John F. Kerry

Web Site
johnkerry.com

Personal
Born: Dec. 11, 1943, in Denver
Hometown: Boston
Family: Married, Teresa Heinz Kerry. Two daughters, Vanessa, 27, and Alexandra, 30. Three stepsons, John, Andre and Christopher
Education: Yale University, bachelor of arts in political science, 1966. Boston College Law School, 1976
Career: Navy, 1966-1970. Organizer, Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Assistant district attorney, Middlesex County, Mass., 1976-1981. Practicing attorney, 1981-1982. Lieutenant governor under Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, 1983-1984. U.S. Senate, 1985-present

By the numbers
3
Number of Purple Hearts that Kerry was awarded in Vietnam
$600 million
Amount of wife Teresa Heinz Kerry’s inheritance upon her husband Sen. John Heinz’s death
$6 million
Amount Kerry lent himself this year to help fund his campaign
$28.5 million
Approximate amount Kerry raised in 2003
80%
Kerry’s share of the vote in his 2002 Senate race, in which he had no major-party opposition
20
Number of chili feeds Kerry has attended across New Hampshire in the last two months
8,000
Number of bowls of chili Kerry’s New Hampshire staff estimates the campaign has dished out
27
Kerry’s age when he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War

A closer look
-- Kerry has several connections to the Kennedy clan. Also a Boston Brahmin, Kerry went sailing with John F. Kennedy in his youth and once dated Jacqueline Kennedy’s half sister Janet Auchincloss in college. He now represents Massachusetts in the Senate alongside Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
--Kerry, a hockey player and skier, loves motorcycles and rides a Harley; he made his entrance on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” atop a chopper, sporting a black leather jacket and black helmet.
--Kerry is a close friend of George Butler, the documentarian behind the 1977 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle “Pumping Iron.”

The Lowdown
A public figure for more than 30 years, dating from his time as a Vietnam War hero-turned-protest leader, Kerry started out the contest as the closest thing to a consensus frontrunner. But his stiff manner on the stump turned off voters, as did his equivocal statements about supporting the war in Iraq. Lately, Kerry has become a much better campaigner and has gained momentum in Iowa. A strong showing in Monday’s caucuses is needed to lift Kerry in the follow-up primary in New Hampshire -- a neighboring state he once took for granted.

Analysis by Mark Z. Barabak

Sources: Almanac of American Politics, National Journal, New York Times, https://www.johnkerry.com