Presidential Election Of 2004

Presidents, Presidential Nominees, Presidential Seekers, Supreme Court Justices, And The Position Of Secretary Of State

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Many followers of American history, government and politics may not be aware of the large number of Presidents, Presidential nominees who lost the White House, and Presidential seekers who failed to win their party’s nomination, who have been Secretary of State, the most important cabinet position. And also there are four Secretaries of State who have served on the Supreme Court of the United States.

The following Presidents have been Secretary of State earlier:

THOMAS JEFFERSON
JAMES MADISON
JAMES MONROE
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
MARTIN VAN BUREN
JAMES BUCHANAN

The following have been Presidential nominees, but failed to win the White House:

HENRY CLAY
JOHN C CALHOUN
DANIEL WEBSTER
LEWIS CASS
JAMES G BLAINE
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES

The following sought their party’s Presidential nomination, failed to win it, but went on to be Secretary of State:

WILLIAM SEWARD
EDMUND MUSKIE
HILLARY CLINTON

Additionally, four Secretaries of State have served on the Supreme Court, with three of them being Chief Justice:

JOHN JAY
JOHN MARSHALL
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES
JAMES F BYRNES (Associate)

This is of great interest now as we have Senator John Kerry, 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, under serious consideration by President Obama to be his second term Secretary of State!

Secretary Of State John Kerry Or Secretary Of State Susan Rice? Kerry Should Be Favored!

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With all of the hullabaloo over Senator John McCain’s derogatory comments about United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice in regards to the September 11 Libyan ambassador death controversy, a momentum has built up in the Obama Administration to double down on Rice, and decide to nominate her to be Hillary Clinton’s replacement as Secretary of State.

Susan Rice is certainly qualified for the position, and would do a fine job in the State Department. She has excellent qualifications, and educational and scholarly credentials to back her up for the nomination.

But what this struggle between John McCain and Barack Obama has done is minimize the possibility that the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, might gain the position.

Kerry has has a long, distinguished career in the Senate, and had he been President, he would have had to deal with all of the many international matters that would have arisen. He has been a forceful spokesmen on foreign affairs for many years, and having been an anti war advocate in the past, SHOULD be seen as a positive factor, unlike conservative commentator Bill Kristol’s assertion on Fox News Channel yesterday that Kerry’s past anti war stands should disqualify him for the position. Kerry truly deserves this position, and would not be the first losing Presidential candidate to become Secretary of State, joining a long list who have served in the State Department after losing the Presidency, including

HENRY CLAY
JOHN C CALHOUN
DANIEL WEBSTER
LEWIS CASS
JAMES G BLAINE
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES

Also, there have been former Presidential contenders, who failed to win the nomination, who have later served as Secretary of State, including:

WILLIAM SEWARD
EDMUND MUSKIE
HILLARY CLINTON

So TEN former Presidential seekers have gone on to serve as Secretary of State, and anyone with knowledge of American diplomatic history KNOWS that they are among the very best people we have had in that position, particularly the case with Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Blaine, Hughes, Seward, and Clinton. So if seven out of the ten have made a major impact, that is an excellent argument for John Kerry as Secretary of State!

A Fascinating Idea! Former Republican Senators Richard Lugar And Chuck Hagel As Secretary Of State And Secretary Of Defense In Second Obama Term!

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A fascinating idea has surfaced, which is very exciting in many ways.

It is clear that there will be a reshuffling of President Obama’s cabinet over the next few months, and two openings will certainly be likely in the State Department and the Defense Department.

For State, it has been suggested that Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, might take the post. Also, Susan Rice, United Nations Ambassador, is mentioned. Both would be wonderful in the position.

BUT there is a school of thought that IF President Obama wanted to show bipartisanship, he could do what Franklin D. Roosevelt did in World War II–pick Republicans who are intelligent, sane, responsible, and who are no longer serving in the Senate, to serve in his cabinet, and the State Department would offer a great location to put soon to be former Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, an acknowledged foreign policy expert, and a man who has worked well with Obama when they were both Senators, and went off to Russia to promote the safe collection of nuclear weapons stockpiles in 2005-2006. Lugar is a wonderful statesman, and would fill the job with excellence and professionalism. And he has been, like Kerry, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman in the past, and is still the ranking member of the committee until he leaves the Senate in January.

Additionally, as suggested earlier, former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a Vietnam War veteran and military expert, would be an excellent choice to serve in the Pentagon as Secretary of Defense. Always highly regarded and respected, Hagel would add stature to our Defense Department.

Such appointments would neutralize, to a great extent, Republican attacks on President Obama in the areas of foreign policy, national security, and defense policy.

