Senate confirms John Kerry new secretary of state
US Senator John Kerry D-MA (R) watches as US President Barack Obama announces Kerry as his choice for the next secretary of state on December 21, 2012 in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC.
The US Senate today confirmed Senator John Kerry's nomination for secretary of state, said The Washington Post:
Kerry will replace outgoing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has served four years, reported the Associated Press.
Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee welcomed the move, calling Kerry "a realist" capable of meeting challenges in an unpredictable Egypt, a war-torn Syria, the extremist threat in Africa and the nuclear standoff with Iran, said AP.
Kerry's nomination unanimously passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote earlier Tuesday, said Politico, support that helped boost his bid to become the country's 68th secretary of state.
The Washington Post said unanimous committee approval was "not much of a surprise" given how well members of the committee know the former Massachusetts senator and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate.
Kerry, who is 69 years old, chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the past four years and has been a member for the past 28, said the Post, adding that he "sailed" through confirmation hearings. Do you agree? Watch it here: