of massachusetts, the republican, mitt romney, would have been able to appoint somebody to fill john kerry's senate seat. the massachusetts legislature totally dominated by democrats was cognizant that the governor would probably pick a republican to fill the seat if kerry got elected president. so the massachusetts state legislature decided to change the law. they changed the law so that only a special election could fill a vacant seat. until then, the seat would have to be empty. mitt romney tried to veto that new law. but the legislature overrode his veto, thereby stripping mitt romney of his power to choose a replacement. that became a mute point because john kerry didn't win so he stayed on as senator. but then fast forward fife years. 2009. new president barack obama, the country embroiled in a big debate over national health reform. those against it were against it to the point of rage. and those who wanted it were excited to be on the cusp of achieving something they had failed to achieve for decades. at the time the democrats had a majority in the united states senate, 60 seats is a

it is just that john kerry deserves it. he's the chairman of the senate foreign relations committee and oh, by the way again without john kerry saying oh yeah, president obama, barack obama you can do the keynote speech in 2004 when you're only a state senator who's running for senate without that opportunity, there is no obama campaign in 2008. john kerry wants the job. give it to him. got some guy malcolm johnson would calls that 100% idiotic statement. too bad, malcolm. that's how it is. special shout out to the folks on twitter. dab ra and alan -- debra and alan and a couple of others. honesty following us on twitter. >> tweeting at bp show, on this topic, patricia says the media has been reduced to reporting g.o.p. conspiracy theories which is a good point. buckeye kenny saying they're going to try to turn this into something to ruin the president and on your comments about john kerry, j. h. z. says john kerry and state put scott brown in the senate. just a thought. >> what? >> doesn't necessarily put him in the senate

john kerry was among them. there was a picture of veterans lifting the flag upside down that's thought were mocking marines at iwo jima. he indicated that war crimes were well known by all levels of command. >> they told the stories that he had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable teflts to human genitals and turned up the power. cut off limbs, blown up body, randomly shot at civilians, raised villages. >> reporter: the testimony caused an outroar. he later acknowledged the language was a little hot here and there. kerry also came unfire for comments he made to a massachusetts peace group in the 1970s cite sizes an all-volunteer military saying quote i'm convinced a volunteer army would be an army of the poor and the black and the brown. we must not repeal the trav i of the inequities present during vietnam. i fear having a professional army that views the per pet was of war crimes as simply doing its job. the incident for which kerry was award the silver star came into quest

john kerry would sail through here.e democrats say, the reason why they have the chatter about john kerry, they want to get scott brown elected in a special election. if john kerry is nominated they could lose a senate seat. a lot of other democrats that say look, president obama should not waste his political capital on susan rice. we have a fiscal cliff, we want to do immigration reform. why have this nasty fight. john kerry has been a loyal deputy to president obama. let him get through here. john kerry gave him the speaking role at the '04 convention, john kerry endorsed him after he lost new hampshire in 2008. john kerry has been loyal. it's his turn. that's the interesting subplot along with the gop attacks on susan rice, not only for how she dealt with benghazi but now susan collins a moderate opening up about her time in the clinton administration back in the late '90s. >> intrigue on capitol hill, mckay. i thought it was because the gop loved john kerry, thought he was the best dude for the job. not anything to

john kerry we love john kerry. >> stephanie: why not john kerry kerry?riticism a transparent attempt to deny obama the potential cabinet choice. i'm going to come looking--oh 1998 so i'm going back? so right, she was assistant secretary of state for african affairs in the clinton administration. collins she had she pressed rice about the security of the embassy of nairobi in 1998. rice told her she was not involved directly involving the request for security. the review board at that time did not find reasonable cause that any u.s. employee was involved with the bombing. >> the chat room is bombing her for everything. susan rice didn't put the candle back. susan rice is luke's father. susan rice's husband always leaves the seat up. susan rice built the iceberg to take down the titanic. >> she built the rice-berg. >> our chat room is funny. >> stephanie: senator bob corker. >> sound byte: we want someone who is independent. i would just ask the president to step back for a moment and realize that amen all of us here hold the secretary of state to a very d

john kerry, pick him. that's your guy. republican senator john ver ras so of wyoming and susan collins of maine in terms of the republican attack dogs. the ones that have been the most vocal and out front in recent days against susan rice have been susan collins, good old john mccain and kelly ayotte of new hampshire. they have suggested that they would put an individual hold on a potential susan rice nomination. susan collins is saying that john kerry would be much better for that job. i think it is worth noting now that we are already hip deep in this conspiracy theory of mine that this trio of republican senators have been united behind another cause in the really recent past. when scott brown was running for re-election against elizabeth warren this past fall, he did pretty much everything in his power to convince the citizens that he wasn't really a republican, that that little "r" next to his name just stood for really nice guy. it doesn't stand for republican. it stands for reformer or bipartisan. >> listen, i'm the

