john kerry: the early years. the beginnings born december 11, 1943 in aurora, colorado parents:...
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John Kerry: The Early Years
The Beginnings
Born December 11, 1943 in Aurora, Colorado Parents: Richard and Rosemary
Raised Roman Catholic Alter Boy Thoughts of entering priesthood
Family Lineage
James Grant Forbes, maternal grandfather
Margaret Tyndal Winthrop, maternal grandmother
Richard John Kerry, father Rosemary Forbes, mother
Richard John Kerry
Yale graduate, 1939 Harvard Law School degree, 1940 U.S. Army Air Corps. U.S. Department of State Met Rosemary Forbes in 1937
Rosemary Forbes
Born in Paris, France Nurse Red Cross, Paris, World War II Stood to inherit $20-$40 million (2004 dollars)
Married Richard Kerry, January 1941
Childhood
Family Estate, Saint-Brieuc, France Summer holidays
Roving Family Adventurous
Norway England Germany France
Schooling
Fesseden School Newton, Mass. 1957
St. Paul’s School Concord, New Hampshire 1958 - 1962
Schooling
Outcast at St. Paul’s Democrat, not Republican Roman Catholic, not Episcopalian Poor, not Rich Hard-working, ambitious, not an heir
Schooling (Extra-curricular)
Hockey Lacrosse The Electras
Bass player 500 album copies, 1961
John Winant Society Debate Issues
Political Beginnings
1962, Senatorial Campaign Edward M. Kennedy
Summer 1962, dated Janet Jennings Auchincloss Jackie Kennedy’s half-sister
Summer 1962, met John F. Kennedy Auchincloss estate
College
Yale University, 1962-1966 Political Science
B.S. Summer jobs:
Loaded trucks at a grocery warehouse
Sold encyclopedias door to door
College
President Yale Political Union Orations
Won debates against students nationwide
March 1965, Ten Eyck prize Class oration at graduation
April 1965, Yale Skull and Bones
Ironic
“He has spent a lifetime overcoming the St. Paul’s ethos. But, now, that’s
exactly what’s demanded of him.”
John Kerry: War and Post-War
Joining the Military
Kerry joined the Navy on Feb. 18, 1966
Was ordered into active duty on Oct. 19, 1966
Received Navy commission on Dec. 16, 1966
Kerry’s Military Service
Service can be divided into 2 parts:
-First Tour of Duty – Non-violent missions
-Second Tour of Duty – Heavy combat
First Tour of Duty
Began in December of 1967 Served as lieutenant in electrical
department on USS Gridley Stayed relatively far away from combat
Thoughts About Vietnam
Kerry didn’t want to be involved in the war or any combat
He signed up for commander of swift boats, which were engaged in coastal patrols
This would keep him away from most combat
Sudden Changes
Two weeks after signing up for swift boats, Operation Sea Lords was launched
This put the swift boats in the middle of heavy combat in the Mekong River Delta
Fierce and Courageous
“To his crew, Kerry was one of the most daring skippers in the US Navy…” Wikipedia.
Kerry would go beyond his Navy orders, in one incident chasing into the jungle and killing a wounded Viet Cong who carried a rocket launcher
Still Against the War
Retained his strong anti-war beliefs Lost 5 friends, including Yale
classmate Richard Pershing “If I do nothing more…it will be to give
every effort we can…to end once and for all this willingness to expend ourselves in this stupid, endless self-destruction.” Wikipedia
Medals from Vietnam
Received 3 Purple Hearts for injuries in battle
Received Silver Star for chasing and killing Viet Cong with rocket launcher
Received Bronze Star for rescuing Green Beret James Rassmann while injured
Returning Home
After third injury, Kerry returned to the US
Remained on active duty for a year, then transferred to US Naval Reserve in 1970
Received honorable discharge in 1978
Anti-War Activism
After seeing the impact that a student protest conducted in France by National Student’s Union at the Sorbonne had, which Kerry’s cousin was president of, Kerry decided to become an anti-war activist and organizer
Many Actions Against War
Appeared on television Joined Vietnam Veterans Against the
War Organized protest in Washington D.C. Testimony before US Senate Armed
Services Committee Participated in Medal Tossing
Marriage
On May 23, 1970, Kerry married Julia Thorne
They had 2 children; Alexandra in 1973, and Vanessa in 1976
They divorced on July 25, 1988 after being separated for many years
Aggravating President Nixon
Kerry was such an activist, that he warranted the attention of President Nixon and the F.B.I.
