Hey, if you're not a rival he needs to neutralize, life can be tough:

The Massachusetts senator helped to launch Obama on the national stage. As his party's presidential nominee, Kerry chose Obama as the keynote speaker for the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Ever since then, Kerry did everything right by Obama.

He walked away from his own presidential dreams and embraced Obama's. He helped with fund-raising and organized a Web-based fight against the kind of negative campaigning that helped derail his own presidential bid. He also delivered a powerful speech when Democrats gathered in Denver to nominate Obama.

Both Kerry and Senator Edward M. Kennedy endorsed the Illinois senator at a critical point in his primary battle...

Kerry rolled to victory in the primary and general elections. Yet, even as he campaigned for a fifth term, Massachusetts politicians positioned themselves for the prospect of an open Senate seat. It was the natural political reaction to the widespread buzz that Kerry expected to be offered "something big" in an Obama administration.

However, soon after Election Day, Kerry went from being an alleged top contender for a Cabinet position to nowhere.

Update: A Republican recovering from shattered presidential dreams lands on his feet. Well, at least for this season.