You're listening to the Corbett Report.

Corbett report.

Corbett.com. Today though I'm looking ahead to my second term and I'm very proud to announce my choice for America's next Secretary of State, John Kerry.

In a sense, John's entire life has prepared him for this role.

As the son of a foreign service officer, he has a deep respect for the men and women of the State Department.

The role they play in advancing our interests and values, the risks that they undertake and the sacrifices that they make along with their families.

Having served with valor in Vietnam, he understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power.

And he knows from personal experience that when we send our troops into harm's way, we must give

them the sound strategy, a clear mission, and the

resources that they need to get the job done.

In an extraordinarily distinguished Senate career, and as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee,

Johns played a central role in every major foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years.

As we turn the page on a decade of war, he understands that we've got to harness all

elements of American power and ensure that they're working together. Diplomatic and

development, economic and political, military and intelligence, as well as the power

of our values which inspire so many people around the world.

As John has said, we are an exceptional nation, not because we say we are, but because

we do exceptional things.

And I'd say that one of the more exceptional things we've seen in recent decades was when John helped lead the way,

along with folks like John McCain and others, to restore our diplomatic ties with Vietnam.

And when he returned to the country where he and so many others had fought so long ago,

it sent a powerful message of progress and of healing.

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