TheThird Loser

You have to feel for John Kerry.

Every six years he buys himself a nice piece of furniture -- a Senate seat -- and he has very little to show for it. Alas, the MassGOP is a shambles, which enables JFK to pay wholesale when others pay retail.

Moreover, when he tries for pricier furniture -- say a nice Oval Office set -- he comes up short.

In 2004, he managed to be the sole Democrat who could have lost to W. His name was among the mentioned when Obama sought a vice president and it went to a bigger political hack -- Joe Biden. (If you think Biden is to Obama as Cheney is to Bush, there's some real estate, I'd like to sell.)

There was a great deal of buzz -- obviously inspired by JFK's folks -- that Kerry would be a Secretary of State in an Obama Administration. Although it's not the presidency, there is a great deal of prestige as America's top diplomat. Unfortunately, BHO is following Machiavelli's strategy of keeping your enemies (Team Clinton) closer.

The result -- fourth place or third loser -- as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Pretty heady stuff if circumstances were different.

With his nominee as the President, with a tightening budget, and with limited options overseas, there is little room for JKF to maneuver other than to take out his rubber stamp. His local newspaper, valiantly if somewhat foolishly, tries to paint this as a statesman having his rendezvous with destiny. Not likely.

Kerry may be a liberal but he knows which way the political winds are blowing and sets his sails accordingly. Kerry will fight Obama only if he can get away with it. ("I was for Obama before I was against Obama?") Moreover, Kerry has -- and will to his grave -- remain a show horse. He has no great strategic vision -- anyone can throw dollars at Pakistan and hope that they will hate us less. He'll be nibbling around the margins but will, for the most part, remain safely inconsequential. (Akin to his head honcho gig at the Small Business Committee.)

Remember, in the big scheme of things: JKF has finished fourth -- they don't even give a medal for that.