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John Forbes Kerry is the asshole Senator from Massachusetts who sucks at everything he does. He lives off his wife's inheritane money. Despite his claims to be a champion for the poor man, he owns numerous multi-million dollar properties, in addition to many gas-guzzling SUV's (damaging his image as an enviornmentalist). He lost the Presidential Election in 2004, but he's so full of himself that he's probably going to run again in 2008, despite the fact that he won't even capture the Democratic nomination, as well as the fact that a Republican is going to win anyway. |
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'''John Forbes Kerry''' (born [[December 11]], [[1943]]) is the [[Junior senator|junior]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Massachusetts]]. In 2004, he made an [[John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004|unsuccessful bid]] for the [[President of the United States|United States presidency]] as the nominee of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], losing to [[incumbent]] President [[George W. Bush]]. |
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==Family history and childhood years== |
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John Kerry was born in the west wing of [[Fitzsimons Army Medical Center|Fitzsimons Army Hospital]] in [[Aurora, Colorado|Aurora]], [[Colorado]] outside [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], where his father, [[Richard Kerry]], a [[World War II]] [[Army Air Corps]] [[test pilot]], had been undergoing treatment for [[tuberculosis]]. Kerry's family returned to their home state of [[Massachusetts]] two months after his birth. |
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===Family background=== |
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Kerry is the second child of Richard John Kerry and [[Rosemary Forbes Kerry]]. He has three siblings: Margery (1941), Diana (1947) and Cameron (1950). He and his immediate family members were observant [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]]. As a child, Kerry served as an [[altar boy]]. |
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Although the extended family enjoyed a great fortune, Kerry's parents themselves were upper-[[middle class]]; a wealthy great aunt paid for Kerry to attend [[elite]] schools in [[Europe]] and [[New England]]. |
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Kerry spent his summers at the [[Les Essarts, Forbes family estate|Forbes family estate]] in [[France]], and there, he enjoyed a more opulent lifestyle than he had previously known in Massachusetts. While living in the U.S., Kerry spent several summers at the Forbes family's estates on [[Naushon Island]] off [[Cape Cod]]. |
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====Maternal family background==== |
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John Kerry's maternal grandfather, [[James Grant Forbes]], was born in [[Shanghai]], [[China]], where the family accumulated a fortune in [[opium]] and China trade. Forbes married [[Margaret Tyndal Winthrop]], who came from the [[Dudley-Winthrop Family|Dudley-Winthrop political family]]. Through her, John Kerry is distantly related to four US Presidents [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4286105/] and to various royals in Europe. [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5723115/] |
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====Paternal family background==== |
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Kerry's paternal grandfather, [[Frederick A. Kerry]] (born Fritz Kohn), was born on [[May 10]], [[1873]] in the town of [[Horní Benešov]], [[Austria-Hungary]], and grew up in [[Mödling]], [[Austria]] (a small town near [[Vienna]]). He and his wife Ida were both [[German language|German]]-speaking [[Ashkenazi|Ashkenazi Jew]]s. In 1901, Fritz and Ida Kohn converted from [[Judaism]] to [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholicism]] and changed his name to Frederick Kerry. They then immigrated to the United States, arriving at [[Ellis Island]] in 1905. They raised their three children, including John's father, as Catholics. Frederick Kerry himself committed [[suicide]] in the [[Copley Plaza Hotel]] in [[Boston]] on [[November 23]], [[1921]]. |
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Kerry's father, Richard Kerry, was born on [[July 28]], [[1915]] in Massachusetts. After a stint in the [[United States Army Air Corps|U.S. Army Air Corps]], he worked for the [[United States Foreign Service|Foreign Service]] and served as an attorney for the [[Bureau of United Nations Affairs]] in the [[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]]. |
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In 1937, Richard Kerry met [[Rosemary Forbes Kerry|Rosemary Forbes]], a member of the wealthy [[Forbes family]]. One of 11 children, she studied to be a nurse, and served in the [[Red Cross]] in [[Paris]] during World War II. The couple married in [[Montgomery, Alabama|Montgomery]], [[Alabama]] in January 1941. |
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===Childhood years=== |
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Kerry has said that his first memory is from when he was three years old, of holding his crying mother's hand while they walked through the broken glass and rubble of her childhood home in [[Saint-Briac-sur-Mer|Saint-Briac]], [[France]]. This visit came shortly after the United States had liberated Saint-Briac from the [[Military history of Germany during World War II|Nazis]] on [[August 14]], [[1944]]. The family estate, known as [[Les Essarts, Forbes family estate|Les Essarts]], had been occupied and used as a Nazi headquarters during the war. When the Germans abandoned it, they bombed Les Essarts and burned it down. |
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The sprawling estate was rebuilt in 1954. Kerry and his parents would often spend the summer holidays there. During these summers, he became good friends with his first cousin [[Brice Lalonde]], a future [[French Socialist Party|Socialist]] and [[French Green Party|Green Party]] leader in France who ran for [[president of France]] in 1981. |
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===Boarding school (1957-1962)=== |
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While his father was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in [[Oslo, Norway|Oslo]], [[Norway]], Kerry was sent to Massachusetts to attend boarding school. In 1957, he attended the Fessenden School in West Newton, a village in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]], [[Massachusetts]]. There he met and became friends with Richard Pershing, grandson of [[WW1]] U.S. Gen. [[John J. Pershing|John Joseph Pershing]]. |
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The following year, he enrolled at [[St. Paul's School (U.S.)|St. Paul's School]] in [[Concord, New Hampshire]], and graduated from there in 1962. Kerry's elderly great-aunt, [[Clara Winthrop]], covered the costs. According to Kerry, at St. Paul's, he felt out of place because he was Catholic and liberal, while most of his fellow students were [[United States Republican Party|Republicans]] and [[Episcopalian]]s. |
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Despite having difficulty fitting in, Kerry made friends and developed his interests. He learned skills in [[public speaking]] and began developing interest in [[politics]]. In his free time, he enjoyed [[ice hockey]] and [[lacrosse]], which he played on teams captained by classmate [[Robert Mueller|Robert S. Mueller III]], the current director of the [[FBI]]. Kerry also played [[electric bass]] for the prep school's band [[The Electras]], which produced an album in 1961. Only 500 copies were made — one was auctioned on [[eBay]] in 2004 for $2,551. |
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In 1959 Kerry founded the John Winant Society at St. Paul's to debate the issues of the day; the Society still exists there [http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=352185#][http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061503.shtml]. In November 1960, Kerry gave his first political speech, in favor of [[John F. Kennedy]]'s election to the [[White House]]. |
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===Yale University (1962-1966)=== |
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[[Image:KerryLacross.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Kerry (bottom, far right) played on the [[lacrosse]] team at [[Yale University]] as #14. Kerry also played on the [[ice hockey|hockey]] team.]] |
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In 1962, Kerry entered Yale University, majoring in [[political science]]. He graduated with a [[bachelor's degree|B.A.]] in 1966. Kerry played on the [[soccer]], [[ice hockey|hockey]], [[lacrosse]], and [[Fencing|fencing teams]]; in addition, he took flying lessons. To earn extra money during the summers, he loaded trucks in a grocery warehouse and sold encyclopedias door to door. |
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In his [[sophomore]] year, Kerry became president of the [[Yale Political Union]]. His involvement with the Political Union gave him an opportunity to be involved with important issues of the day, such as the [[American Civil Rights Movement|civil rights movement]] and Kennedy's [[New Frontier]] program. He was also inducted into the [[Skull and Bones|Skull and Bones Society]]. President George W Bush was inducted two years later. |
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Under the guidance of the speaking coach and history professor Rollin Osterweis, Kerry won many debates against other college students from across the nation. In March 1965, as the [[Vietnam War]] escalated, he won the Ten Eyck prize as the best [[orator]] in the junior class for a speech that was critical of U.S. [[foreign policy]]. In the speech he said, "It is the specter of Western [[imperialism]] that causes more fear among Africans and Asians than communism, and thus it is self-defeating." [http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=21803] |
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Over four years, Kerry maintained a 76 grade average and received an 81 average in his senior year.[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/06/07/yale_grades_portray_kerry_as_a_lackluster_student?mode=PF] Kerry, even then a capable speaker, was chosen to give the class oration at graduation. His speech was a broad criticism of American foreign policy, including the Vietnam War, in which he would soon participate. |
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==Encounters with President Kennedy (1962)== |
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[[Image:Kerry Kennedy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Kerry sails aboard the [[Coast Guard]] [[yacht]] ''Manitou'' with [[President of the United States|President]] [[John F. Kennedy]] off [[Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island|Narragansett]], [[Rhode Island]], on [[August 26]], [[1962]].]] |
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In 1962, Kerry was a volunteer for [[Edward Kennedy]]'s first [[United States Senate|Senatorial]] campaign. That summer, he dated [[Janet Jennings Auchincloss]], [[Jacqueline Kennedy]]'s half-sister. Auchincloss invited Kerry to visit her family's estate, [[Hammersmith Farm]] in [[Rhode Island]]. It was there that Kerry met President Kennedy for the first time. |
