ANDREA MITCHELL: A lot of Democrats are saying that the president did not show enough loyalty. A lot of women in the administration are very angry tonight, and I’m saying this at a very high level. Angry because they feel that she was not treated with respect, she was not given the support she needed and she was left to twist in the wind.

RACHEL MADDOW: They’re angry, with whom though?

MITCHELL: Angry with the White House. And with the boss, with the president, for not be willing to fight this out. That he’s backed down in the face of a challenge from the Republican minority, after having won a reelection victory. And most people in the foreign policy community understand that as qualified as John Kerry is, and he’s superbly qualified, he was trained — he lived for this post — a son of a diplomat, and clearly wanted this job and will get this job.