If FDR could have Republicans Henry Stimson as Secretary of War, and Frank Knox as Secretary of the Navy in 1940 and after, why cannot Barack Obama make a smart move that would help his administration to succeed, and also promote bipartisanship, at a time when it is desperately needed?

Rumors Of Replacements For State Department And Defense Department: John Kerry Or Susan Rice, And Chuck Hagel?

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As the second Obama Administration is being organized, there are many rumors about members of the Cabinet leaving.

Among them are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and the suggestions being discussed are very intriguing.

It is thought that Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, might be angling for the State Department, with his years of experience as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman as his major credential. Also, United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice is a second thought.

If Kerry left the Senate, it would open up his seat, and Republican Senator Scott Brown, who just lost his seat to Elizabeth Warren, would certainly campaign for it, against an unknown Democrat.

And if Rice received the position, she would be the fourth woman to be in that position, and the second black woman, and the third black person—following Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, as well as Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton.

For the Defense Department, if and when Panetta leaves, the rumor is that former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, and very reputable, would take the position, and that would mark the second Republican Secretary of Defense for Obama, after Robert Gates.

Having both Kerry and Hagel as important cabinet members would be fantastic, and if Rice was selected, she would also be the second black woman in that position with the name of Rice!

Barack Obama And Hurricane Sandy: He Cannot Afford The Poor Response Of Both Presidents Bush To Hurricanes Andrew And Katrina!

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President George H. W. Bush was greatly harmed by his government’s poor response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and it certainly contributed to his defeat in the Presidential Election Of 1992.

George W. Bush’s lowest moment in his Presidency was his poor response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and had the second term election been in 2005, instead of 2004, he would have lost reelection.

This has to be in the mind of President Barack Obama, as a poor response to Hurricane Sandy could guarantee, in a close race, that his opponent, Mitt Romney, defeats him in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2012!

Vice Presidential Debates: Age And Experience Are Winners Three Times, And Probably Again!

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With the Vice Presidential debate in Kentucky between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan coming up this Thursday, it is worthwhile to look back at other Vice Presidential debates in which there was a much older candidate on one side.

This has happened three times, with the older candidate seen as the winner, including:

1988—Senator Lloyd Bentsen made Senator Dan Quayle look foolish.
2004—Vice President Dick Cheney overwhelmed Senator John Edwards
2008—Senator Joe Biden won over Governor Sarah Palin handily.

The same scenario is likely this time, as Vice President Biden is a skilled debater, and has no problem going on the offensive in a debate.

This is not to say that Paul Ryan cannot come across as knowledgeable, but Biden can attack Ryan on facts and truth effectively, and the expectation is that Ryan will have problems in that regard with a strong Biden attack, and that Biden will “win” the debate, as much as anyone can be said to “win”!

Past Presidential Debates With An Incumbent President: Naturally On The Defensive!

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When one gets away from the momentary panic that many Obama supporters had after last night’s debate against Mitt Romney, and thinks rationally, and analyzes Presidential debate history, it is not all that surprising that a challenger will go on the attack and be aggressive with a sitting President, and set him back in the first debate they have in a campaign year.

Remember that a sitting President is busy every day, and is not as up to date in debating as a challenger, who has had to survive many debates and questions in order to reach the point of a Presidential nomination.

So when we look at the past, we realize the following:

Gerald Ford was on the defensive against Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Jimmy Carter was on the defensive against Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Ronald Reagan was on the defensive against Walter Mondale in 1984.

George H. W. Bush was on the defensive against both Bill Clinton and Ross Perot in 1992.

George W. Bush was on the defensive against John Kerry in 2004.

Despite this reality, Reagan and the second Bush recovered to win, while Ford, Carter, and the first Bush lost the election that ensued.

But also realize that Ford had inherited a mess from Richard Nixon, and had never seen himself in the Presidency before being selected by Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice President, and he was strongly challenged by Ronald Reagan in the primaries in 1976.

Also realize that Jimmy Carter was challenged by both Ted Kennedy and Jerry Brown in the primaries in 1980, and faced a charismatic former actor in Reagan, and a tumultuous crisis with Iran in 1980.

And realize that the first Bush faced a challenge from Pat Buchanan in the primaries in 1992, and a double challenge from Bill Clinton and Ross Perot, which undermined his ability to win votes that Perot took away from him in the fall campaign.

Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush faced no such challenges, and were able to overcome their weaknesses in the first debate of 1984 and 2004.

Additionally, Bill Clinton, facing no challenge in 1996, simply overwhelmed Bob Dole in the first and all debates of that year, with his charisma a major plus!

