Kerry’s “Cabinet position to nowhere” (Updated)

“Senator John Kerry’s fate illustrates the new political order under President-elect Barack Obama: Reward your enemies, not necessarily your friends,” Joan Vennochi wrote in a December 4, 2008, Boston Globe op-ed.

Hillary Clinton, Obama’s tough primary opponent, became Obama’s choice for secretary of state; Kerry, an avid Obama ally, was passed over. Obama’s vice president, Joe Biden, is also a former rival. Yesterday, Obama named Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, another primary challenger, as his pick for commerce secretary.

What’s next, Dennis Kucinich as secretary of labor?

Before that, Obama stood behind Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Democrat turned Independent who campaigned hard for Republican John McCain. With Obama’s blessing, Lieberman retained a prestigious committee chairmanship.

You know what they say about just rewards? Here’s Kerry’s:

If you’re Kerry, you’ve got to be feeling a bit like the Rev. Jeremiah Wright – thrown under the Obama bus, while ex-rivals climb merrily aboard.

The Massachusetts senator helped to launch Obama on the national stage. As his party’s presidential nominee, Kerry chose Obama as the keynote speaker for the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Ever since then, Kerry did everything right by Obama.

He walked away from his own presidential dreams and embraced Obama’s. He helped with fund-raising and organized a Web-based fight against the kind of negative campaigning that helped derail his own presidential bid. He also delivered a powerful speech when Democrats gathered in Denver to nominate Obama.

Both Kerry and Senator Edward M. Kennedy endorsed the Illinois senator at a critical point in his primary battle. Back in Massachusetts, Kerry took most of the heat for the Obama endorsement. An enraged contingent of Bay State women for Clinton badgered Kerry for his failure to back their candidate. They were so angry, the women helped a Democratic rival win enough votes at the state convention to earn a spot on the ballot. As a result, Kerry faced his first primary challenger in 24 years.

Kerry rolled to victory in the primary and general elections. Yet, even as he campaigned for a fifth term, Massachusetts politicians positioned themselves for the prospect of an open Senate seat. It was the natural political reaction to the widespread buzz that Kerry expected to be offered “something big” in an Obama administration.

However, soon after Election Day, Kerry went from being an alleged top contender for a Cabinet position to nowhere.

Meanwhile, we here at RBO are still wondering whether Kerry ever returned that tainted Rezko campaign cash.

Update: Don Surber comments “President Obama rewards John Kerry for his loyal service by… making him the Inspector General of the Undercarriage of the Bus.”