Hillary Clinton

U.S. Sen. John Kerry announced on Wednesday that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of which he is the incoming chair, will hold confirmation hearings for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton to become secretary of state next Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Kerry, a Boston Democrat, also announced that the committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Susan Rice to become United Nations ambassador on Thursday, Jan. 15.

"When President-Elect Obama announced his nominations of Sen. Clinton and Susan Rice for the positions of Secretary of State and Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, I said he's chosen an extremely talented team to help rebuild our alliances and advance our agenda in the world," said Kerry. 

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President-elect Barack Obama

As we prepare to ring in the New Year, we here a PolitickerMA.com took a few moments to reflect on what has been an eventful 2008. After surveying several political insiders and observers, here is our breakdown of the Top 11 - cause we couldn't stop at 10 - political stories of the past year.

What did we leave out? The comments section awaits below.

Happy New Year.

Former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner arrested on corruption charges - This one almost goes without saying and, in many ways, sums up a year that was marked by corruption and scandal. Wilkerson and Turner's arrest "cast a cloud over our entire system," one insider told PolitickerMA.com. "For regular folks in tough times, their faith gets shaken."

Of course, in addition to Wilkerson (who resigned from the State Senate) and Turner (who has fiercely refused to resign from the City Council), state Sen. James Marzilli was arrested for allegedly harassing multiple women in Lowell and later resigned only after it was discovered he represented the State Senate at an environmental panel in Germany. And who can forget about Middlesex Register of Probate John Buonomo's resignation after being charged for stealing change from copy machines.

DiMasi's connections to Vitale fuel battle to become the next speaker - The ongoing saga surrounding House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and his relationship with confidant and accountant Richard Vitale has become the top issue going into the new year. Vitale has been indicted for allegedly illegally lobbying on behalf of a ticket brokers' association by improperly contacting DiMasi. On top of that, a federal grand jury is now investigating the awarding of a multi-million dollar state contract to Cognos ULC, which reportedly paid Vitale to lobby on its behalf. Uncertainly surrounding how secure DiMasi's re-election as speaker next year has begun to crop up, and state Reps. Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and John Rogers (D-Norwood) have been actively (and publicly) working to secure enough support to be the next speaker, though many observers say Rogers was wounded by his own ethical problems.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy's battle with brain cancer - When the Hyannis Port Democrat and Liberal Lion of the Senate fell ill this year, the state rallied around him. Kennedy, who has served in the Senate for more than 40 years, gave a rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention and has since reduced his workload to focus on health care reform in the next Congress as he continues treatment.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy commended the appointment of U.S. Sen. John Kerry to be the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that Kerry will take the helm of the influential committee, though he was already in line for the post.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, said Kerry is well-prepared for the job.

"John will do an excellent job as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the nation's fortunate to have him in this high position," Kennedy said in a statement. "I know he'll make significant contributions to our foreign policy in dealing with the many challenges we face in our relationships with other countries, and he'll work well with President [Barack] Obama and Secretary of State [Hillary] Clinton to restore America's respect in the world."

Nearly 80 percent of Massachusetts voters approve of Barack Obama's performance as president-elect, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll.

Fifty-five percent of respondents of the poll, which was conducted on Dec. 9, said they "strongly approve" of Obama's performance.

Massachusetts voted overwhelmingly for Obama in his general election match up against GOP nominee John McCain. Massachusetts backed U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton by a 15-point margin in the presidential primary this year, however, and the poll was conducted after Obama nominated Clinton to be his secretary of state.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has not contacted New York Gov. David Paterson about the possibility of Kennedy's niece, Caroline, being appointed to Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The report directly contradicts an earlier story by the Times that said Kennedy, had reached out to Paterson about the appointment. In Wednesday's story, Paterson, a Democrat, denied any discussion taking place.

"We just haven't talked at all," he told the Times. "He hasn't sent any message to me from anyone. And no one has even called me and said they've spoken to him."

Despite a general consensus that he was passed over for secretary of state, U.S. Sen. John Kerry appears ready to take full advantage of chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and will likely have a significant voice in shaping foreign policy under President-elect Barack Obama, Roll Call reported Tuesday.

"He's been preparing for it for a long time and will have a lot of influence," Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic strategist who was Kerry's deputy campaign manager during his 2004 presidential run, told Roll Call. "I think he's going to be one of the key, if not the key person in the Senate [whom the Obama administration] will go to as they figure out their foreign policy agenda."

Kerry is set to become chairman of the Foreign Relations committee because Vice President-elect Joe Biden is vacating the seat and the next Democrat in line by seniority is Chris Dodd, who has opted to remain chairman of the Banking Committee. A senator cannot chair two committees.

Edward Kennedy's office said Tuesday that the senator has not reached out to New York officials about the possible appointment of his niece, Caroline, to the U.S. Senate, sharply disputing an anonymously sourced story in the New York Times Tuesday.

"Senator Kennedy has not contacted anyone in New York regarding the possibility of Caroline Kennedy serving in the Senate," Kennedy's spokesman, Anthony Coley, said in a statement.

The Times article cited Democratic aides who said Kennedy has called New York Gov. David Paterson, U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Robert Menendez about the prospect of appointing his niece to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's seat when she steps down to become secretary of state.

UPDATED: In addition to New York Gov. David Paterson, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has contacted his colleagues Charles Schumer and Robert Menendez about appointing Caroline Kennedy, his niece, to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate, the New York Times reports.

The elder Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, impressed upon Schumer, New York's senior senator, and Menendez, who recently took over for Schumer as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, that his niece would be an effective fundraiser, according to the Times. Fund-raising would be a key concern for Paterson, a Democrat, and Menendez, of New Jersey, because whoever is appointed will have to run for re-election in 2010 and again in 2012.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has contacted New York Gov. David Paterson in an effort to persuade him to appoint Kennedy's niece, Caroline, to Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, the New York Post reports.

The Post cites "family sources" that say Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, has been "working back channels." One source says Caroline's appointment to Clinton's seat is a "strong possibility."

Clinton will vacate her seat, which was once held by Kennedy's brother, Robert, to become secretary of state. Under New York state law, the governor will appoint her replacement.

An email sent to Kennedy's spokesman on Sunday seeking confirmation of the report was not immediately returned. 

Boston Democratic strategist Doug Hattaway is in the running for spokesman of the State Department in President-elect Barack Obama's administration, the Politico's Mike Allen reports.

Here is what Allen wrote in Wednesday's "Playbook":

Doug HATTAWAY is being considered for "the Jamie Rubin job" at the State Department podium. The president and CEO of Hattaway Communications in Boston had a soothing vibe with Senator Clinton when he traveled with her during the depths of the campaign, and would be a comforting presence as America's face to the world. Democrats note that as opposed to being a combatant, Hattaway would "stick to the binder" of briefing materials about world hot spots that the briefer has to absorb each day. He'd be cool in the hot seat.

In addition to his advising Clinton this year, Hattaway was Al Gore's national spokesman during his 2000 presidential campaign and has consulted for Gov. Deval Patrick. Check out his official bio here.