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According to Kerry, when he told the president he was about to enter [[Yale University]], Kennedy grimaced because he had gone to rival [[Harvard University]]. Kerry later recalled, "He smiled at me, laughed and said, 'Oh, don't worry about it. You know I'm a Yale man too now.'" According to Kerry, "The President uttered that famous comment about how he had the best of two worlds now: a Harvard education and Yale degree," in reference to the [[honorary degree]] he had received from Yale a few months earlier. Later that day, a White House photographer snapped a photo of Kerry sailing with Kennedy and his family in [[Narragansett Bay]]. |
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==Military service (1966-1970)== |
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{{seealso|John Kerry military service controversy}} |
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Kerry served as a [[Lieutenant]] in the [[United States Navy]] during the [[Vietnam War]] from 1966 to 1970. His 2nd [[tour of duty]] [[Vietnam]] was four months as commanding officer of a [[Swift boat]]. Kerry was awarded several medals during this tour, including the [[Silver Star]], [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]], and three [[Purple Heart]]s. Kerry's military record has received considerable praise and criticism during his political career, especially during his unsuccessful [[John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004|2004 bid for the presidency]]. |
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===Commission, training, and tour of duty on the USS ''Gridley''=== |
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[[Image:Tour_of_Duty.jpg|right|thumb|180px|Historian [[Douglas Brinkley]] wrote ''Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War''.]] |
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On [[February 18]], [[1966]], Kerry enlisted in the [[U.S. Naval Reserve]]. [http://www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Request_For_History_of_Service.pdf] He began his active duty military service on August 19. After completing sixteen weeks of [[Officer Candidate School]] at the U.S. Naval Training Center in [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]], [[Rhode Island]], Kerry received his officer's commission on December 16. Despite several demands from critics and a promise by himself to do so, John Kerry's complete military record has never been released. |
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Kerry's first tour of duty was as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] on the [[guided missile]] [[frigate]] [[USS Gridley (DLG-21)|USS ''Gridley'']]. On [[February 9]], [[1968]], the ''Gridley'' set sail for a Western Pacific deployment. The next day, Kerry requested duty in [[Vietnam]], listing as his first preference a position as the commander of a [[Fast Patrol Craft]] (PCF), also known as a "Swift boat." These 50-foot boats have [[aluminum]] [[hull (watercraft)|hull]]s and have little or no armor, but are heavily armed and rely on speed. (Kerry's second choice was to be an officer in a river patrol boat, or "[[Patrol boat, rigid|PBR]]", squadron.) "I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing." [http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061603.shtml] |
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The ''Gridley'' sailed to several places, including [[Wellington]] in [[New Zealand]], [[Subic Bay]] in the [[Philippines]], and the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] off North Vietnam. The executive officer of the ''Gridley'' has described the deployment: "We deployed from San Diego to the Vietnam theatre in early 1968 after only a six-month turnaround and spent most of a four month deployment on rescue station in the Gulf of Tonkin, standing by to pick up downed aviators." [http://home.nycap.rr.com/pwcarter/the%20kerry%20page.html] The ship departed for the U.S. on May 27 and returned to port at [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[California]] on June 6. Ten days after returning, on June 16, Kerry was promoted to the rank of [[Lieutenant, junior grade]]. On June 20, he left the ''Gridley'' for Swift boat training at the Naval Amphibious Base in [[Coronado, California|Coronado]]. |
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===Kerry's tour of duty as commander of a Swift boat=== |
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On [[November 17]], [[1968]], Kerry reported for duty at Coastal Squadron 1 in [[Cam Ranh Bay]] in [[South Vietnam]]. In his role as an officer in charge of Swift boats, Kerry led five-man crews on a number of patrols into enemy-controlled areas. His first command was Swift boat PCF-44, from [[December 6]], [[1968]] to [[January 21]], [[1969]], when the crew was disbanded. They were based at Coastal Division 13 at Cat Lo from December 13 to January 6. Otherwise, they were stationed at Coastal Division 11 at An Thoi. On January 30, Kerry took charge of PCF-94 and its crew, which he led until he departed An Thoi on March 26 and the crew was disbanded. [http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/kerry_medals/#vietnam_service] |
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====Meeting with Zumwalt and Abrams==== |
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On [[January 22]], [[1969]], Kerry and several other officers had a meeting in [[Saigon]] with [[Admiral]] [[Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.|Elmo Zumwalt]], the commander of U.S. Naval forces in Vietnam, and [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] [[General]] [[Creighton Abrams]], the overall commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam. Kerry and the other officers reported that the "[[free-fire zone]]" policy was alienating the Vietnamese and that the Swift boats' actions were not accomplishing their ostensible goal of interdicting Viet Cong supply lines. As they saw it, Kerry and the other visiting officers' concerns were dismissed with what amounted to a pep talk. {{fact}} |
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====First Purple Heart==== |
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During the night of [[December 2]], [[1968]] and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of [[Cam Ranh Bay]] together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading [[sampan]]s at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a [[shrapnel]] wound in the left arm above the elbow. It was for this injury, that Kerry received his first [[Purple Heart]]. |
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====Second Purple Heart==== |
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Kerry received his second Purple Heart for a wound received in action on the Bo De River on [[February 20]], [[1969]]. The plan had been for the Swift boats to be accompanied by support helicopters. On the way up the Bo De, however, the helicopters were attacked. They returned to their base to refuel and were unable to return to the mission for several hours. |
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As the Swift boats reached the Cua Lon River, Kerry's boat was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade round, and a piece of shrapnel hit Kerry's left leg, wounding it. Thereafter, they had no more trouble, and reached the [[Gulf of Thailand]] safely. Kerry still has shrapnel in his left thigh because the doctors tending to him decided to remove the damaged tissue and close the wound with [[suture]]s rather than make a wide opening to remove the shrapnel. Kerry received his second Purple Heart for this injury, but he did not lose any time off from duty. |
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====Silver Star==== |
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[[Image:Kerry with crew3.jpg|right|thumb|248px|Kerry with his crew after the medal ceremony, [[March 6]], [[1969]]. Top, from left: Del Sandusky, John Kerry, Gene Thorson, Thomas Belodeau. Bottom, from left: Mike Medeiros and Fred Short.]] |
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Eight days later, on February 28, came the events for which Kerry was awarded his [[Silver Star]]. On this occasion, Kerry was in tactical command of his Swift boat and two others. Their mission included bringing a demolition team and dozens of South Vietnamese soldiers to destroy enemy [[sampan]]s, structures and bunkers. Along the Bay Hap river, they ran into an ambush. Kerry directed the boats "to turn to the beach and charge the Viet Cong positions" and he "expertly directed" his boat's fire and coordinated the deployment of the South Vietnamese troops, according to Admiral [[Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.|Zumwalt]]'s original medal citation. [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=14774] |
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After the South Vietnamese troops and a team of three U.S. Army advisors that were with them had disembarked at the ambush site, Kerry's boat and another headed up river to look for the fleeing enemy. The two boats came under fire from a Viet Cong [[rocket-propelled grenade]], shattering the crew cabin windows of PCF-94. Kerry ordered the boats to turn and charge the second ambush site. As they reached the shore, a Viet Cong soldier jumped out of the brush, carrying an [[rocket-propelled grenade|RPG]] launcher. With the enemy soldier only a short distance away from the boat and crew, forward gunner Tommy Belodeau shot him in the leg with the boat's 7.62x51 caliber [[M60 machine gun|M-60]] [[machine gun]]. Belodeau's machine gun jammed after he fired, and while fellow crewmate Michael Medeiros attempted to fire, he was unable to do so. Kerry leaped ashore followed by Medeiros. As they pursued the fleeing Viet Cong soldier, Kerry shot and killed him with rifle fire. |
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Kerry's commanding officer, [[Lieutenant]] George Elliott, joked that he didn't know whether to court-martial him for beaching the boat without orders or give him a medal for saving the crew. Elliott recommended Kerry for the Silver Star, and Zumwalt flew into An Thoi to personally award medals to Kerry and the rest of the sailors involved in the mission. The Navy's account of Kerry's actions is presented in the original [[Wikisource:Silver Star Citation - John Kerry|medal citation]] signed by Zumwalt. In addition, the after-action reports for this mission are available, along with the original press release written on March 1, a historical summary dated March 17, and more. [http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/kerry_medals/#silver_star] |
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====Bronze Star and third Purple Heart==== |
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[[Image:Kerrymedals.jpg|right|thumb|248px|Kerry is awarded the [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]. For his service during the [[Vietnam War]], Kerry also received the [[Silver Star]] and three [[Purple Heart]]s.]] |
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On March 13, five Swift boats were returning to base together on the Bay Hap river from their missions that day. A mine detonated directly beneath one of the boats (PCF-3), lifting it into the air. Shortly thereafter, another mine exploded near Kerry's boat (PCF-94). |
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[[James Rassmann]], a [[Green Berets|Green Beret]] advisor who was sitting on the deck of the pilothouse, was knocked overboard. Rassmann dived to the bottom of the river. Coming back up for air, the enemy repeatedly fired at him. Rassmann was heading to the north bank, expecting to be taken prisoner, when Kerry realized he was gone and came back for him. Kerry's Bronze Star was awarded for recognized bravery in rescuing Rassman while under fire. |
