John Kerry, The Tenacious Diplomat

[beachmom]

2. Andrew Sullivan says what I've been thinking:

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/08/01/kerrys-fools-errand-ctd-2/

(Kerry's) done substantively far more in a few months as secretary of state than Hillary Clinton did in her entire competent, but quietist, term.

However, I have noticed that actually doing things hurts presidential prospects (Rubio seems to be in trouble for working on immigration reform, Romney got stung by doing health care in Mass., etc.). So Hillary's non-eventful Secretary of State term probably was smart politics.

This, of course, could end in failure which will fall on Kerry (notice how Obama is letting Kerry take the lead on this, and that's for a reason), but he is going for it, and I say good for him.

Edited to add: I also am amazed by the laziness of journalists who just torpedo the entire endeavor. They think they sound smart, but they come across as cynical and creatures of official Washington, instead of a truly curious journalist. There's nothing wrong with showing low expectations, but the amount of snark by them is quite telling. I've been very disappointed in: https://twitter.com/blakehounshell who otherwise has some interesting tweets/links.