but john kerry is rumored to be next in line to head up the state department. but we will take a trip down memory lane and remind americans of why wherejohn kerry is and where he stands in relation to military matters, coming up. well, if it isn't mr. margin. mr. margin? don't be modest, bob. you found a better way to pack a bowling ball. that was ups. and who called ups? you did, bob. i just asked a question. it takes a long time to pack a bowling ball. the last guy pitched more ball packers. but you... you consulted ups. you fod a better way. that's logistics. that's margin. find out what else ups knows. i'll do that. you're on a roll. that's funny. i wasn't being funny, bob. i know. marie callender's turkey breast with stuffing is a great reason to slow down. creamy mash potatoes, homestyle gravy and 320 calories. marie callender's. it's time to savor. >> there is no reason that young american soldiers need to go into the homes of iraqis, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women... >> sean: that was senator john kerry, rumored to be a candidate for defe

jon tester said: >> joe manchin damaged it saying: >> in fact, john kerry's name has come up. susan collins said he would be easily confirmed. senator baroso backed him. even john mccain leading the charge against rice had high praise for john kerry on fox news yesterday. >> john kerry came within a whisker of being president of the united states. i think that works in his favor but i'd love to hear him make his case, but i don't have anything in his background like this tragedy in again gassy that would make me really want to carefully examine the whole situation. >> of course it doesn't hurt that if kerry took the job it would open up a senate seat that could go to republican scott brown who just lost his seat to elizabeth warren. joining me now to talk about the wrangling in washington and on the ground in massachusetts is he is square magazine political reporter charlie pierce. welcome back inside the war room. >> good evening governor, just what we here in massachusetts need another reason to think we're the center of the universe. >> well you are the center of your own un

. >> john kerry came been a whisper of being president of the united states. i think that works in his favor but i'd love to hear him make his case. i don't have anything in his background like this tragedy in benghazi that would make me really want to carefully examine the whole situation. >> michael, that was john mccain referring to john kerry in case he was -- in the event he was nominated as secretary of state and susan collins in addition to the comments we have played said she would support john kerry as secretary of state. how much is about that and not about benghazi? >> i don't know what it's about. i'm not aware of evidence this suggesting that ambassador rice manipulated any data for a political purpose. what i am aware of and this is based on reporting of sources and "wall street street," is that the intelligence provided to the president as part of his pdb said what she repeated on national television and arguably it's the same intelligence that would have been provided to governor romney receiving intelligence briefings in the final stages of th

but john kerry is rumored to be next in line to head up the state department. trip down memory lane and remind americans of why wherejohn kerry is and where he stands in relation to where he stands in relation to military matters, coming having you ship my gifts couldn't be easier. well, having a ton of locations doesn't hurt. and my daughter loves the santa. oh, ah sir. that is a customer. let's not tell mom. [ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. fedex office. you know it can be hard to lbreathe, and how that feels.e, copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control my copd symptoms by keeping my airways open for 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that does both. spiriva handihaler tiotropium bromide inhalation powder does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. sto

people like john kerry are completely incapable of helping the pentagon deal with this problem, even that problem. led of the on the problem that is going to occur. the other candidates for leadership of the pentagon to be it through this era, a very smart -- no background in any of these issues. the other candidates is ashton carter. he is perceived as a good manager. if you look at his job on the f 35 i simply cannot agree. he is not picking on the fundamental efforts of problem represents. he let it float to the future and it is going to face a phase in this, even in the sequestered scenario, it will do nothing but increase the cost on airplane which is a disappointment in terms of performance and that is a result of his management. i don't see him as a competent candidate to lead the pentagon through this future, thank you very much. >> thank you, winslow wheeler. our final speakerheather hurl r hurlbert is, prolific author, former speech writer and has been very active in national defense issues. >> thank you. i want to apologize for being late. talking about congress and the fu

you had the opportunity to work with john kerry before. >> sure. >> when we hear about this, is that really what the game, as joy-ann said, this machiavellian game, basically let's get kerry in this position and then scott brown could take over his seat, run for that seat in massachusetts, we get scott brownbach in? >> this is a little delicate because i know so many people involved. this is what i'll tell you from what i have heard. i have heard senator kerry stands ready to serve and is interested. i have heard from people close to white house that president obama strongly believes in susan rice and is leaning towards selecting her. i think he'd be happy with either of them because they're such strong foreign policy people. but what i've heard at this point in time subject to change is they are serious absusan rice. there isn't a big head fake here at this point. >> chip, to ari's point about the fact that rice is at a deficit going after ambassador rice on such an attack, such shaky ground, is it completely irrational what they're doing with ayotte and graham and mccain coming out