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After the crew of PCF-3 had been rescued, PCFs 43 and 23 left the scene to evacuate the four most seriously wounded sailors. PCFs 51 and 94 remained behind and helped salvage the stricken boat together with a damage-control party that had been immediately dispatched to the scene. |
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During this encounter Kerry sustained shrapnel wounds, leading to his 3rd Purple Heart. |
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===Return from Vietnam=== |
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After Kerry's third qualifying wound, he was entitled per routine Navy regulations, to re-assignment away from combat duties. Navy records show that Kerry's preferred choice for re-assignment was as an aide in Boston, New York or Washington DC. [http://files.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/jkerry/thricewnd.pdf] |
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On March 26, after a final patrol at night on March 25, Kerry was transferred to Cam Ranh Bay to await his orders. He was there for five or six days and left Vietnam in early April. On April 11, he reported to the [[Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn]]-based Atlantic [[Military Sea Transportation Service]], where he would remain on active duty for the following year as a personal aide to an officer, Rear Admiral [[Walter Schlech]]. On [[January 1]], [[1970]] Kerry was promoted to full [[Lieutenant]]. As a condition for taking the position as an admiral's aide, Kerry agreed to an extension of his active duty obligation through August 1970. On January 3, he requested early discharge. He was discharged from active duty on March 1. |
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John Kerry was on active duty in the U.S. Navy for three years and eight months, from August 1966 until March 1970. He continued to serve in the Navy Reserves until February 1972. He lost five friends in the war, including Yale classmate Richard Pershing, who was [[killed in action]] on [[February 17]], [[1968]]. |
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===Criticism of military service and awards=== |
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Critics have questioned several aspects of Kerry's military service. |
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As the presidential campaign of 2004 developed, approximately 200 Vietnam-era veterans formed the group [[Swift Boat Veterans for Truth]] (SBVT) and held press conferences, ran ads, and endorsed a book questioning Kerry's service record and his military awards. Several SBVT members were in the same unit as Kerry, but did not serve at the same time as Kerry's service. Others were listed as serving in the same swift boat, but again not at the same time as Kerry. One of them, [[Stephen Gardner]], served on the same boat with Kerry. Gardner, however, was not present for the events leading up to Kerry's silver star, bronze star or purple hearts. Other SBVT members included two of Kerry's former commanding officers, Grant Hibbard and George Elliott. Hibbard and Elliott have alleged, respectively, that Kerry's first Purple Heart and Silver Star were undeserved. In addition, various members of SBVT have questioned Kerry's other medals and his truthfulness in testimony about the war. Defenders of John Kerry's war record, including most of his surviving former crewmates, have asserted that several organizers of SBVT had close ties to the Bush presidential campaign and that certain SBVT accusations were politically motivated and false. |
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==Anti-Vietnam War activism (1970-1971)== |
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[[Image:The_New_Soldier.jpg|150x|thumb|right|Kerry co-authored the book ''[[The New Soldier]]'' with the VVAW.]] |
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===Joining the Vietnam Veterans Against the War=== |
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After returning to the United States, Kerry joined the [[Vietnam Veterans Against the War]] (VVAW). Then numbering about 20,000 [http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?id=378], VVAW was considered by some (including the administration of President [[Richard Nixon]]) to be an effective component of the antiwar movement. VVAW's members, including Kerry, could speak with personal knowledge about what they had seen in Vietnam. Beyond such specifics, however, they were seen as having "paid their dues" in Vietnam, and therefore being entitled to at least a respectful hearing. Americans who opposed the war were grateful for VVAW's work. Many Vietnam veterans saw the organization as giving voice to the views of the common soldier in exposing official deceit. Many other veterans, however, such as those who in 2004 formed Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, deeply resented the VVAW's activities, feeling that their own military service was being attacked or cheapened. |
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===Testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee=== |
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[[Image:Kerrytestimony.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Kerry testified before the [[U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] on April 22, 1971.]] |
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On [[April 22]], [[1971]], Kerry became the first Vietnam veteran to testify before Congress about the war, when he appeared before a Senate committee hearing on proposals relating to ending the war. Wearing green [[Fatigues (uniform)|fatigues]] and service ribbons, he spoke for nearly two hours with the [[U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] in what has been named the [[Fulbright Hearing]], after the Chairman of the proceedings, Senator J.W. Fulbright. Kerry began with [[s:Vietnam Veterans Against the War Statement|a prepared speech]], in which he presented the conclusions of the [[Winter Soldier Investigation]], where veterans had described personally committing or witnessing war crimes. Controversially referring to US servicemen in Vietnam as having been sent ''"to die for the biggest nothing in history,"'' Kerry alleged that the military had ''"created a monster"'' in the form of violence-prone American soldiers, and recounted that soldiers had personally recollected stories of having ''"personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads,"'' of Vietnamese citizens and rampaging across Vietnam ''"[razing] villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan"'' [http://www.nationalreview.com/document/kerry200404231047.asp]. |
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Most of Kerry's testimony addressed the larger policy issues. Kerry expressed his view that the war was essentially a [[civil war]] and that nothing in Vietnam was a realistic threat to the United States. He argued that the real reason for the continued fighting was political purposes: ''"Someone has to die so that [[Richard Nixon|President Nixon]] won't be, and these are his words, 'the first President to lose a war.'"'' That conclusion led him to ask: ''"[H]ow do you ask a man to be [[McMahon and Judge|the last man to die in Vietnam]]? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"'' |
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===The protest at the U.S. Capitol=== |
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The day after this testimony, Kerry participated in a demonstration with 800 other veterans in which he and other veterans threw their medals and ribbons over a fence at the front steps of the [[U.S. Capitol]] building to dramatize their opposition to the war. Jack Smith, a [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]], read a statement explaining why the veterans were returning their military awards to the government. For more than two hours, angry veterans tossed their medals, ribbons, hats, jackets, and military papers over the fence. Each veteran gave his or her name, hometown, branch of service and a statement. As Kerry threw his decorations over the fence, his statement was: "I'm not doing this for any violent reasons, but for peace and justice, and to try and make this country wake up once and for all." Some have questioned whether he gave up his own medals or just his ribbons during the demonstration at the Capitol. [[Tom Oliphant]] has gone on record supporting Kerry's account.[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/04/27/i_watched_kerry_throw_his_war_decorations/] |
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===Media appearances=== |
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Because Kerry was a decorated veteran who took a stand against the government's official position, he was frequently interviewed by broadcast and print media. He was able to use these occasions to bring the themes of his Senate testimony to a wider audience. |
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For example, Kerry appeared more than once on ''[[Dick Cavett|The Dick Cavett Show]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] television. On one Cavett program ([[June 30]], [[1971]]), in debating [[John O'Neill (Vietnam veteran)|John O'Neill]], Kerry argued that some of the policies instituted by the U.S. military leaders in Vietnam, such as free-fire zones and burning noncombatants' houses, were contrary to the [[laws of war]]. In the ''[[Washington Star]]'' newspaper (June 6, 1971), he recounted how he and other Swift boat officers had become disillusioned by the contrast between what the leaders told them and what they saw: "That's when I realized I could never remain silent about the realities of the war in Vietnam." |
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On [[NBC]]'s [[Meet The Press]] in 1971, Kerry was asked whether he had personally committed atrocities in Vietnam. He responded: |
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:''"There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages. All of this is contrary to the laws of warfare, all of this is contrary to the Geneva Conventions and all of this is ordered as a matter of written established policy by the government of the United States from the top down. And I believe that the men who designed these, the men who designed the free fire zone, the men who ordered us, the men who signed off the air raid strike areas, I think these men, by the letter of the law, the same letter of the law that tried Lieutenant Calley, are war criminals."'' |
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[[Image:Kerry_Lennon.jpg|200px|thumb|Kerry with ex-[[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[John Lennon]] during a protest rally at [[New York City]]'s [[Bryant Park]] in the summer of 1971.]] |
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<!-- Image with disputed fair-use status removed: [[Image:Kerryarrest.JPG|frame|Kerry (upper left) is arrested in May, 1971 while leading the VVAW in a protest ("Operation POW") in [[Lexington, Massachusetts]].]] --> |
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===Operation POW=== |
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Kerry's prominence also made him a frequent leader and spokesman at antiwar events around the country in 1971. One of particular note was Operation POW, organized by the VVAW in Massachusetts. The protest got its name from the group's concern that Americans were prisoners of the Vietnam War, as well as to honor American POWs held captive by [[North Vietnam]]. |
