Would John Kerry make a good Secretary of Defense? Forget, for a minute, about his wonky side. Forget the fact that his father was a foreign service officer and that he almost certainly has his heart set on the patrician pursuit of diplomacy, rather than the chess game of military might. Consider the fact that John Kerry served for more years in the military than Donald Rumsfeld, Robert Gates or Leon Panetta. (He likely has more combat experience than the three of them combined.)
A long-time foreign policy hand based in Washington DC told me this morning: “Kerry carried an M-16 through the jungle. This is a man who was shot at in Vietnam. He cares deeply about military issues and is good with budgets. He has gravitas and the respect of world leaders. He already knows intelligence issues.”
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"A long-time foreign policy hand based in Washington DC told me this morning: “Kerry carried an F-16 through the jungle, This is a man who was shot at in Vietnam." Surely you or your source meant an m-16 which is an assault weapon, rather than an F-16 which is a fighter jet. Also I believe Kerry as a naval officer who spent more time ship board than pounding the ground. He was on a swift boat (remember that phrase from 2004?) that patrolled the rivers in Vietnam in the Mekong Delta as I recall.
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From the column: "Appointing Kerry to a cabinet post now would mean vacating a senate seat that Scott Brown could easily win." Surely, you jest, Farah. Any Democrat will beat any Republican for a Senate seat (or a House seat, for that matter) in Massachusetts. If Winston Churchill were a Republican and Adolph Hitler were a Democrat, Hitler would win in Massachusetts. The only way Brown could win is if he switches parties.
Farah, "..While Kerry has never run anything close to the size of the leviathan of the US military,..".
how about kerry has never run anything ..period..except a Swift boat for 4 months. My dad ran a PT boat for four years, does that make him 12 times as qualified as Kerry? Kerry as never...ever...managed anything.
Imagine that! Since Deval was the dope and the demcorats who changed the rule if a senator left, the governor could have appointed someone to fill the term but instead the morons changed the law. It would be wonderful to have true balance to represent ALL views, not just liberals, since we also pay taxes and no represetns us!!!!
do anything but do not give that disingenuous scott brown another shot at the senate
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farah, in this state if your not a far left radical liberal you have no chance, maybe they can find another Harvard professor to run. scott Brown would be crazy to run here, he's a fiscal conservative, doesn't fit the liberal criteria.
There is no lack of animosity for the Senator among the trolls. Personally I find it difficult to muster up that sort of hatred for someone I never even met, but that's just me. I agree with your point, Ms. Stockman, that the greatest loss is the sense that an appointment for something as important as Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense should be subject to such partisan considerations. While previous experience is crucial to performing such positions well, I would also hope that, in a nod to history, and the role of such positions in grooming future leaders, that consideration be given to those who might BE future leaders of this nation.