some have questioned whether he's qualified too head the defense sector. >> john kerry merits being secretary of state as does susan rice. something john has always wanted. i would leave the senate for that opportunity if i was john kerry. i don't think i would leave it for defense for all of the reasons you said. i think that's an important point to be made. >>s there's also the seat in massachusetts which is a huge political problem. the notion scott brown would be a frontrunner to replace kerry if he were to tep out of that seat. the democrats have a little more cushion but not a seat that democrats would want to put in jeopardy and that's a mark against kerry. you also have someone very good in the senate in jack reed from rhode island who a lot think would be a great defense secretary. they have options. again to go to chuck hagel, strong people out there for both these jobs. they will fill them well one way or the other. >> and one point, chuck hagel is, of course, ray lahood was a republican but i think ray is probably going to leave as well. chuck hagel would be a great appointment an

ambassador susan rice and john kerry. i have no problem with susan rice.he's fantastic and unfortunate how she's been treated recently. i tell you, john kerry during this campaign has been fantastic in his debate prep with the president. i thought his speech as the dp nc was brilliant, and i think he would be a terrific diplomat. there's concerns that if he was nominated then the senate -- his senate seat would be open and scott brown could have another shot at getting into the senate. i don't think that would be the worst thing in the world for the president, especially since we picked up seats this time around. scott brown, as a republican who may actually across the aisle, could actually serve as a useful political tool for the president. that will be interesting to watch. the other one, of course, is treasury secretary time geithner leaving. one of the outside names that's been floated is cheryl sandberg, coo of facebook. she's the first one and she's had a terrific choice. another name i haven't heard but my virginia centrist byas leads me to bring up

or john kerry?est: well, i think john kerry makes more sense after rice made the claims on the sunday shows about benghazi, very controversial claims. it would a difficult confirmation process. another name that could pop up is congressman berman, the top democrat on the foreign affairs committee and he just lost to another democrat widely respected on both sides of the aisle and was endorsed in the race by republicans like john mccain. so that would be an easy confirmation process. john kerry you would have to replace him and maybe scott brown runs for his seat but i think john kerry or berman would be solid picks. >>shepard: on the federal reserve we hear about lawrence summers. >>guest: former clinton secretary was interested in it before better -- bernanke was tapped. and the vice chair of the central bank now, she would be the first woman to head the bank so she is probably the favorite in this game we all have to play. >>shepard: with the focus on women in the elections that would make sense o

>>shepard: there were suggestions, james, maybe trial balloons, john kerry, former vice presidentialandidate could be up for the secretary of state job and he could be appointed to a different cabinet point; that right? >>guest: as chair of the senate foreign relations committee, john kerry has traveled the globe and serves asen unofficial diplomat for the obama administration but the latest reports have john kerry being tapped to head the pentagon as secretary of defense, some lawmakers openly wander whether someone who famously threw away the medals he was awarded for service in vietnam could credibly serve in a post where he himself would be awards the medals today. >> there would be significant concerns along the lines you raise about senator john kerry jerk as secretary of defense and i don't see those concerns as secretary of state and i have worked with senator john kerry on the foreign relations committee and who would be able to be confirmed as secretary of state. >>reporter: the white house is not commenting on the trial balloons. >>shepard: james rosen, thank you. a good c

by his colleagues. >> if the president wants an easy confirmation hearing and process, nominate john kerryminently qualified to be secretary of state and i believe he would sail through in the nominating process. >> joining me now, ari mel ber. ari, you're coming to us tonight from kerry country, boston and i've got to think this is a horrible moment for senator kerry. you don't want to be the guy who gets praise from the mindless attackers of susan rice. >> yeah, i don't think he wants any part of this very weird boomerang play the republicans are trying to practice. he knows her well because as chairman of foreign relations committee, he oversees the state department, looking at the diplomacy and ambassadors and working with secretary clinton and ambassador rice. >> well, today, ambassador rice met with susan collins and bob corker and here are the lies those senators told after the meeting. >> i continue to be troubled by the fact that the u.n. ambassador decided to play what was essentially a political role at the height of the contentious presidential election campaign. >> i would jus

that here john kerry and the entire nation especially karl rove are watching ohio just after the eleven pm hour florida had just been called for george w. bush and according to the electoral college math whoever won ohio would win the election and considering the exit polls from the state showed john kerry with a substantial lead no i'll there were a lot of tense moments for karl rove and the republicans that then the clock struck eleven fourteen pm and the servers counting the votes in ohio crashed now election officials in ohio had planned for this sort of thing to happen they had already contracted with a company in chattanooga tennessee called smart to act to be their backup their failsafe should the ohio servers crashing go down as journalist craig unger lays bare in his book boss rove smart tech was drenched in republican politics one of the early founders of the company was a man named mercer manolis who used to who used to be the finance chairman of the republican party a smart text top client was none other than the bush cheney campaign itself and smart tech also used to do wor

