OK, Maddow laid out the Susan Rice thing and I now get it.

[No Elephants]

That is the difference between posting on a message board and doing something professionally and having sources.

Let me break it down a lot faster than she did.

If Susan Rice becomes Secretary of State, John Kerry might not resign as Senator.

If John Kerry does not resign as Senator, Massachusetts will not hold a special election, which is what Massachusetts law requires to fill vacancies in Senate seats. (Used to be by appointment by the Governor, but was changed when Romney was Governor.)

If Massachusetts does hold a special election to fill a vacancy in a Senate seat, though, Scott Brown has a good chance of winning it (and maybe even someday becoming President).

Ergo, Republicans want John Kerry to be Secretary of State.

Susan Rice is not John Kerry.

Ergo, Republicans do not want Susan Rice to become Secretary of State.


What Maddow did not say, but I will, Susan Rice is (a) female and (b) a member of a minority.

Republicans are trying to branch out from their white male, often religious right, base and even have been vocal about that since the election. If their next act is to pick apart Susan Rice for no apparent reason, that would open them up to all kinds of failure and scorn on that whole base broadening thingie.

So, for them, Susan Rice's going on Schieffer's show (not even the highest rated Sunday talking head show) weeks ago to spread the You Tube story about Benghazi was a godsend.

Mrs. Reap, have you met Mr. Sow?

[Enthusiast]

1. I missed Rachel. Thanks for the synopsis.

Rachel's explanation sounds perfectly plausible.

Fucking Republicans.

Well I do not want John Kerry to be Secretary of State under the circumstances. Imagine if leading up to 2004 presidential election you asked a Republican if they thought Kerry was qualified to be Secretary of State. They would come unglued and display one of their now well known temper tantrums. And to think, Kerry was running for president when he wasn't even qualified to be Secretary of State.

[No Elephants]

2. Just hit me. What are the odds that two unrelated African American women

named Rice would serve as Secretary of State with only four years between them, one appointed by a Democrat and the other by a Republican?

I have a feeling that, of the two, Susan will be the more conservative, but I hope not.