Blue Mass Group

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If Obama Taps Kerry, Congressman John Tierney Would be a Great Replacement!

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As President-elect Barack Obama assembles his administration and taps prominent Democrats, the people of Massachusetts need to be ready if John Kerry is called upon to serve the nation somewhere other than the U.S. Senate.

Massachusetts has a number of fine options, but MA CD6 Congressman John Tierney, who is currently chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee’s sub-committee on national security and foreign affairs, would be an outstanding replacement.  Tierney’s knowledge of the economy, education, and workforce make him particularly well suited to serve in the Senate.

Only time will tell!

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Comments

  1. Tierney would be third tier candidate by any measure…I can’t tell if your post was serious or meant as a joke.

    • John Tierney is my congressman and he has been a great representative for his district.  He certainly would not be a “third tier candidate” if he decided to run for the Senate if and when a seat opened.    

    • By what measures would you consider him 3rd Tier?  A six-term Congressman in a relatively moderate district with $1.3 million in the bank is hardly 3rd tier.  He may not be one of the favorites, but if he decides to run, he’s in the conversation.

  2. Although since I moved from Stephen Lynch’s district to Mike Capuano’s I’ve not had that feeling quite as strongly. Capuano’s disappointed many constituents on his weak stance on federal ethics reform–he defended not extending the wait time for departing members of Congress to “cash-it-in” and become lobbyists, and his staff had the gall to admonish me on a phone call and say “that’s taking away their bread and butter”.  UGGHHHHHHH.

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    p>Plus, Massachusetts needs a few good women representing us on the federal level so I’d be interested in hearing more from Martha Coakley, should the Senate race come to be, and should she decide to run.

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    p>But I firmly believe that John Tierney should not be considered anything less than a strong contender. Learn more about him at http://tierney.house.gov

    • She has stepped up her presence on the national stage by stumping for Obama and vetting the VP pick.

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      p>

        • United States Senator

          -Must be at least 30 years of age.
          -Must be a registered voter.
          -Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years prior to the  date of the election.
          -Must be an inhabitant of Massachusetts when elected.
          -Requires certified signatures of at least 10,000 voters registered in Massachusetts.

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          p>  

        • Sure the Kennedys have spread out a bit, but come on!  You can never seriously consider any member of that family a carpetbagger in Massachusetts – this will always be their home.

  3. He would be my first choice, though I haven’t heard much about him in this context.  He seems pretty happy with his House position, and perhaps it’s well-known he doesn’t want to risk that to move up.

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    p>Would he be electable?  I don’t know how much anyone in MA would care about the gay thing (and his significant blotting of his copybook in a prior era).  I have this naive hope that Obama has made being smart cool again, and Frank is definitely the smartest guy in the MA house delegation.

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    p>My guess is that Kerry does not get SoS.  Biden’s departure from the Senate puts him behind only Dodd for seniority on Foreign Relations, which might matter to him.  So we are probably really talking about the eventual Kennedy seat.

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    p>If Lynch is a serious contender I will get out there and campaign for someone else.  

    • http://www.politickerma.com/je…

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      p>Kerry is also the third ranking Democrat on the Finance committee – and the only one on both SFRC and Finance. As many Finance hearings have dealt with things that need international solutions – such as stopping terrorist funding, using foreign countries to evade taxes and treaties, that combination is really valuable.

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      p>Kerry also has been the go to person on global warming in the Senate according to Barbara Boxer. He also has spoken several times about transportation – recently in the economic speech at Lynn he mentioned rail transportation- not to mention both he and Teresa mentioned transportation in their speeches Tuesday. (Kerry is high on that Commerce sub-committee and seems close to Lautenberg, its chair.)

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      p>Kerry has a role model who as Senator achieved more than any Democratic President in the last 40 years – his senior Senator Kerry now has the type of seniority and the assignments to really put all his talents to work. Even with less, he has done a lot in the last 4 years. There is no one who is more responsible for Obama coming to office with almost all Democrats and many Republicans unified behind an exit strategy for Iraq.

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      p>I think he would also be a great choice for Secretary of State. I would guess that if he really wanted it, he would likely get it – no one (other than Axelrod etc) did more for Obama and he is extremely qualified and respected.  

    • Frank is one of the most powerful people in Congress.  Likely more powerful than a freshman Senator.  I don’t see why he’d run, but if he did, my vote would start in his possession.

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      p>Even if Kerry doesn’t get SoS (I’d say a 40% chance, personally), I think he’ll go for something else in that arena.  Frankly, I just don’t see why Kerry could leapfrog Richardson for such a position, given the relative paucity of experience.

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      p>Richardson is term-limited out of his job after the current term, and if he isn’t given significant foreign affairs responsibility, Obama is nuts.

      • Kerry has 24 years on Senate Foreign Relations committee – Richardson’s diplomatic experience was in the 1990s under Clinton. Kerry is the one with current contacts, relationships  and knowledge.

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        p>Also, Kerry excelled in the foreign policy debate and gained a national and international profile when he ran for President. Richardson was less impressive than his resume when he ran in 2007. (There also was the problem with voting in NM in 2004)

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        p>I think both men are well qualified – and I suspect from speeches of each, that Obama’s positions are closer to Kerry’s. I seriously do not think it fair to imply that Kerry is somehow inferior to Richardson – he isn’t.

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        p>With the opening of the SFRC chair, it may be that Kerry might prefer staying in the Senate. He is very well positioned there to make a difference.  

    • When Marty Neehan came down to El Salvador as a member of the U.S. delegation to President Calderon Sol’s innauguration, Marty was either sick or was a real prima dona in that nasty jogging suit he kept wearing.

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      p>When the late Congressman Joe Moakley and his young staffer, current Congressman Jim McGovern, visited the University of Central America (UCA), a Jesuit institution where the 3-priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter were killed by the Salvadoran military; the visit by Moakley reflected very well on Congress and a congressman.

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      p>Again, John Tierney would make us proud as a leader in the House or as a member of the U.S. Senate, if Kerry goes anywhere.

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      • No disrespect intended on the spelling.

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        p>Didn’t Marty Meehan leave Congress so he could collect his congressional pension and get a good state pension too?  Motivation counts when one seeks elective office.

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        p>Question One voters, on both sides,  demand accountability!

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        p>

        • Your interpretation never came up regarding his transition to Chancellor.  I never heard anything more cynical than the University wanted someone with a nice Rolodex, which may well be true, but it seems to me to be a legitimate consideration.  Let’s stick to promoting our candidates, rather than tearing others down.

          • Marty Meehan could have been a power in the House and served the nation.  He chose to leave and serve himself by setting himself up for two great pensions.

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            p>I’m not tearing anyone down here, but I am not putting on blinders either.

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            p>All worked out in CD5 with the election of Nickki Tsongas.  However, Oganowski was there and Tsongas wasn’t a sure bet when Meehan bolted.

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            p>I’m glad UMASS-Lowell has Chancellor Marty Meehan.  He should stay right where he is and do a good job!

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            p>

      • However, I’m hardly going to judge one’s fitness for office on a single incident.  Meehan during his tenure in Congress developed a national reputation befitting a Senator from Massachusetts.  Yes, there is a bit of local loyality at play here too.

        • Arrogance, pension, bolting House with no sure Dem replacement, etc.  Opportunist?

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          p>The people may have the chance to decide, but the track record raises concerns.

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