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The event sought to tie antiwar activism to patriotic themes. Over the [[Memorial Day]] weekend, veterans and other participants marched from [[Concord, Massachusetts|Concord]] to a rally on [[Boston Common]]. The plan was to invoke the spirit of the [[American Revolution]] and [[Paul Revere]] by spending successive nights at the sites of the [[Battle of Lexington and Concord]] and the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], culminating in a Memorial Day rally with a public reading of the [[Declaration of Independence]]. |
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The second night of the march, May 29, was the occasion for Kerry's only arrest, when the participants tried to camp on the village green in [[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]]. At 2:30 a.m. on [[May 30]], local and state police awoke and arrested 441 demonstrators, including Kerry, for trespassing. All were given the [[Miranda Warning]] and were hauled away on school buses to spend the night at the Lexington Public Works Garage. Kerry and the other protestors later paid a $5 fine and were released. At the time, [[Julia Thorne|Kerry's wife]] kept $100 under her pillow in case she needed to bail her husband out of jail if he was arrested at a protest. The mass arrests caused a community backlash and ended up giving positive coverage to the VVAW. {{fact}} |
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Despite his role in Operation POW and other VVAW events, Kerry eventually quit the organization over leadership differences. Kerry has been criticized regarding VVAW - see [[John Kerry VVAW controversy]] for more details. |
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==Early career (1972-1985)== |
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=== 1972 Campaign for Congress === |
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In February 1972, after Kerry previously passed on an opportunity to run in another district, his wife, [[Julia Thorne|Julia]] bought a house in [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]. Residence there would have required Kerry to run for [[United States House of Representatives|Congress]] against an incumbent [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], [[Harold D. Donohue]]. Instead however, the couple rented an apartment in [[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]. The incumbent in that district, [[F. Bradford Morse]], was a Republican who was thought to be retiring. |
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Counting Kerry, the Democratic primary race in 1972 had 10 candidates. One of these was State Representative [[Anthony R. DiFruscia]] of [[Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence]]. Both Kerry's and DiFuscia's campaign HQ's were in the same building. On the eve of the September primary, Kerry's younger brother Cameron and campaign field director [[Thomas J. Vallely]], both then 22 years old, were found by police in the basement of this building, where the telephone lines were located. They were arrested and charged with "[[breaking and entering]] with the intent to commit [[grand larceny]]", but the case was dismissed about a year later. At the time of the incident, DiFruscia alleged that they were trying to disrupt his get-out-the vote efforts. Vallely and Cameron Kerry maintained that they were only checking their own telephone lines because they had received an anonymous call warning that the Kerry lines would be cut. [http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061803_p.shtml] |
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Although Kerry's campaign was hurt by the election-day report of the arrest, he still won the primary by a comfortable margin over state Representative Paul J. Sheehy. DiFruscia placed third. Kerry lost in Lawrence and Lowell, his chief opponents' bases, but placed first in 18 of the district's 22 towns. |
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In the general election, Kerry was initially favored to defeat the Republican candidate, former state Representative [[Paul W. Cronin]], and an independent, Roger P. Durkin. A major obstacle, however, was the district's leading newspaper, the [[conservative]] ''[[Lowell Sun]]''. The paper editorialized against him. It also ran critical news stories about his out-of-state contributions and his "[[carpetbagger|carpetbagging]]", because he had moved into the district only in April. The final blow came when, four days before the election, Durkin withdrew in favor of Cronin. Cronin won the election, becoming the only Republican to be elected to Congress that November in a district carried by Democratic [[President of the United States|Presidential]] [[nomination|nominee]] [[George McGovern]]. |
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===Career in law and politics (1972-1985)=== |
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[[Image:Johnkerrybclawgraduation.jpg|thumb|200px|right|John Kerry (center) was among the students who opted against [[academic regalia]] at his graduation from [[Boston College]] [[Boston College Law School|Law School]] in 1976]] |
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After Kerry's 1972 defeat, he and his wife bought a house in Lowell. He spent some time working as a fundraiser for the [[Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere]] (CARE), an international humanitarian organization. He decided that the best way for him to continue in public life was to study law. In September 1973, he entered [[Boston College Law School]] at [[Newton, Massachusetts]]. In July 1974, while attending [[law school]], Kerry was named executive director of Mass Action, a Massachusetts advocacy association. |
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He received his [[Juris Doctor]] (J.D.) degree in 1976. While in law school he had been a student prosecutor in the office of the [[District Attorney]] of [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]], John J. Droney. After passing the bar exam and being admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1976, he went to work in that office as a full-time prosecutor. |
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In January 1977, Droney promoted him to First Assistant District Attorney. In that position, Kerry had dual roles. First, he tried cases, winning convictions in a high-profile rape case and a murder. Second, he played a role in administering the office of the district attorney by initiating the creation of special white-collar and organized crime units, creating programs to address the problems of rape and other crime victims and of witnesses, and managing trial calendars to reflect case priorities. It was in this role in 1978, that Kerry announced an investigation into possible criminal charges against then Senator [[Edward Brooke]], regarding "misstatements" in his first divorce trial. [http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/images/day5/01.htm] |
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====Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts==== |
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In 1979, Kerry resigned from the District Attorney's office to set up a private law firm with another former prosecutor. And, although his private law practice was a success, Kerry was still interested in public office. He re-entered electoral politics by running for [[Lieutenant Governor]] of Massachusetts and won a narrow victory in the 1982 Democratic primary. The ticket, with [[Michael Dukakis]] as the gubernatorial candidate, won the general election without difficulty. |
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The position of Lieutenant Governor carried few inherent responsibilities. Dukakis, however, delegated additional matters to Kerry. In particular, Kerry's interest in environmental protection led him to become heavily involved in the issue of [[acid rain]]. His work contributed to a [[National Governors Association]] resolution in 1984 that was a precursor to the 1990 amendments to the federal [[Clean Air Act]]. |
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During his campaign, Kerry had argued that nuclear evacuation planning was "a sham intended to deceive Americans into believing they could survive a nuclear war". Once in office, he drafted an Executive Order condemning such planning, which Dukakis signed. {{fact}} |
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====1984 Senate election==== |
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The junior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, [[Paul Tsongas]], announced in 1984 that he would be stepping down for health reasons. Kerry decided to run for the seat. As in his 1982 race for Lieutenant Governor, he did not receive the endorsement of the party regulars at the state Democratic convention. Again as in 1982, however, he prevailed in a close primary. In his campaign he promised to mix liberalism with tight budget controls. As the Democratic candidate he was elected to the Senate despite a nationwide landslide for the re-election of Republican president [[Ronald Reagan]], whom Massachusetts voted for by a narrow margin. In his acceptance speech, Kerry asserted that his win meant that the people of Massachusetts "emphatically reject the politics of selfishness and the notion that women must be treated as second-class citizens." Kerry was sworn in as a U.S. Senator in January 1985. |
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==Service in the U.S. Senate (1985-present)== |
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[[Image:JohnKerry.jpg|thumb|200px|right|An earlier Senate portrait of Kerry]] |
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===Meeting with Ortega=== |
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On [[April 18]], [[1985]], a few months after taking his Senate seat, Kerry and Senator [[Tom Harkin]] of [[Iowa]] traveled to [[Nicaragua]] and met the country's president, [[Daniel Ortega]]. Though Ortega was democratically elected, the trip was criticized because Ortega and his [[leftist]] [[Sandinista]] government had strong ties to [[Cuba]] and the [[USSR]]. The Sandinista government was opposed by the [[right-wing]] [[CIA]]-backed rebels known as the [[Contras]]. While in Nicaragua, Kerry and Harkin talked to people on both sides of the conflict. Through the senators, Ortega offered a cease-fire agreement in exchange for the US dropping support of the Contras. The offer was denounced by the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] administration as a "[[propaganda]] initiative" designed to influence a House vote on a $14 million Contra [[foreign aid|aid package]], but Kerry said "I am willing...to take the risk in the effort to put to test the good faith of the Sandinistas." The House voted down the Contra aid, but Ortega flew to [[Moscow]] to accept a $200 million loan the next day, an act which in part prompted the House to pass a larger $27 million aid package six weeks later. [http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/062003.shtml] |
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===Iran-Contra hearings=== |
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{{main|Kerry Committee report}} |
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In April 1986, Kerry and Senator [[Christopher Dodd]], a Democrat from [[Connecticut]], proposed that hearings be conducted by the [[U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] regarding charges of [[Contra]] involvement in [[cocaine]] and [[marijuana]] [[drug trafficking|trafficking]]. Sen. [[Dick Lugar|Richard G. Lugar]] of [[Indiana]], the Republican chairman of the committee, agreed to conduct the hearings. |
