Sen. John Kerry was called “Mr. Secretary” by Sen. John McCain during a good-natured jibefest, but the Dem can give as good has he gets and managed to get a shot back and the fellow former Presidential hopeful and Republican leader.
Sens. Kerry and McCain both have been the losing candidate in recent presidential elections and know well the sting the Mitt Romney is feeling right now — it’s a bipartisan, across the aisle pain.
But when Sen. John Kerry was called “Mr. Secretary” at a news conference today, the jibe was more a friendly joke than an insult.
Kerry and McCain were present together at conference to discuss a disabilities treaty, McCain quipped, ‘‘thank you very much, Mr. Secretary,” ribbing his friend and political rival over the rumor that Kerry may replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State rather than the currently discussed (and heavily disputed by McCain ) Susan Rice.
After Kerry was called “Mr. Secretary” by McCain, the former Dem presidential hopeful quipped back “thank you very much Mr. President.”
It was a bilateral, bipartisan burn that was chronicled on Twitter by Foreign Policy writer Josh Rogin, who tweeted:
Kerry introduces McCain at presser. McCain says, “Thank you very much Mr. Secretary.” Kerry turns beet red.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) December 3, 2012
Kerry quips back at McCain, “Thank you very much Mr. President… This is what happens when two losers get together.” Crowd laughs heartily
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) December 3, 2012
McCain and Kerry were both advocating for the treaty, a cause which has become more discussed in recent days due to the chronic illness of Bob Dole . Opponents of the legislation include the right-wing lobby The Heritage Foundation, criticism Kerry addressed when he said:
“Anyone who suggests that this committee is a threat to American sovereignty is simply not telling the truth … This treaty does not require one change in American law. This treaty does not require or permit anybody to go to court in America. It merely sets a standard in the rest of the world to lift up their treatment of people with disabilities… What it does is make it easier for Americans with disabilities, for veterans with disabilities, to travel, work live, study, and visit overseas. That’s all it does.”
McCain concurred, saying:
“It is not an infringement on American sovereignty. Actually, it is an expansion of the American example and the American ideal throughout the world.”
You can watch John Kerry get called “Mr. Secretary” by John McCain, below.