With the election of Barack Obama as president, speculation is rife that U.S. Sen. John Kerry will be tapped for a Cabinet position, possibly secretrary of state.

Kerry, 64, and just re-elected to a fifth term, has fueled the political parlor games by not making any strong statements about refusing such an offer from Obama.

On the other hand, it appears Gov. Deval Patrick, a friend of Obama's from their days at Harvard Law School, would be less likely to depart for Washington, according to area political experts.

"I think Obama realizes that (Kerry) has some foreign policy skills," Bob LaRochelle, owner of Andover Strategic Alliances, a government relations consulting business, said yesterday. "I think it's likely that he'll tap John Kerry to be one of the leaders of his administration."

As the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, it was Kerry who chose Obama to deliver the keynote address at the party's national convention in Boston.

Such a link will play in Kerry's favor when it comes time for Obama to select his Cabinet, said Michael Goldman, a consultant with the Boston-based Government Insight Group.

"Barack Obama would not be the president-elect if it wasn't for John Kerry," said Goldman. "It was from that spot that he was able to catapult to where he is today. There's a lot that Obama owes John Kerry."

Kerry, on election night said, "Whatever I, you know, do, I will do with the interests of Massachusetts and our country in mind, but I will continue to serve as thoughtfully as I can."

"You're really talking about a whole domino effect in Massachusetts," McHugh said about who would line up for Kerry's seat.

Among the Democrats who might try are Attorney General Martha Coakley, as well as Congressmen Stephen Lynch, Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, James McGovern and William Delahunt. Former Congressman Martin Meehan, now chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, has $4.8 million in his federal campaign account, the largest sum of any potential candidate. That would give him the advantage in any special election sprint.

"I don't have a comment," Meehan said in an interview. "I'm working as hard as I can to make UMass-Lowell world-class."

While talk of Kerry leaving emerged during the stretch run of the presidential election, rumors of a promotion for Patrick under Obama have been making the rounds for far longer, according to Mary McHugh, a political science professor at Merrimack College.

Both Patrick and Obama have roots in Chicago and graduated from Harvard Law School.

Despite Patrick's repeated statements that he will remain governor, McHugh said it might be difficult for him to turn Obama down.

"I don't think anything's ever closed in politics," McHugh said yesterday. "If a good friend of mine came to me and said, 'I need your help,' how do you say no?"

Goldman disagreed, stating that Patrick will instead run for a second term as governor.

"The governor has been as clear as he can be that he's going nowhere," said Goldman. "They're still going to be friends, they're still going to be talking to each other, it's just that one's job is to steer the country and the other's job is to steer the state."

State Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Methuen, was also convinced that Patrick is staying put.

"He's a straight-shooter," said Baddour. "When he says something he means it and he delivers upon it."