Obama praises confirmation of Kerry as new Secretary of State

US President Barack Obama late Tuesday praised the Senate's confirmation of John Kerry as new Secretary of State. "John has earned the respect of leaders around the world and the confidence of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, and I am confident he will make an extraordinary Secretary of State," Obama said in a statement released by the White House. "I look forward to his counsel and partnership in the years ahead as we ensure American leadership in the world and advance the interests and values that keep our nation strong." Obama also acknowledged Kerry's experience in public service. "From his decorated service in Vietnam to his decades in the Senate as a champion of American global leadership, John's distinguished career has prepared him to guide American diplomacy in the years ahead," he said. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman and Democrat Senator Kerry, 69, was overwhelming confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to replace Hillary Clinton as the nation's top diplomat in a 94-3 vote.