Kerry gave a very nice toast at the dinner with Chinese officials - standing with no crutches

[karynnj]

https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/613487852836401152

[hedda_foil]

1. He looks terrific.

Maybe he's in a walking cast by now. Doubt if he's getting along without a cast yet, but I'm not a doctor.

[MBS]

2. some more photos

he's back at work , for sure.
He looks great-- one photo of him on crutches (and, yes, for sure, he's got a cast- you can tell by the pictures where he's sitting-his right pants leg is thicker than the other) , but it looks like he's getting around well.
The photos show that at least some of their meetings took place at Mount Vernon. Good idea - it's a gorgeous place!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/19081152642/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/sets/72157654948469562

[karynnj]

3. Thanks for the pictures

Yep, the right leg is thicker and he has color coordinated sneakers! It seems clear in retrospect why he and the State Department handled his surgery/recovery as they did. In addition to JK being more comfortable with his doctor and the Mass General team, I would guess that installing secure phone lines so he could work in a foreign hospital would not have been something that the US could trust.

Having him stay at the hospital, work and do his PT really meant that he lost probably less than a week in total -- and a few planned speeches were given by Blincken, not Kerry. He is amazing.

[MBS]

4. Amazing is right.

Wishing him the best of luck on the Iran negotiations and the many other issues on his plate.
Boy am I glad that he is our SOS right now.


(edited to note: can you see where he's putting pretty much all his weight on his left leg? glad to see that he's being sensible)

[karynnj]

5. Now that you mention it - yes.

I wonder if his ability to do things like that consistently is part of what the doctor was speaking of when he spoke of how his athleticism would be a big help to him.

He sure does have a lot on his plate - but neighsayers to the contrary he already has very major accomplishments - like the China/US climate change pact, the Syrian chemical weapons deal, the opening with Cuba where Kerry was involved with the Vatican, and putting together the anti-ISIS coalition including many regional countries, which is an accomplishment no matter how things eventually work out. Plus there are several accomplishments that completely missed the national media -- such as the Sri lankan papers mentioning Kerry was key to the long term President leaving office when he narrowly and surprisingly lost the election. Compare that list to HRC's list.

As to the value of them - consider that others have claimed credit. Self serving people and their allies don't claim responsibility for failures! (Clinton in her book gives herself more credit than JK for the Syrian deal - calling his words a gaffe and making the case that she told Obama to jump on Putin's offer - note her willingness to take credit from Obama and Kerry and to increase Putin's credit just to give herself a major role. Note she did not then mention Kerry's diplomatic negotiations to make the deal real. However, showing even more chutzpah was Michael Oren who claimed it was an Israeli defense person's idea!)

In fact, one of the things that gave me the most hope on Iran was that Clinton allies fed the story that Jake Sullivan was the key American behind them -- and that, though he was then working for Biden, HRC's fingerprints were there. Now, Sullivan and William Burns were the two administration people who had some of the early secret meetings, but the entire path in Oman was something Obama worked using the then chair of SFRC. The article then went on that later, even though he was not part of the team, he went to Geneva and had a big role - especially as he was more skeptical than others (I don't see how that makes a deal when one didn't exist.) He is now a key FP person with Clinton. In fact, the key Americans are easily seen as Obama, who risked the anger this was obviously going to cause, Kerry, Secretary Moniz, and Wendy Sherman.

I'm sure many others, including Sullivan had important roles, but the article elevated him mostly to increase the role that HRC can claim. (Note that Kerry graciously spoke of the Iran process beginning when she was Secretary of State. )

[mylye2222]

6. I am so glad to see him on todays world stage.

I pray the deal will finalize succesfully.

You could be sure since long ago HRC would have downplaying JKs role to highlught her paler list. Call me a conspiracy theorist but I was for a while somewhat afraid Clinton people might sabotage Iran procesding for a (no barely) possible Kerry's fail put Hillary in valoring position.... 2004-2006.. when memories hold LoL.

[karynnj]

7. I don't worry about that -

In the first place, she is not running against Kerry. Therefore he is not a threat. In addition, any messes that he can make better, the better for her. The best position for her would be if a year or so from now, Obama's foreign policy is seen as successful. The Republicans will try to run against Hillary by referring to the Obama/Clinton/Kerry foreign policy -- as Jeb Bush did.

With Iran, even if an agreement is reached, which I pray will happen, this will not be a clear win. There are many who will then argue that by taking "our foot off Iran's neck", they will be freer to do things like support Hezbollah. This is why you have people like Netanyahu actually willing to say that even if Iran did not violate the deal - and the deal kept them from getting a nuclear weapon for 10 years - the deal would be bad. In fact, those comments showed that his comments on a better deal were not honest. No deal, that dealt just with nuclear weapons would be acceptable to him. In reality, it was not fear that they get a nuclear bomb, but fear that they could become a bigger power in the region. (This is also why, they were aghast at any view that this deal could then lead to the US and others dealing with other issues between themselves and Iran. To me, that is part of the promise to this.)

[MBS]

8. "self serving people and their allies don't claim responsibility for failures"

Conversely, people in it for something larger than themselves -- people confident of their own value - have the sense of security to be generous in giving credit to others. Exhibit A: Sec. Kerry.
He is a class act. As well as highly competent -- his diplomatic skills are just incredible. Coupled with his persistence. . awesome.

Continue to heal, Sec. Kerry, and best of luck with all the important issues on your plate.We are lucky to have you at State right now .

[karynnj]

9. +1000000

Not to mention, when watching Kerry chairing a committee as Senator, leading a UN session as SoS or at one the dinners like yesterday's and he is clearly enjoying himself. Doing what he thinks is right and important is - especially at this stage in his career, its own reward. It is also great knowing that he has a wonderful family and life time close friends who clearly love him and respect the many things he has done. Sometimes living a good life is its own reward.