U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday nominated Senator John Kerry to be his next secretary of state as he is trying to usher in a new cabinet for his second term starting in January. Obama made the announcement at the White House with Vice President Joe Biden and Kerry at his side. "I am very proud to announce my choice for America's next secretary of state, John Kerry," he said. "In a sense, John's entire life has prepared him for this role." The president heaped praise on Kerry, noting in particular his service in Vietnam as a war veteran and his personal ties with leaders around the world. "Having served with valor in Vietnam, he understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power," Obama said.6 Kerry, 69, won a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. "Over these many years, John's earned the respect and confidence of leaders around the world. He is not going to need a lot of on-the-job training," Obama said. "I think it's fair to say that few individuals know as many presidents and prime ministers or grasp our foreign policies as firmly as John Kerry, and this makes him a perfect choice to guide American diplomacy in the years ahead," he added. First elected to the Senate as a representative of Massachusetts in 1984, Kerry is serving his fifth term in the chamber. He was elected to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December 2008 after chairman Biden was elected vice president. A Democrat, Kerry launched a bid for the White House in 2004 but lost to then incumbent George W. Bush by a margin of 34 electoral votes. However, Obama was still grateful for his being invited by Kerry to make a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention held in Boston in July 2004, when he was an unknown senator from Illinois. "Of course, I also have to say thanks because John invited a young Illinois state senator to address the Democratic convention in Boston," Obama said, calling Kerry "a great friend."
Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator John Kerry speaks during a news conference at the headquarters of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 6, 2011. (Xinhua File Photo)
The following is a profile of John Kerry: On Dec. 11, 1943, Kerry was born in a military hospital in Denver, Colorado. After graduating in 1966 from Yale University with a bachelor of arts degree, Kerry joined the U.S. Navy and served in Vietnam from 1968-1969. After returning from Vietnam, Kerry turned into an anti-war hero. Kerry's first foray into politics was not successful. In 1972, the 28-year-old Kerry declared his candidacy in the fifth Congressional District in Massachusetts but lost the bid. After the defeat, Kerry went to Boston College and got a law degree in 1976. He worked as an assistant district attorney and opened his own law practice. But he never gave up his political ambition. In 1982, Kerry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. In 1984, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he is currently serving his fifth consecutive term. Kerry was the Democratic Party candidate in the 2004 U.S. presidential elections, who based his campaign on opposition to the Iraq War. But some accused his position on the war as "flip-flopping" as he first voted to authorize the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and later opposed the war. In the end, Kerry and his running mate Senator John Edwards lost to then President George W. Bush. Despite his failure in the presidential race, Kerry remains an influential Senator. He became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2009. As a supporter of Obama in the 2008 presidential elections, Kerry has emerged in recent years as an important envoy of Obama for Afghanistan and Pakistan during times of diplomatic crisis. Kerry has rich experience in dealing with Middle East affairs. He met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad five times in Damascus before the unrest in Syria broke out in March, 2011. He also paid a rare visit to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in February, 2009. Source: China.org.cn
