(Newser)
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President Obama has already picked John Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, a source tells the Chicago Sun-Times. Kerry's replacement as leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will apparently be Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey. The Sun-Times already reported that Clinton preferred Kerry over Susan Rice, who has since withdrawn from consideration. Obama wants Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel as either secretary of state or defense—more likely he'll get the latter, according to the newspaper. (The Kerry move may be good timing: Clinton fainted and suffered a concussion this week.)