Resigning from VVAW
Kerry resigned from VVAW at a meeting in St. Louis in July of 1971
There is a little controversy as to if Kerry resigned before or after the meeting in Kansas City, where the VVAW suggested assassinating pro-war politicians
John Kerry: Politics
Law, politics and public service
Entered Boston College Law School in Sep. 1973, within days of the birth of his daughter Alexandra
Graduated in May 1976, the same year his second daughter, Vanessa was born
Opened a cookie and muffin shop called Kilvert & Forbes with a friend in Boston’s Quincy Market area
Law practice and first election
First Assistant District Attorney of Middlesex County, Mass from 1977 to 1979
Opened a private law practice in 1979 In the fall of 1982 he began planning to run
for lieutenant governor of Mass During the campaign for lieutenant
governor, he separated from his first wife, Julia
Law practice and first election
He won the election in 1982 and served under Gov. Michael Dukakis until 1984
In January of 1984, he announced his decision to run for the U.S. Senate
Promised to mix liberal compassion with tight budget controls
Law practice and first election
Won the election despite the reelection of a Republican President
Claimed his victory meant that the people of Mass. “emphatically reject the politics of selfishness and the notion that women must be treated as second- class citizens”
Iran-Contra hearings
In April 1986, Kerry and Sen. Dodd proposed that hearings be conducted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding charges of Contra involvement in cocaine trafficking
Iran-Contra led to investigation at the events in Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, Panama, and Honduras
Kerry’s reports
1989 report criticized the Regan administration
The Government “turned a blind eye” In 1999, the CIA affirmed Kerry’s
findings
Investigation of Noriega
BCCI facilitated Noriega’s drug trafficking and money laundering
BCCI shut down by banking regulators in December 1992
“The BCCI Affair”
Released in December 1992 BCCI was working with Terrorists Criticized U.S. Department of Justice,
Department of the Treasury, Customs Service, Federal Reserve Bank, high-level lobbyists, and CIA
“The BCCI Affair”
Criticized Bush Sr.’s deputy attorney general
Kerry is criticized for his family’s drug-dealing roots, not giving up offshore Forbes family properties and trusts
Committee Assignments and chairmanships
Committee on Foreign Relations Commerce, Science and
Transportation Finance Chairman of the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship from 2001 to 2003
Committee Assignments and chairmanships
Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1987 to 1989
Among many others
Presidential nomination and Senate reelection
Kerry was reelected to the Senate in 1990, 1996, and 2002
Recently in 2003 and 2004 Kerry defeated Sen. John Edwards, Howard Dean and Retired Gen. Wesley Clark
Running for President against the incumbent George W. Bush in 2004
Random facts about Kerry
6 foot 4 inches “Lanky Yankee” Johnny Surfing Hockey Hunting Playing the bass
Random facts about Kerry
Dated Morgan Fairchild and Catherine Oxenberg
Diagnosed and cured of prostate cancer in 2003
Favorite movies are Giant and Casablanca
Married Julia Thorne in 1970
Random facts about Kerry
Kerry and Thorne separated in 1982 and divorced July 25, 1988
The marriage was formally annulled by the Roman Catholic Church in 1997
Kerry and Teresa Heinz met at the U.N.-sponsored Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992
Random facts about Kerry
Kerry and Teresa were married on May 26, 1995 in Nantucket, Mass.
Teresa has three sons from a previous marriage: John, Andre, and Christopher
The net worth of the Kerry-Heinz fortune is between $199 million and $839 million