Sen. John Kerry stays quiet as Cabinet speculation swirls
He was Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee
In this June 15, 2010 file photo, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. takes part in a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Drew Angerer, File)
Posted: 11/28/2012
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is angling to be the nation's top diplomat by being, well, diplomatic.
The longtime Massachusetts lawmaker has largely stayed quiet while President Barack Obama considers him for his next secretary of state.
Kerry has asked his supporters to avoid lobbying the White House on his behalf. And he's defended his chief rival for the State Department post, Susan Rice, amid Republican criticism of her explanation of the deadly attack on Americans in Libya.
Kerry's strategy reflects what people close to the senator say is his disdain for some aspects of Washington's personnel politics. But it also underscores his awkward role in the process.If Obama taps Rice for the job Kerry covets, the senator will have to shepherd her nomination through the foreign relations committee he runs.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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