on ayotte, graham and mccain but remember, democrats may not need those three votes to confirm susan rice if she is put forward. they need probably five to seven republicans, maybe they can find them elsewhere. i'm not saying that i know that for a fact, but let's not assume that even if the three of them are opposed that she could never be confirmed. >> they can block it by using a hold. >> any one of them can. >> yeah. >> yeah, kelly. this is not the kind of confirmation you want to send your top diplomat out. that's not the launch pad for a successful tenure as secretary of state. and, of course, waiting in the wings, john kerry, who we understand the white house will nominate to be defense secretary. i'm told he would accept that post even though he would prefer to be secretary of state. we've got to go but thank you very much. chris cizilla, kelly o'donnell. joining me now is ambassador nicolas burns, former undersecretary of state and ambassador to nato, now with the john f. kennedy school of government at harvard. nick we've been through this