John Kerry to Be Released From Hospital Today

— -- After spending a week and a half recovering from surgery to reset his broken femur, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will be released from Massachusetts General Hospital today.

Kerry will head to his Boston home just a few minutes from the hospital when he is released this afternoon, according to a senior State Department official.

Kerry, 71, broke his leg cycling near the French Alps May 31. He was flown back to Boston on a military C-17 cargo plane where his surgery was performed by Dr. Dennis Burke, the same orthopedic surgeon who performed Kerry’s hip replacement several years ago. Burke released a statement last week saying the surgery went well.

A senior State Department official Wednesday pushed back on critics who question the secretary’s ability to travel overseas and participate personally in the final stages of the Iran nuclear negotiations.

“I can assure you and he will assure you that when he needs to be in the room,” the official said, “he will be there.”