Kerry is best as a Senator. Wesley Clark would be my second choice.

Do you believe she is the most qualified and if so, why?

He doesn't "deserve" anything before those 6 years are up.

Running for office is a committment and his constituents voted for him for the job.

ran for President?

and WON an ELECTION for POTUS; whereas, Kerry would be nominated, and if confirmed, GIVEN the post of SoS.

See the difference?

In fact I would say that John Kerry is 100 times more qualified to be SOS than Obama was when he ran for president. He had absolutely no political capital and was easy pickings for the likes of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. I voted for him in 2008 and again this month. Donated to his campaigns as well. However, he took an opportunistic leap in 2008 and his legacy will suffer for it.

So, he has paid his dues, I think.

I do not think he is due anything, but I also think this is the issue here.

Did you also oppose Hillary Clinton when she was named SoS?

will do a fine job taking over John Kerry's senate seat after Senator Kerry is appointed Secretary of State ! Rock on !!!

In fact, from my own point of view, it would be stupid to not consider the ramifications of pulling an ally from a tenuous majority in the Senate.

Look at what happened in Arizona when Napolitano left the Governorship for Homeland Security...Jan Brewer. Scott Brown would get back in the Senate if Kerry left.

I work in HR (not a decision-maker, just a grub) and I see it all the time.

I don't want Kerry to be Sec of State because I'd rather someone of his integrity and investigative skills be independent and keep in check the hawks in the WH, at DoD, and in Congress. Which is also why the hawks like McCain and Co are performing this dog and pony show of praising Kerry as THEIR choice knowing full well it would get the less-informed Dems to rally around Rice, the hawkish interventionist more to their liking.

would be that kind of boss.

He worked closely with Obama during the debate prep and I'm sure they discussed it.

Personally I'm not sure why he would want to quit the senate for a job that ends in 4yrs. When he's a high ranking senator who will probably be reelected as many times as he wants.

So is John Kerry.
I don't think it is an issue as to who is better qualified.
Both would be effective as SoS.
A natural progression is from UN Ambassador to SoS
John Kerry has a vital role to fill in the Senate. He could be chairman of a couple very important committees that is expertise and experience are well suited for. Foreign Relations and Defense to name a couple.

I am a registered Democrat and a liberal. I am not a "Dem". No real Democrat I know calls other members of the Democratic Party a "Dem". Try being respectful of the members here or someone might think you are a troll.

Senator John Kerry will do an excellent job for the country where ever he is. While I hope his senatorial seat will not be endangered if he left, I would be happy to have him as Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense. The choice is up to the President and to Senator Kerry.

You don't know of any Democrats who refer to other Democrats as "Dems"??? No true DEM would every make a ridiculous statement like that !! Go through and read many of the posts here at DU and then read some headlines and articles from many top newspapers and websites.

They might be around a long time, but in the long run they tend to out themselves. I find it offensive, frankly. The people I respect have respect for the proper name of our party.

n/

John Kerry is a big boy, and a politician. He knows his feelings are not the issue here.

..."you Dems"... wtf.

but why would anyone assume that Scott Brown would win it if Kerry left for a Cabinet position? He lost to Warrren; why wouldn't he lose to someone else as well?

If we lose the Senate, we lose one of the few trumps we have. Yes, Scott Brown may lose, but we cannot assume that, especially as the GOP is READY to take that win and make a victory.

it comes to that. Patrick would annihilate pretty boy Scott Brown.

And now with Susan Rice's "Keystone Pipeline" problem -- I don't see President Obama nominating her for anything.

vital to the company (country) in that post.

A promotion is not the only way to make someone feel important.

the President should pick, whomever he wants, and the Secretary of State conducts the President's Foreign Policy, not the other way around. It was the same with Condelezza Rice and General Powell. They were conducting George W. Bush's Foreign Policies. It is not like Kerry would be some Independent operator.

So how can you consider that a promotion from being a United States Senator, whom according to the Constitution, is suppose to share equal powers with the Executive branch?
Is Senator Kerry asking for the job? The Secretary of State can advise the President and carry out his or her duties as the President sees fit. Susan Rice is just as capable as John kerry of doing that, in fact I don't even know if Kerry even knows how to take orders from someone else, since he has been an independent Senator for so long? It is not quite right to characterize President Obama as Senator Kerry's boss either.

I would stay where I was especially if I saw the importance of my position. The questions I would consider are 1; Is there someone in line capable and willing to do the job I would leave. 2: Would I truly be capable and valuable in a new position.
Not that I'm just a stodgy old fart but I've been down that road. It's even more than if you are more valuable in a current position or a new one. If you make the change you have to have the freedom and support to do the job as you see it otherwise you're just putting a noose around your neck.

If I want the position and I'm passed over for the position, I'm leaving. That's my only consideration, I do not have any loyalty to my employer; I am a mercenary. It's not my problem if there is anybody capable and willing who can can replace me...that's their problem and if they were that concerned, they'd have promoted me just to make me happy so I would train my replacement.

I have always been in a tech services capacity. My loyalty was primarily to my customers. Secondarily it was my co-workers. The employer and paycheck were always incidental.

There are many well qualified candidates for the position, including Kerry and Rice. I hope the President will choose the person who will serve the country best.

If he could simply be replaced by the president, or by Governor Patrick, there would not be an issue. It would be all good. It would, in fact, be a chance to raise the visibility of another Dem. But that's not how it works and Brown it still a threat.

The first time I read this story, I thought of something that happened in my work history. My immediate boss kept me from getting a promotion twice once by telling the other corporate officers my job would be too difficult to fill again, and the second time he said he would refuse to sign the transfer papers if I was promoted into the other job I applied for.

I found out about the first problem through a leak from someone in attendance. I became so furious I promised myself this would never happen to me again. The second time it did, I pretended not to know what my boss had done and went in and requested to take a two-week vacation. Sensing I found out, he readily agreed. I left and drove home, called him up and said I was giving my two week notice. I never returned.

No one should ever be kept into moving into a better job because they put a lot of effort into excelling in their current job. Promotions are a reward for exceptional job performance, so I have always thought Kerry should be given a fair shot at the SOS job. He has expressed a keen interest in this job for a long time, he is not a war monger like some, and I truly think he would shine in that spot.

Sam

EDIT: And to answer your question, I would feel like I had a substantial raise coming.

Some would argue that being SoS (and working for the President -- ANY President) is a step down from the leverage and authority that one has as the Senior Senator from Massachusetts.