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Meanwhile, Kerry's staff began their own investigations, and on October 14 issued a report which exposed illegal activities on the part of [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Oliver North]], who had set up a private network involving the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] and the [[CIA]] to deliver military equipment to right-wing Nicaraguan rebels (Contras). In effect, North and certain members of the President's administration were accused by Kerry's report of illegally funding and supplying armed militants without the authorization of Congress. Kerrys staff investigation, based on a yearlong inquiry and interviews with 50 unnamed sources, is said to raise "serious questions about whether the United States has abided by the law in its handling of the contras over the past three years."<ref>{{cite journal |
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| first =Author |
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| last =Unknown |
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| authorlink = |
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| coauthors = |
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| year =1986 |
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| month =October 15 |
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| title =White House Official Linked To Arms Deliveries to Contras |
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| journal =The New York Times |
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| volume = |
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| issue = |
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| pages = p. 6 |
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| id = |
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| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE3D71339F936A25753C1A960948260&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fK%2fKerry%2c%20John |
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}}</ref> |
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The [[Kerry Committee report]] found that "the Contra drug links included...payments to drug traffickers by the U.S. State Department of funds authorized by the Congress for humanitarian assistance to the Contras, in some cases after the traffickers had been indicted by federal law enforcement agencies on drug charges, in others while traffickers were under active investigation by these same agencies."<ref name="report">{{cite web |
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| author = |
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| year = |
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| url = http://www.pinknoiz.com/covert/contracoke.html |
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| title =Selections from the Senate Committee Report on Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign Policy chaired by Senator John F. Kerry |
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| format = |
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| work =HTML |
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| publisher = |
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| accessdate =April 21 |
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| accessyear =2006 |
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}}</ref> The US State Department paid over $806,000 to known drug traffickers to carry humanitarian assistance to the Contras. <ref name="white"> {{cite book |
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| last =Cockburn |
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| first =Alexander |
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| authorlink = |
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| coauthors =Jeffrey St Clair |
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| year =October 1, 1999 |
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| title =Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and the Press |
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| publisher =Verso |
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| location = |
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| id =ISBN 1859842585 |
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}}</ref> Kerry's findings provoked little reaction in the media and official Washington.<ref name="react"> {{cite journal |
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| first = |
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| last = |
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| authorlink = David Corn |
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| coauthors = |
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| year = 2001 |
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| month =July 16 |
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| title =Defining John Kerry |
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| journal =The Nation |
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| volume = |
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| issue = |
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| pages = |
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| id = |
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| url =http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010716/dcorn/2 |
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}}</ref> |
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The Kerry report was a precursor to the [[Iran-Contra affair]]. On [[May 4]], [[1989]], North was convicted of charges relating to the Iran/Contra controversy, including three felonies. On [[September 16]], [[1991]], however, North's convictions were overturned on appeal.<ref>{{cite journal |
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| first =David |
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| last =Johnston |
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| authorlink = |
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| coauthors = |
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| year =1992 |
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| month =December 24 |
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| title =Bush Pardons 6 In Iran Affair, Aborting A Weinberger Trial; Prosecutor Assails 'Cover-Up' Bush Diary at Issue 6-Year Inquiry Into Deal of Arms for Hostages All but Swept Away |
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| journal =New York Times |
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| volume = |
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| issue = |
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| pages = |
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| id = |
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| url =http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/991224onthisday_big.html |
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}}</ref> |
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===Kerry and the George H. W. Bush administration=== |
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On [[November 15]], [[1988]], at a businessmen's breakfast in [[Lynn, Massachusetts|East Lynn]], Massachusetts, Kerry made a joke about [[president-elect]] [[George H.W. Bush]] and his running mate, saying "if Bush is shot, the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] has orders to shoot [[Dan Quayle]]." He apologized the following day. |
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During their investigation of Noriega, Kerry's staff found reason to believe that the [[Pakistan]]-based [[Bank of Credit and Commerce International]] (BCCI) had facilitated Noriega's drug trafficking and [[money laundering]]. This led to a separate inquiry into BCCI, and as a result, banking regulators shut down BCCI in 1991. In December 1992, Kerry and Senator [[Hank Brown]], a Republican from [[Colorado]], released ''The BCCI Affair'', a report on the BCCI scandal. The report showed that the bank was crooked and was working with [[terrorism|terrorists]], including [[Abu Nidal]]. It blasted the [[U.S. Department of Justice|Department of Justice]], the [[U.S. Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]], the [[United States Customs Service|Customs Service]], the [[Federal Reserve System|Federal Reserve Bank]], as well as influential [[lobbyist]]s and the CIA. [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0409.sirota.html] |
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Kerry was criticized by some Democrats for having pursued his own party members, including former [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Clark Clifford]], although Republicans said he should have pressed against some Democrats even harder. The BCCI scandal was later turned over to the [[Manhattan]] District Attorney's office. {{fact}} |
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===1996 re-election bid=== |
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{{main|Massachusetts United States Senate election, 1996}} |
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In 1996, Kerry faced a difficult re-election fight against Governor [[William Weld]], a popular Republican incumbent who had been re-elected in 1994 with 71% of the vote. The race was covered nationwide as one of the most closely-watched Senate races that year. Kerry and Weld held several debates and negotiated a campaign spending cap of $6.9 million at Kerry's [[Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts|Beacon Hill]] mansion. During the campaign, Kerry spoke briefly at the [[1996 Democratic National Convention]]. Senator Kerry won re-election with 53 percent to Weld's 45 percent. According to ''[[Newsweek]]'', during the [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Weld was interviewed by [[Karl Rove]], [[Karen Hughes]] and other senior members of the [[George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004|Bush campaign]] on debating and running against Kerry. {{fact}} |
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===2000 presidential election=== |
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{{main|U.S. presidential election, 2000}} |
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In the 2000 presidential elections, Kerry again found himself close to being chosen as the vice presidential running mate [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/LOCAL/northeast/07/14/boh.kerry.veep/index.html]. |
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A release from the presidential campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee [[Al Gore]] listed Kerry on the short list to be selected as the vice-presidential nominee, along with North Carolina Senator [[John Edwards]], Indiana Senator [[Evan Bayh]], Missouri Congressman [[Richard Gephardt]], New Hampshire Governor [[Jeanne Shaheen]], and Connecticut Senator [[Joe Lieberman]]. Gore eventually selected Lieberman as the nominee, but Kerry continued to campaign on behalf of the Gore-Lieberman campaign through Election Day. |
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===Kerry and Iraq=== |
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In 1991, Kerry initially opposed the measure aimed at liberating [[Kuwait]] from the [[Iraq|Iraqi]] invasion. The [[United Nations]] had imposed sanctions on Iraq, and Kerry argued that the [[sanction]]s then in place should be given more time to work. |
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More recently, Kerry said on [[October 9]], [[2002]]; "I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force--if necessary--to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." Bush relied on that resolution in ordering the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. Kerry also gave a [[January 23]], [[2003]] speech to [[Georgetown University]] saying "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator; leading an oppressive regime he presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real." Kerry did however warn the administration should exhaust its diplomatic avenues before launching war: "Mr. President, do not rush to war, take the time to build the coalition, because it's not winning the war that's hard, it's winning the peace that's hard." [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/02/politics/main571162.shtml] |
