Secretary of State John Kerry returned home to Boston for medical treatment following a bicycle accident in France. Ground Truth's Charlie Sennott joined Jim Braude and Margery Eagan to talk about the Secretary's heath, and the wide reaching implications of his debilitating injury.
We've been pretty tough on Secretary of State, John Kerry," Sennott admits, but he cautions: "this is pretty serious business in terms of his job." West Wing comparisons aside, the reality is that much of Kerry's success at State comes down to his vitality and stamina, both of which are considerable: "he is dedicated to the kind of energy it takes to make diplomacy happen," Sennott notes. An extended hospital stay in Boston will impact Kerry's ability to physically be in some of this decade's most important negotiations, Sennott says, particularly the Iranian nuclear talks and meetings to determine a global reaction to the Islamic State. As Obama's right hand, Kerry has conveyed a strong US presence in meetings. Could a phone call manage?
"Iran talks could get delayed," Sennott says. Negotiations that that have already been held up, and have, at best limped along "in fits and starts." The State department has worked to create a sort of combustability around the June 30th deadline. It's important to recognize that we "can't let these series of talks fail, and this may be a bigger deal than it seems at first light."
So what's next for the Iran talks, Taliban leaders, and more? >> Listen to the link above for more from Charlie Sennott.