If one remains calm, one realizes that Barack Obama will recover from this disappointing debate, has charisma, had no challenger in the primaries, and therefore, will do like Reagan, Clinton, and the second Bush did–win reelection—-rather than lose election as Ford did, and reelection as Carter and the first Bush did!

John Kerry Preparing Barack Obama For Debate As Mitt Romney “Stand In”: Dress Rehearsal For Becoming Secretary Of State!

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Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is acting as a “stand in” for Mitt Romney in the Barack Obama preparations for the Presidential debates, beginning on Wednesday of this week.

Kerry knows Romney very well, as Romney served as Governor of Massachusetts, and Kerry has come to understand him very well as a result, including all of his shortcomings, so is a perfect “stand in” to prepare Obama for what Romney might do and say in the upcoming Presidential debates.

It is extremely ironic that Kerry was often accused of being a “flip flopper” during his own Presidential run in 2004, and was also described as being stiff, awkward, and aloof, just as Romney is perceived, except to a far greater extent in the case of Romney!

Kerry helping Obama can be seen as a dress rehearsal for his becoming Secretary of State in a second Obama Administration, once Hillary Clinton retires early next year. With his exceptional leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his 28 years service in the Senate, Kerry is an outstanding front runner for leadership in the State Department for the future!

The Future Secretary Of State: Senator John Kerry Or UN Ambassador Susan Rice?

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The sudden introduction of foreign policy into the Presidential campaign of 2012, due to the events in the Middle East this week, bring attention on who might be Secretary of State in a second Obama Presidency.

Hillary Clinton has reminded us once again of her brilliance, courage, and statesmanship in her four years as Secretary of State. But every indication is that she will be leaving early next year, and therefore, if Barack Obama is reelected, one of the major questions to be resolved earlier, rather than later, is who shall be her successor. in the State Department.

The two front runners are Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Susan Rice, the United Nations Ambassador!

Rice has been on television today, trying to explain and defend the Middle East policy of the Obama Administration against attacks by the Republican opposition, including Presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Kerry has had a lot of attention due to his magnificent presentation at the Democratic National Convention a week and a half ago! His expertise in foreign policy is seen as unmatched, and he comes across as more authoritative and legitimate than even when he ran for President in 2004.

Rice has been a loyal supporter of Obama, and has done her job well, but the appointment of Kerry seems more politically smart, if for no other reason that if the Senate goes Republican or the Democrats keep the majority but cannot gain much in seats, and it might be a more evenly divided Senate with a Democratic majority, the issue of Senatorial courtesy will play a role, making the nomination of Kerry more likely to go through without controversy, that that of Susan Rice.

Kerry, with his massive experience on the subject, trumps Rice, who is good, but not seen as on the same level of excellence as Kerry!

Jerome Corsi, World Net Daily, And “Gay” Barack Obama! How Low Can Conspiracy Theories Go?

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Jerome Corsi, a well known and notorious conspiracy theorist, who collaborates with the right wing World Net Daily website, called “World Nut Daily” by MSNBC ‘s Rachel Maddow last night, has come up with a new theory involving President Barack Obama.

One of the leading advocates of the “birther” conspiracy theory, that Obama is a secret Muslim born in Kenya, now Corsi is promoting what anyone who has followed the attacks on Obama could have predicted would eventually emerge in this Presidential campaign as a last resort to stop the Obama march to victory—the accusation that Obama is secretly gay, that he had a gay lover killed, and another one paid off to remain silent, and that Obama is well known in gay circles and bathhouses in Chicago!

Corsi is the same man who not only has promoted the “birther” myth, but also was involved in the “Swift Boat Veterans” attack on Senator John Kerry, the Democratic Presidential nominee in 2004, which helped to undermine Kerry’s candidacy against President George W. Bush!

Corsi is also a believer in other conspiracy theories, and is obviously frustrated that his recent book on Obama and “birtherism” has failed to have an impact, so he and the World Net Daily website now have reached a new low, but that any intelligent person could have figured would eventually come to light.

The thought in this man’s mind and that of the website supporters is that Obama being called gay is going to defeat him, but it will not, and with the country warming up to the concept that being gay is a private matter, and that being gay is not a crime, and more people being accepting of someone being gay, it will only insure that Obama will not be hurt by scurrilous charges that most certainly would have been revealed years ago, had they been true!

The idea that Barack Obama has such connections and influence that he can “hide” his Kenyan “birth”, his “Muslim” faith, and his “gay” sexual orientation from the American people and actually become President, and be on the verge of a second term, is so ridiculous, that one must wonder about the mental stability of those who believe it, and totally destroys the credibility of both Corsi and World Net Daily, if there was any left in the minds of serious minded, normal people!