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After the invasion of Iraq, regarding the limited discovered evidence of any such weapons, Kerry strongly criticized Bush, contending that he had misled the country: "When the president of the United States looks at you and tells you something, there should be some trust." [http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/27/sprj.nirq.bush/] Although strongly critical of the president on the Iraq invasion, Kerry has stated that he does not regret being one of 29 Democratic Senators to support the resolution. {{fact}} |
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===Sponsorship of legislation=== |
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{{main|Sponsorship of legislation by John Kerry}} |
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During his Senate career, Kerry has sponsored or cosponsored dozens of [[Act of Congress|bill]]s. Some of his notable bills have addressed [[small business]] concerns, [[education]], [[terrorism]], [[veteran]]s' and [[POW]]-[[Missing in action|MIA]] issues, [[marine resource protection]] and other topics. Of those bills with his sponsorship, as of 12.2004, 11 have been signed into law. |
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===Political chairmanships=== |
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Kerry was the chairman of the [[Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]] from 1987 to 1989. He was reelected to the Senate in [[U.S. Senate election, 1990|1990]], [[U.S. Senate election, 1996|1996]] (after winning re-election against the then-[[List of Governors of Massachusetts|Governor of Massachusetts]], Republican [[William Weld]]), and [[U.S. Senate election, 2002|2002]]. His current term will end on [[January 3]] [[2009]]. |
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===Committee assignments=== |
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As of 2006, Kerry serves on four Senate committees and twelve subcommittees: |
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* [[U.S. Senate Committee on Finance|Committee on Finance]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care|Subcommittee on Health Care]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy|Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee on Long-term Growth and Debt Reduction|Subcommittee on Long-term Growth and Debt Reduction]] ([[Ranking member]]) |
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* [[U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship|Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship]] ([[Ranking member]] - was the chairman from 2001 to 2003) |
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* [[U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation|Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Fisheries and the Coast Guard|Subcommittee on Fisheries and the Coast Guard]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Trade, Tourism and Economic Development|Subcommittee on Trade, Tourism and Economic Development]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness|Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness]] ([[Ranking member]]) |
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** [[U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Global Climate Change and Impacts|Subcommittee on Global Climate Change and Impacts]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on National Ocean Policy Study|Subcommittee on National Ocean Policy Study]] |
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* [[U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Committee on Foreign Relations]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs|Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] ([[Ranking member]]) |
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** [[U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Ecomonic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion|Subcommittee on International Ecomonic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism|Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism]] |
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** [[U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps & Narcotics Affairs|Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps & Narcotics Affairs]] |
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===Issues and voting record=== |
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John Kerry is a member of the [[Democratic Leadership Council]], which advocates liberal and neoliberal positions. Most analyses place Kerry's voting record near to, or somewhat to the left of, center within the Senate Democratic caucus.[http://www.factcheck.org/article284m.html] During the 2004 presidential election he was portrayed as a staunch [[Liberalism in the United States|liberal]] by conservative special interest groups and the Bush campaign, who often noted that in 2003 Kerry was rated the ''[[National Journal]]'''s top Senate liberal. However, that rating was based only upon voting on legislation within that past year. In fact, in terms of career voting records, the ''National Journal'' found that Kerry is the 11th most liberal member of the Senate. Most analyses find that Kerry is "a bit" more liberal than the typical Democratic Senator. For example, [[Keith T. Poole]] of the [[University of Houston]] found that Kerry was tied for being the 24th most liberal Senator. {{fact}} |
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Kerry has stated that he opposes privatizing [[Social Security]], supports [[abortion]] rights for adult women and minors, supports [[civil unions]] for [[same-sex couples]], opposes [[capital punishment]] except for [[terrorists]], supports most [[Gun politics in the United States#Gun control laws|gun control laws]], and is generally a supporter of trade agreements. Kerry supported the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] and [[Most Favored Nation]] status for [[China]], but opposed the [[Central American Free Trade Agreement]]. |
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==2004 Presidential election== |
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{{main articles|[[United States presidential election, 2004]] and [[John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004]]}} |
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[[Image:Kerry on the Daily Show.jpg|200px|thumb|Kerry, then the Democratic presidential nominee, appearing on [[The Daily Show]] to be interviewed by [[Jon Stewart]]]] |
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[[Image:Kerry crew in Boston Harbor.JPG|200px|thumb|John Kerry and former Swift boat crewmates from Vietnam arrive at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention]] from [[Port of Boston|Boston Harbor]].]] |
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In the 2004 Democratic Presidential primaries, John Kerry defeated several Democratic rivals, including Sen. [[John Edwards]] (D-N.C.), former Vermont Governor [[Howard Dean]] and [[Wesley Clark|retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark]]. His victory in the Iowa caucuses is widely believed to be the tipping point where Kerry revived his sagging campaign in New Hampshire and the February 3rd primary states like Arizona, South Carolina and New Mexico. Kerry then went on to win landslide victories in Nevada and Wisconsin. Kerry thus won the Democratic nomination to run for President of the United States against incumbent George W. Bush. On [[July 6]] [[2004]], he announced his selection of John Edwards as his running mate. |
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On [[November 3]], [[2004]], Kerry conceded the race. Kerry won 59.03 million votes or about 48 percent of the popular vote; Bush won 62.04 million votes, or about 51 percent of the popular vote. Kerry received the second-highest number of votes ever for president of the United States, Bush getting the highest. Kerry carried states with a total of 252 [[United States Electoral College|electoral votes]]. One Kerry elector voted for Kerry's running mate, Edwards, so in the final tally Kerry had 251 electoral votes to Bush's 286. Although, as in the [[United States presidential election, 2000|2000 election]], there were disputes about the voting (''see [[2004 U.S. presidential election controversy and irregularities]]''), no state was as close as [[Florida]] had been in 2000. |
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==Speculation about possible 2008 presidential bid== |
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[[Image:Kerry.in.st.paul.2005.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Kerry speaks in St. Paul, October 2005]] |
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Immediately after the 2004 election, some Democrats mentioned Kerry as a possible contender for the 2008 Democratic nomination. His brother has said such a campaign is "conceivable," and Kerry himself reportedly said at a farewell party for his 2004 campaign staff, "There's always another four years", and has repeatedly responded to the question of running again by saying "I'm keeping all of my options open." Some aides, however, have stated that Kerry told campaign officials he could not envision another run. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/11/09/kerry_run_in_08_called_conceivable/]. |
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Kerry himself says he will make a decision regarding 2008, before the end of 2006. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060420/pl_nm/kerry_dc] |
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Kerry's campaign fund still holds some unspent money that he raised in running for the 2004 Democratic nomination, because he was not allowed to spend it in the general election. In mid-October, 2004, this sum was about $45 million. He donated most of that to the [[Democratic National Committee]] and to state Democratic parties, but he has at least $15 million left, which could be used directly for another presidential campaign, or indirectly to build his stature within the party by helping other Democratic candidates. Some criticism was leveled at Kerry for not using the remaining funds for Democratic campaigns in 2004. He has also established a separate [[political action committee]], [[Keeping America's Promise]] [http://www.keepingamericaspromise.com/], that can raise money and channel contributions to Democratic candidates in state and federal races. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/12/05/kerry_creates_pac_to_back_candidates/] Through Keeping America's Promise in 2005, Kerry raised over $5.5 million for other Democrats up and down the ballot. Through his campaign account and his political action committee, Keeping America's Promise, Kerry has donated a total of $700,000 to 80 candidates and $5.3 million for dozens of Democratic candidates, state parties and charitable causes. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/02/politics/main1172571.shtml?CMP=OTC-RSSFeed&source=RSS&attr=Politics_1172571] Kerry has held political events in 22 states since last year's election, including visits to the presidential proving grounds of Iowa and New Hampshire and swing states such as Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/03/11/kerry_takes_another_look_at_presidency/?page=1] He has helped organize 45 fund-raisers for Democratic candidates, and has used his e-mail list of 3 million supporters for lobbying campaigns on major issues in Congress. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/11/15/direct_jab_from_bush_pleases_kerry_camp/?page=2] He also raised over $3.4 million in federal money for his Senate account which can be transferred to another presidential run. [http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/02/friday_line_pre.html] Kerry's $15 million war chest is surpassed only by [[Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton]] of [[New York]] -- who has a war chest of about $17 million -- among potential 2008 Democratic contenders. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/03/11/kerry_takes_another_look_at_presidency/?page=1] |
