The vote to confirm Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State was nearly unanimous today. Two “Republican senators—David Vitter of Louisiana and Jim DeMint of South Carolina—voted against her nomination while 94 senators voted in favor.”

At one point during the debate over Clinton’s confirmation Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chariman, John Kerry spoke on the Senate floor calling for a “swift confirmation” of Clinton and the Washington Wire also notes that John McCain joined in and went to bat for Clinton, calling for her “quick confirmation as secretary of State without a lengthy roll-call vote.”

Hillary Clinton was sworn in as “former President Clinton and her Senate staff looked on.” Her ”childhood friend and D.C. appeals court Associate Judge Kathleen Oberly swore her in on a Bible belonging to the former first lady’s late father, in a ceremony in her Senate office.”

Keeping with tradition, America’s new chief diplomat will be treated to a welcoming ceremony with employees Thursday morning in the State Department, agency officials said.

Immediately after the ceremony, Clinton submitted her resignation from the Senate with identical one-sentence letters to Vice President Joe Biden, who serves as president of the Senate, Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson and New York Gov. David Paterson.

Paterson must now move on announcing his decision for Clinton’s replacement in the Senate. Word has it that Caroline Kennedy “has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant Senate seat in New York,” citing her uncle Ted Kennedy’s health as her “most important priority,” and a “situation not conducive to starting a high profile public job.”

Caroline Kennedy introduced the video tribute to her uncle Senator Ted Kennedy earlier tonight at the convention. The tribute was a prelude to Senator Kennedy taking the stage and speaking at the convention. Watch the DNC tribute to Kennedy here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

RELATED IN THE NEWS: Ailing Kennedy roars again to pass torch to Obama.

Ted Kennedy returned to the floor of the Senate today for the 4:00 PM vote on Medicare.  Kennedy was accompanied by members of his family, John Kerry and Barack Obama. He received a standing ovation as he “walked through a wall of applause,” to “cast a dramatic, decisive vote on long-stalled Medicare legislation.”

“Aye,” the 76-year-old Kennedy said in a loud voice, smiling broadly and making a thumbs-up gesture as he registered his vote.

Spectators in the galleries that overhang the chamber burst into cheers — a violation of decorum that drew no complaints.

“It’s great to be back. I love this place,” he said after his brief visit.

Watch the video here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kennedy issued the following statement today on the Medicare vote:

“I return to the Senate today to keep a promise to our senior citizens — and that’s to protect Medicare. Win, lose or draw, I wanted to be here. I wasn’t going to take the chance that my vote could make the difference. Medicare should not be a partisan issue. Illness and age know no party boundaries. The 44 million Americans who rely on Medicare to meet their health care needs are both Democrats and Republicans. Like all Americans, they have worked hard all their lives. They’ve raised their families. They’ve built our towns and cities and farmed the land. They’ve served in our military.”

“We owe them so much for the part they have played in making America a great country. So today I proudly cast this important vote for them — a vote to keep the Medicare program strong and effective for the future.”

What a heartwarming sight to see Uncle Ted back on the Senate floor. Kennedy cast the “60th Vote To Break GOP Filibuster On Medicare.”