conference table, watching the murders unfold and ‘prayed’.
How can you all be so insensitive. Don’t you know that kerry’s practically crippled from that piece of rice in his brain from his nightmarish exploits in Vietnam?
Here’s a novel thought, missed by our genius gop and the dems too. It MIGHT be obama’s policies and Kerry’s “hard work” that has gotten the result of revolution in Egypt. Because the Egyptians don’t want another stooge of the US, esp. not from the moosleem bro-hood.
Kerry’s absence might be making things better in getting rid of Morsi— though not his/their intent.
Kerry’s hard work is a complete joke.
Anything referencing “hard” to skerry is a joke.
Kerry Called Deposed (Egyptian) Foreign Minister, Asked If He Was Still in Power
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3039299/posts
Why, hasn’t he done enough damage?
The only reason to put him on a plane is to toss him out from high altitude, no ‘chute.
Thanks abb.
Anyone besides me thinking Kerry is being left out of the loop on this one? I’ll bet President Valerie Jarret and her stooge Obama have been working feverishly behind the scenes trying to salvage Morsi and the MB. I don’t think they are leaving this one for the State Dept.
Where did he get THAT hairpiece?
And whatever happened to Theresa Hines Kerry? Last seen she was facedown on the barroom floor, but that was long ago. I just googled her and came up with nothing but carefully crafted PR pieces.
Just like Obama’s multi million dollar taxpayer funded vacations where he continues to work tirelessly about his many communist friends to destroy America.
“John Kerry caught on camera personally delivering US taxpayer cash to the Muslim Brotherhood."
wonder if he is at home with his wife rushed to the hospital Sunday-or out sailing still?
Wrong friggin' answer. It's too darn bad the Egyptians picked a time inconvenient to Kerry for them to stage their coup and oust Morsi. Kerry made no bones over how bad he wanted this job and now he's got it - get to work. It comes as no surprise that one of the most prominent members of this administration would approach this situation with such a flippant attitude. The only thing these people are interested in is traveling around and spreading our wealth. When it comes to dealing with the difficult stuff, they take a powder. Kerry is Hillary II.
And this is why people hate politics.
America is safest when Kerry is on his yacht.
That's the RIGHT message.
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