The Law of the Sea Treaty, which some have called Sen. John Kerry’s "audition" for secretary of state in a potential Obama second term, has failed in the U.S. Senate. According to Politico:
It appears the Law of the Sea treaty is dead in the water – at least in this Congress.
Two Republican senators declared their opposition on Monday to the international agreement, bringing the total number of Senate opponents to 34 – enough to sink the measure. A two-thirds majority of 67 votes was required for ratification. …
The latest attempt was spearheaded by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.), who scheduled a series of hearings on the issue over the past three months. And on Monday, a Kerry spokeswoman signaled the senator still plans to push for ratification – but not until after the Nov. 3 elections.
Politico previously reported on June 27 that Kerry was using the treaty as a push to replace retiring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:
Sen. John Kerry has the perfect audition piece for the secretary of state job he appears to covet — the long-stalled Law of the Sea treaty. …
His desire for the Cabinet position is one of Washington’s badly kept secrets.
"He’s very well versed in the issue, and he’s decided that it’s doable, and if he gets it across the finish line, maybe he will get secretary of state," a senior GOP aide said.