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In some polls during 2005, Kerry remained a leading Democratic candidate for his party's nomination in the [[U.S. presidential election, 2008|presidential election of 2008]]. Several polls showed him beating [[George Bush]] if the 2004 election were held today. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/04/opinion/polls/main1011154.shtml] His online community generated 3 million responses of one sort or another last year. [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/02/09/pondering_a_second_act_for_kerry/?page=2] |
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In 2006, Kerry continued to fundraise at an impressive clip. Through Keeping America's Promise, Kerry has raised $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2006 from 11,000 donors nationally earning him the moniker "fundraiser in chief." [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/060417/17whisplead.htm] His supporters are buoyed by recent polls that show him beating [[George Bush]] by 10% if the 2004 election were held this year. [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-na-poll13apr13,1,4186611,full.story] |
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== Personal life == |
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[[Image:John Kerry promotional photograph columns.jpg|thumb|right|John Kerry]] |
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Kerry's oldest friends and family call him "Johnny". Kerry is 6'4" [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/09/politics/campaigns/09KERR.html], speaks [[English language|English]] and fluent [[French language|French]], enjoys [[surfing]] and [[windsurfing]], as well as [[ice hockey]], [[hunting]], and playing [[bass guitar]]. According to an interview he gave to ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine in 2004, Kerry's favorite album is ''[[Abbey Road (album)|Abbey Road]]'' and he is a fan of [[The Beatles]] and [[The Rolling Stones]], as well as of [[Jimi Hendrix]] and [[Jimmy Buffett]]. [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6562106?rnd=1106291647897&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040] During his 2004 presidential campaign, Kerry used [[Bruce Springsteen]]'s ''No Surrender'' as one of his campaign songs. Later he would adopt U2's "Beautiful Day," as his official campaign song. |
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Kerry is described by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', among others, as an "avid [[cycling|cyclist]]" [http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour05/news/?id=/news/2005/jul05/jul24news2][http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/specials/tour_de_france/2005/07/23/bc.cyc.tourdefrance.not.ap/], primarily riding on a road bike. Prior to his Presidential bid, Kerry was known to have participated in several long-distance [[challenge riding|rides]] (centuries). Even during his many campaigns, he was reported to have visited bicycle stores both in his home state and elsewhere. |
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In 2003, Kerry was diagnosed with and successfully treated for [[prostate cancer]] [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/11/politics/main540196.shtml]. |
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===Family=== |
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Kerry was [[marriage|married]] to [[Julia Thorne]] in 1970, and they had two children together. [[Alexandra Kerry]] was born on [[September 5]], [[1973]], days before Kerry began law school. A graduate of [[Brown University]], Alexandra received her M.F.A. in June 2004 from the [[AFI Conservatory]]. [[Vanessa Kerry]] was born on [[December 31]], [[1976]]. She is a graduate of Phillips Academy (like her grandfather) and [[Yale University]], and is currently a student at [[Harvard Medical School]]. Vanessa was active in her father's 2004 Presidential campaign. |
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In 1982 Thorne, who was suffering from severe [[clinical depression|depression]], asked Kerry for a separation. [http://www.washingtonian.com/people/madame_ex.html] They were [[divorce]]d on [[July 25]], [[1988]]. According the Washington Blade: ''"Kerry and Thorne finalized their divorce in 1988... After Thorne requested an increase in alimony in 1995, Kerry sought an annulment of their marriage from the Catholic Church, a move observers saw as retaliatory. Kerry eventually received the annulment from the Boston diocese despite Thorne’s vehement objections."'' [http://www.washblade.com/2004/3-5/news/national/kerryback.cfm] The marriage was formally [[annulment|annulled]] by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in 1997. Thorne died of cancer on April 27, 2006 |
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"After 14 years as a political wife, I associated politics only with anger, fear and loneliness" she wrote in ''A Change of Heart'', her book about depression. Thorne later married [[Richard Charlesworth]], an [[architect]], and moved to [[Bozeman, Montana]], where she became active in local environmental groups such as the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. |
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Kerry and his second wife, [[Teresa Heinz Kerry|Teresa Simões-Ferreira Heinz]], the widow of [[Pennsylvania]] Senator [[H. John Heinz III]], a Republican, and former [[United Nations]] interpreter, as well as a Bonesman legacy, were introduced to each other by John Heinz at an [[Earth Day]] rally in 1990. They did not meet again until after John Heinz's death, at the 1992 [[Earth Summit]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]]. They married on [[May 26]], [[1995]], in [[Nantucket, Massachusetts|Nantucket]]. John Kerry's stepsons – Teresa's three sons from her previous marriage – are [[H. John Heinz IV]], [[André Heinz]], and [[Christopher Heinz]]. |
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The ''[[Forbes 400]]'' survey estimated in 2004 that Teresa Heinz Kerry had a [[net worth]] of $750 million. However, estimates have frequently varied, ranging from around $165 million to as high as $3.2 [[billion]], according to a study in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Regardless of which figure is given, Kerry is the wealthiest U.S. Senator. Kerry is wealthy in his own name, and is the beneficiary of at least four trusts inherited from [[Forbes family]] members, including his mother, who died in 2002. ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine (a major business magazine named for an [[Forbes family (publishers)|unrelated Forbes family]]) estimated that if elected, Kerry would be the third-richest U.S. President in history when adjusted for [[inflation]] [http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/13/cx_da_0213kerry.html]. This assessment was based on the couple's combined assets, but Kerry and Heinz signed a [[pre-nuptial agreement]] that keeps their assets separate. [http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20040823.html] Kerry's financial disclosure form for 2002 put his personal assets in the range of $409,000 to $1.8 million, with additional assets held jointly by Kerry and his wife in the range of $300,000 to $600,000. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/19/kerry_mortgage_to_help_fund_race/] |
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John Kerry has two sisters, [[Diana Kerry|Diana]] and [[Peggy Kerry|Peggy]], and a brother, [[Cameron Kerry|Cameron]], who is a [[litigation|litigator]] in Boston. Cameron converted to [[Judaism]] in 1983. During the 2004 election, he led a Kerry campaign effort in [[Israel]] to reach American [[expatriate]] voters. {{fact}}. Kerry also is the twice removed 9th cousin to George W. Bush, both are descendents from Edmund Reade (1563-1623). |
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===Religious beliefs and practices=== |
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According to some of these who know him, Kerry is a religious man. A practicing [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], he is said to carry a [[rosary]], a prayer book, and a [[St. Christopher]] medal (the patron saint of travelers) when he campaigns. However, he supports policies such as abortion, which is in opposition to Roman Catholic beliefs. [http://www.beliefnet.com/story/150/story_15043_1.html] "I thought of being a priest," Kerry recalled. "I was very religious while at school in Switzerland. I was an altar boy and prayed all the time. I was very centered around the Mass and the church." |
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According to ''[[Christianity Today]]'': |
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:''"I'm a Catholic and I practice, but at the same time I have an open-mindedness to many other expressions of spirituality that come through different religions. … I've spent some time reading and thinking about [religion] and trying to study it, and I've arrived at not so much a sense of the differences, but a sense of the similarities in so many ways; the value-system roots and linkages between the [[Torah]], the [[Qur'an]], and the [[Bible]] and the fundamental story that runs through all of this, that … really connects all of us."'' [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/010/20.28.html] |
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==Notes== |
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<references /> |
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==See also== |
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* [[Dudley-Winthrop Family]] |
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*''[[Winning New Hampshire]]'', a documentary about Kerry's early presidential campaign in the New Hampshire Primary. |
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*''[[Going Upriver]]'', a documentary about Kerry's Vietnam war service and later anti-war activities based on Douglas Brinkley's ''[[Tour of Duty]]''. |
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*''[[Stolen Honor]]'', a controversial documentary with interviews of Vietnam veterans who criticize Kerry. |
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==External links and references== |
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{{wikiquote}} |
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{{commons|John Kerry}} |
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===Official=== |
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*[http://www.johnkerry.com/ JohnKerry.com] — John Kerry's political website |
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**[http://web.archive.org/web/20041209135553/www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html Kerry's military records] - from JohnKerry.com via the [[Internet Archive]] |
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*[http://kerry.senate.gov/ John Kerry's Online Office] — Official senatorial site |
