From Yahoo! News, about the U.S. Senator from Massachusetts: "President Barack Obama will formally nominate Democratic Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry on Friday to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, a choice expected to win easy approval by the Senate. The move came after Obama’s ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, withdrew from consideration rather than face a painful confirmation battle with an uncertain outcome. A senior administration official, who requested anonymity, said Obama would announce the move this afternoon."
The article continues about the liberal Democrat: "Kerry, 69, has played an important role in promoting Obama’s foreign policy over the past four years. In Congress, Kerry has advanced priorities like a landmark nuclear arms control accord with Russia, known as New START, and has undertaken sensitive missions overseas. He visited Syria in 2009 to take the measure of President Bashar Assad, and traveled to Pakistan several times to defuse diplomatic crises. At times, he has appeared to be ahead of the administration on policies it ultimately embraced, like intervention in Libya."
Obama Picks John Kerry As Secretary Of State
