obama's sec of state?

[pragmatic liberal]

Whenever people play this cabinet-parlor game, they always name major politicians. Most cabinet positions, however, are filled by senior specialists in those fields -- career bureaucrats, academics, etc.

Obama's Secretary of State is fairly likely to be Susan Rice, as many people mentioned. Also, Anthony Lake (former national security advisor to Clinton) is a top possibility, as is Richard Danzig, former Navy Secretary under Clinton. If he does pick a senator, I'd expect Lugar (R), Hagel (R) or Kerry (R) are the top prospects, although it should be said that Lugar has said he will not take an offer to StateSec.

My own guess is that it'll be Anthony Lake or Susan Rice. I think Kerry will be considered, but he'll stay in the Senate, where he'll play a major foreign policy role as chairman of the foreign relations committee (Biden would be VP, and Dodd, who's next in line, probably won't leave the Banking Committee in the midst of the current financial crisis). Honestly, a factor for Kerry is Ted Kennedy's health -- if he stays in the Senate, he'll be Massachusetts' senior statesman. He very well may be Secretary of State someday (he could be a good attorney general or Defense Secretary as well), but it may not be in this term.