The Next Secretary of State

Democrats

Walter Isaacson: It may not yet be his time. Wise, Aspen leader. N'Orleans Democrat with Founding Father best seller and media-philosophy cred. 85-1

Zbigniew Brzezinski: This man's name is more complicated than mine -- and that's a feat. He is auditioning hard with his new tome, which took a bit of an ass whipping in the New York Review of Books.
He is unbelieveably brash for a man who armed the Mujahadein. A little too inside for Kerry to get away with appointing, then again, Jimmy Carter broke everyone's heart when he campaigned as a peanut farming outsider, then appointed the ultimate Trilateralist insider Cyrus Vance to State. 65-1

Richard Holbrooke: No one wants State more than Ambassador Holbrooke. And, while we are on the subject, since when do UN Ambassadors go out with Diane Sawyer? Huh, Dick? Impressive resume. Holbrooke is a master operator and a player who cultivates the air of inevitability that he will ultimately be the Secretary of State of the US, the world's last standing superpower, astride the globe like a mighty colossus. 50-50

Jamie Rubin: It may not be his time yet. He is too young, the John Edwards of the foreign policy elite set. Madeline Albright's pretty toy boy. A lock as possible UN Ambassador under Kerry. Hedged his bets on Wesley Clarke, and lost. Side note: His wife, Christiane Amanpour, may be the most important television journalist, and he himself is on the fast track to UN Ambassador, State, and, possibly, UN Secretary General. This is the glamour couple for the next age: The Age of International Law. 95-1

Gary Hart: This is my favorite choice, because now that Daniel Patrick Moynihan has passed on, no one is wiser or more intelligent on such a wide variety of subjects than Hart. And he gets along well with Kerry. Affairs will not matter at State, although you can be sure convoluted arguments will come from the Bible Belt ("hey, his past infidelities could be used as against you by a foreign spy.") 50-50

Republicans

Now this here is the only game in town. Three major figures want this post:

Newt Gingrich: A favorite of the Hawkish conservatives. So ambitious that he attacked Colin Powell in the neocon rags. While still sitting at State. Oh, it was on like Gray Poupon! An enemy of George Bush the Elder, which may hurt his chances of advancing in the Bush dynasty. Poppy still has juice. 50-50

James Baker: You don't get any oilier than James E. Baker, who allegedly called Arabs, "sand ni**ers at a cabinet meeting." Baker is the dirtiest player in the game. Reeks of thwarted ambition. Why was George Bush, that punk President and he -- he, the mastermind -- secretary of state?! And only for part of the term at that! An unfinished Secretary of State stewardship, helping your Poppy's reelection: come on Dubya, you owe me. 50-50

Paul Bremer: A Bush favorite. Close with the Dynasty. His fortunes within the dynasty depend entirely upon the Iraqi power handoff, and whether he scores, or drops the ball. Slim chance. 90-1