Report: Kerry nomination delayed by shooting

Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) expected nomination to be the next secretary of State has been delayed at least until later in this week because of the elementary school shooting in Connecticut, according to a report by The New York Times.

Kerry's selection had been widely expected after Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration under political scrutiny last week, and reports over the weekend confirmed that President Obama had decided to name the former Democratic presidential nominee. But the White House is wary of making the announcement early in the week, while the nation continues to reel from the shooting spree that left 26 dead, including 20 children. 

According to the report, Kerry's nomination will come, at the earliest, toward the end of the week.

There could also be an outside political rationale behind slowing Kerry's announcement. If Kerry is tapped to lead the State Department and the rumored nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) to head the Defense Department pans out, there could be intensified pressure for the president to appoint a female or minority nominee to a top national security position. 

Obama is likely to make such a nomination for director of the Central Intelligence Agency, with former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) or former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy reportedly under consideration. CIA Director David Petraeus resigned last month after an FBI investigation revealed he had an extramarital affair with his biographer.

Last week, White House press secretary Jay Carney acknowledged that the president placed a premium on diversity while at the same time noting that Susan Rice remained in the Cabinet.

"I think the president has always believed to achieve the highest level of excellence in his Cabinet, and more broadly his administration, diversity is important," Carney said.

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