According to the Chicago Tribune, the two leading candidates for Secretary of State are a Democrat and a Republican and both are member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. John Kerry, pictured to the left sitting on a curb outside the Ford Center in Oxford, MS prior to the Presidential Debate, is considered to the the top candidate. In 2004 as the Democratic presidential nominee, Kerry selected Obama as the keynote speaker. This speech has been considered by many to be the event that launched Obama into the national spotlight. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, has plenty of foreign relations experience and supports Obama's decision to set up talks with nations such as Iran. The other lead candidate for Secretary of State is Republican Senator Richard Lugar. He is the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee and Obama stated in the last debate that that he is someone who has shaped his ideas on foreign policy. He also supports Obama's decision to talk with leaders of countries such as Iran.