Kerry Votes Against Rice Confirmation, Citing Iraq Record

John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who ran against George W. Bush in 2004, voted Wednesday against confirming Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State, saying her record on Iraq disqualified her from his support.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Rice's nomination 16 to 2. Kerry and California Democrat Barbara Boxer cast the only dissenting votes. Rice, Bush's national security adviser, was nominated to succeed Colin Powell at the State Department.

Kerry argued that Rice had helped design and defend policies that left the country less secure and cost the United States goodwill with allies it needed in the fight against terrorism. He said her confirmation testimony gave no indication she saw any reason to change direction on Iraq, North Korea, or Iran.

Despite his vote, Kerry said he was willing to work with Rice going forward and expressed hope she would prove his reservations wrong.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in January 2005, in its own words.