Susan Rice Withdraws. John McCain Attacks.

var addthis_config = {“data_track_addressbar”:true};Ambassador Susan Rice has just announced her she is withdrawing her name from any consideration for Secretary of State to replace Hillary Clinton, despite the fact that the Obama administration never officially declared her a candidate. So, of course, Senator John McCain’s office issues this statement:

“Senator McCain thanks Ambassador Rice for her service to the country and wishes her well. He will continue to seek all of the facts surrounding the attack on or consulate in Benghazi that killed four brave Americans.”

Because McCain has never, ever liked Rice.

The Washington Post reports:

“I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks [but] her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first,” said President Obama in a statement released moments after the news was broken by NBC.

The Post adds:

With Rice now out of the mix for Secretary of State, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry becomes a very strong favorite to succeed Hillary Clinton in the job. Kerry has made clear he is interested in the position and, even while attacking Rice, Republicans like Collins have suggested that their colleague would be easily confirmed.

Assuming Kerry is the pick for State, that means that chatter about him as Secretary of Defense when Leon Panetta steps down, a move that is expected to come sometime in 2013, will disappear.  Bloomberg reported today that former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel was the leading candidate to be the next Defense Secretary but one senior White House aide insisted that “no decisions have been made”.

A Kerry pick would also trigger a 2013 special election to replace him in the Senate with any number of Democratic elected officials as well as soon-to-be former Republican Sen. Scott Brown mentioned as possible candidates.

As The New Civil Rights Movement reported last night, New York Times op-ed columnist Roger Cohen tweeted:

 

 

And so it is.