John Kerry’s official swearing in as secretary of state on Friday came with a surprising twist: contrary to previous reports, Kerry—not U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice—might have been Obama’s first choice for the position. Earlier today, The Boston Globe reported that Kerry was tapped for the job before Rice withdrew herself from the running. “He called me and said, ‘You’re my choice. I want you to do this,’” The Globe quoted him as saying. While the White House has declined to comment, Kerry has since said that his comment to The Boston Globe was “overly casual,” and that Obama didn’t formerly offer him the job until after Rice withdrew her candidacy.