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*[http://www.keepingamericaspromise.com/ Keeping America's Promise] — PAC led by Kerry |
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===Print media=== |
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* Gibbs, Nancy and Douglas Waller, "[http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101040209/ What Kind of President Would Kerry Be?]," ''[[TIME Magazine]]'', [[February 9]], [[2004]]. |
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* [[Joe Klein|Klein, Joe]], "[http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?021202fa_fact1 The Long War of John Kerry: Can a Massachusetts Brahmin become President?]," ''[[The New Yorker]]'', [[December 2]], [[2002]]. |
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* Kranish, Michael, "[http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/ John Kerry: Candidate in the making]," ''[[Boston Globe]]'', [[June 15]], [[2003]]. |
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* [http://www.audible.com/emails/debates The 2004 Debates] |
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===Online media=== |
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* "[http://freekerrybook.org/ The New Soldier, John Kerry's book.]" FreeKerryBook.org. |
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* "[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00000245 Senate Elections, John Kerry (1997-2002)]". OpenSecrets.org. |
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* "[http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=S0421103 Senator John Forbes Kerry]". Project Vote Smart. 2002-2004. |
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* "[http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3003306.stm Profile: John Kerry]". [[BBC]] News. |
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* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2004/ Frontline: the choice 2004] - Thorough two-hour special compares Kerry and Bush. |
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* [http://www.nationalreview.com/document/kerry200404231047.asp John Kerry's complete 1971 statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from National Review] |
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* [http://www.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html Selections from John Kerry's 1971 statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee] |
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===Information=== |
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*[http://genealogy.about.com/od/presidents/p/john_kerry.htm John Kerry Family Tree] |
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*[[s:Vietnam_Veterans_Against_the_War_Statement|Statement on behalf of Vietnam Veterans Against the War]] - April 1971. |
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*[http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=S0421103 Senator John Kerry's voting record] |
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*[http://www.cwes01.com/13790/23910/ktpp179-210.pdf John Kerry's Senate hearing testimony] to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 1971. (PDF file) |
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*[http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/membervotes.cgi?&lang=&member=MAJR&site=congressmerge&address=&city=&state=&zipcode=&plusfour=&fullvotes=1 Voting history for Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts in the 108th Congress] |
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*[http://fas.org/irp/congress/1992_rpt/bcci/ The BCCI Affair, A Report to the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate], by Senator John Kerry and Senator Hank Brown, December 1992 |
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*[http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/John_Kerry.php Political donations made by John Kerry] |
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*[http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp Snopes.com: "Service Mettle"] - ''[[Urban Legends Reference Pages|Snopes.com]]'' on Kerry's Vietnam service medals |
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*[http://www.firefightersforkerry.com/campaign/story_10.php ''Tour of Duty''] - excerpt from Brinkley's book about Kerry's Vietnam service |
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*[http://judaism.about.com/od/jewishgenealogy/a/jewpas_kerry.htm Irish Catholic or Czech Jew?] - Kerry's long lost Jewish ethnic ancestry |
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*[http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/images/day1/transcript.htm John Kerry's letter to his parents about Richard Pershing's death] - [[1968]] |
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===Further reading=== |
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*Brinkley, Douglas, ''Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War'', William Morrow & Company, 2004. ISBN 0060565233 |
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*Kerry, John and Vietnam Veterans Against the War, ''[http://freekerrybook.org/ The New Soldier]'', MacMillan Publishing Company, 1971. ASIN 002073610X |
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*Kerry, John, ''The New War: The Web of Crime That Threatens America's Security,'' Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 0684818159 |
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*Kerry, John, ''A Call to Service: My Vision for a Better America'', Viking Press, 2003. ISBN 0670032603 |
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*Kranish, Michael, Brian C. Mooney, and Nina J. Easton. ''John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography by the'' Boston Globe ''Reporters Who Know Him Best'', PublicAffairs, 2004. ISBN 1586482734. |
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*McMahon, Kevin, David Rankin, Donald W. Beachler and John Kenneth White. ''Winning the White House, 2004'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. ISBN 1403968810. |
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*O'Neill, John E. & Corsi, Jerome R. ''Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry'', [[Regnery Publishing]], 2004. ISBN 0895260174 |
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{{succession box |
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| title=[[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts]] |
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| before=[[Thomas P. O'Neill III]] |
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| after=[[Evelyn Murphy]] |
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| years=1983–1985}} |
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{{Incumbent U.S. Senator box |
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| state=Massachusetts |
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| class=2 |
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| before=[[Paul Tsongas]] |
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| start=1985 |
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| alongside=[[Ted Kennedy]]}} |
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{{succession box |
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| title=[[List of United States Democratic Party presidential tickets|Democratic Party Presidential nominee]] |
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| before=[[Al Gore]] |
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| after=—<sup>(a)</sup> |
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| years=[[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]](lost)}} |
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{{succession footnote |
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| marker=<sup>(a)</sup> |
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| footnote=Most recent presidential election [[Wikipedia:as of|as of]] [[as of 2005|2005]]}} |
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{{end box}} |
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{{MA-FedRep}} |
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{{Current U.S. Senators}} |
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{{USDemPresNominees}} |
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{{Persondata |
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|NAME=Kerry, John Forbes |
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|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |
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|SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[Junior senator|Junior]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Massachusetts]], [[John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004|2004 Presidential candidate]] for the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] |
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|DATE OF BIRTH=[[11 December]] [[1943]] |
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|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Aurora, Colorado]] |
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|DATE OF DEATH= |
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|PLACE OF DEATH=}} |
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[[Category:1943 births|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Bonesmen|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Debaters|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:District attorneys|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Famous members of Red Sox Nation|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:John Kerry|John Kerry]] |
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[[Category:Living people|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:People from Colorado|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:People from Massachusetts|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Pro-choice politicians|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Prostate cancer survivors|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Purple Heart medal|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Roman Catholic politicians|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Roman Catholics|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:United States Navy officers|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Democratic Party (United States) presidential nominees|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:United States Senators from Massachusetts|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Vietnam War veterans|Kerry, John]] |
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[[Category:Yale University alumni|Kerry, John]] |
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Revision as of 16:27, 4 May 2006
John Forbes Kerry | |
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 | |
| Junior Senator, Massachusetts | |
| In office January 1985–present | |
| Preceded by | Paul Tsongas |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent (2009) |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Julia Thorne, divorced; (2) Teresa Heinz Kerry |
John Forbes Kerry is the asshole Senator from Massachusetts who sucks at everything he does. He lives off his wife's inheritane money. Despite his claims to be a champion for the poor man, he owns numerous multi-million dollar properties, in addition to many gas-guzzling SUV's (damaging his image as an enviornmentalist). He lost the Presidential Election in 2004, but he's so full of himself that he's probably going to run again in 2008, despite the fact that he won't even capture the Democratic nomination, as well as the fact that a Republican is going to win anyway.