SecState Kerry's Position

For John, BLUF:  Avoid empty threats.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Charles Krauthammer—"Kerry should Resign".

A firestorm broke out among congressional Republicans Monday over Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly saying Israel could become an "apartheid state,"

From Fox News.  There is the comment out there that this was said in private and thus is not "official" position.  Tell that to the NBA Commissioner.

From Senator Kerry:

I will not allow my commitment to Israel to be questioned by anyone, particularly for partisan, political purposes, so I want to be crystal clear about what I believe and what I don’t believe.

How exactly is he going to prevent this questioning?

• Have the Diplomatic Security Service come and sit on me?
• Get local, state and Federal authorities to pull me in for interrogation, like I was some videographer?
• By sending his Brother to appeal to my sense of what is fair, politically?
• By cleaning up his act?

The fourth option is his best hope.

As for the second item, remember the thesis of Law Professor Glenn Reynolds' Ham Sandwich Nation is that there are so many laws it isn't finding the criminals, but rather deciding which laws you violated.

And, again referencing the second bullet, it now appears, in EMails released, that the Administration was prepared to throw the First Amendment under the bus, either to keep the Arab Street quiet (thus letting a misperception of that Street drive our Foreign Policy and our Domestic police efforts) or to save an election (Shame, sir, Shame, I say.)

Regards  —  Cliff