i heard it's pretty much down to john kerry. terms of other big changes, i heard different things about holder but i did hear that janet napolitano is very interested in taking that job if he left. probably the white house chief of staff is leaving. perhaps he would end up at treasury. >> bret: jack lew. >> john knives a former boss of mine is talked about as a chief of staff. excellent choice. those are probably the big changes. >> bret: what about defense? steve? if panetta leaves. >> yeah, i don't know. there are a lot of people who would be up for consideration for secretary of defense. i don't think if you look at the world the way i do, leon panetta is probably a good person to have at defense. hillary clinton leaving the obama administration to extent that the cabinet secretaries really affect the way, the direction, the strategic direction of the obama administration, she is a good person to have at the state department. you are likely given the way that the president has governed, given his world view and on foreign pol

will john kerry now go to the pentagon? can susan rice be confirmed as secretary of state? and will nancy pelosi run for leader again? and what a welcome to washington the new class of congress arriving just in time for a classic d.c. scandal. and a different fall from grace, jon stewart, crowns himself the worst journalist in the world. >> anyone out there who thought i may have actual journalists instincts i give you a snippet of my interview. >> he loves serving, to be in the arena. i thought i was going to test him, he tested me, crushed his pelvis. he wanted to help me with the project. he can turn water into bottled water. >> the whole time i was staring at how defined her arms were. [ inaudible ]. i am the worst jurmist in the world. for god's sake the title of her book was "all in." she might as well -- >> good day. i'm andrea mitchell live in washington. we begin with the broadening and complicated scope of the petraeus investigation that has now ensnared his successor, commander of all forces in afghanistan, general john allen. joining me with their latest reporti

john kerry has repeatedly opposed weapons vital to winning the war on terror.apache helicopters, f-16 fighter jets and hercules. components that are all built in florida. he even voted against body armor for troops our troops on the frontline of the war on terror. john kerry's record on national security is troubling. >> it is the same exact ad. the ads are more targeted these days. this is the florida version of that advertisement. all of the focus these days on swing states and targeting the swing states. it is the same identical message. this is something i'm not very proud of the, but what i found out recently was we did an event in 2008. mark mckinnon was one of the guest speakers and he created ads for the bush campaign in 2004. he said that he was actually a fan of this website and he knew about this website and he would look at it to try to get ideas and go back to a past campaign. so i will give you an example of an advertisement. and i'm not saying this proudly. but it was interesting to me to learn this. when we think about the reagan outcome we can

but john kerry would be first in line to succeed him. what i find interesting is if it's true, it means the white house is not buying into the idea you can't pick john kerry because it opens up the senate seat and scott brown wins the senate seat. >> do you like kerry at defense as an idea? >> he's as qualified as anybody if he wants that. i just feel like if you want him for that job and you think he's a good match, don't be scared off by this guy. >> 100% agree. >> if he's the right guy for the job, that's where he belongs. >> i tried to throw steve a life raft so you didn't have to talk about petraeus and you threw me right off. that was the ridiculous segue. any way, next up, we continue our series taking a look at the most pressing issues facing the country. this last conversation not being one of them. today the issue was one that affects every american's wallet. we're talking taxes. >>> they are encouraging customers to shop local. they created lady's night in burbank, california, to boost sales by staying open late. make sure to

john kerry probably has more, but susan rice has served as u.n. ambassador and she's got know a lot of foreign experience, certain, from that experience. she's been at the state department before, too. i mean, her history is in foreign policy. she hasn't opinion secretary of state. he hasn't been on the hill in the capacity john kerry is, but she certainly is experienced. >> reporter: the aforementioned general petraeus, a story that continues to rock this town. the president talked about it at the press conference, said it was a sad personal saga. actually said very nice things about david petraeus' contributions to his country, and also said-- i'm not sure the exact word he used-- but basically no top vent intelligence was revealed. >> i think he made a point of saying so far. and so far, there is not any negative effect on national security. but this investigation is clearly still open. you have hagents going into paula broadwell's house, taking out boxes, taking out her computer. they are still looking for classified material. whatever too soo

john kerry for secretary defense.nd the reason he didn't become president of the united states. that problem has not gone away. my hunch is president obama said you are not president because of the swift boaters, i will put you in charning charge of the military and show you from here on in. and the rumor and whisper. john kerry wants to be secretary of state, but with ambassador rice who may get the secretary of state job it is a consolation prize they will look at john kerry as secretary of defense. >> gretchen: there would be issues about confirmation for both tradition. here is john neal his side. >> kerry, he was quoting people, many of whom never have been in vietnam and never in the military. but you know, shawn we lost 58,000 people in vietnam. i knew a fair number of them and a lot of them from my class in the naval academy and they were the best people describe them for an army of genis kahn. remember in 2006, he had said if you study hard you would end up stocking a rock. he was a hawk on the rock and then