Everyone in Wisconsin (ok, disregarding the neo-cons) should be holding their breath and hoping Barack Obama selects John Kerry to be his secretary of state. Why? Because if that happens, [Sen. Russ Feingold will be next in line to chair the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee](http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002983580#foreignrelations). With current chair Joe Biden moving to the executive branch, Kerry is next in line for the gavel based on seniority. However, it’s well known that Kerry has been itching to get into Obama’s cabinet. Feingold has the third most seniority on the committee, and Majority Leader Harry Reid was quoted as declaring Feingold “absolutely next in line.” What’s interesting is how the Democrats seem much more dedicated to the tradition of seniority in Congress. Republicans, perhaps because of the revolutionary spirit that launched them into power in 1994, have not assigned as much importance to seniority, often giving chairmanships to relatively junior members. Regardless, a Feingold chairmanship would be a great change, not only for Wisconsin but the nation. Having a principled opponent of military adventurism heading the committee will make it much harder for any president, Democratic or Republican, to push through irresponsible wars or other diplomacy-damaging measures through Congress.