John Kerry

John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. In 2004, he made an unsuccessful bid for the United States presidency as the Democratic Party's nominee. He was defeated by incumbent President George W. Bush.

Service in the U.S. Senate (1985-present)

Meeting with Ortega

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 Reagan administration as a "propaganda initiative" designed to influence a House vote on a $14 million Contra 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.

Related Topics:
April 18 - 1985 - Tom Harkin - Iowa - Nicaragua - Daniel Ortega - Leftist - Sandinista - Cuba - USSR - Right-wing - CIA - Contras - Reagan - Propaganda - Aid package - Moscow

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Iran-Contra hearings

In April 1986, Kerry and Senator Christopher Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut, proposed that hearings be conducted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding charges of Contra involvement in cocaine and marijuana trafficking. Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, the Republican chairman of the committee, agreed to conduct the hearings.

Related Topics:
1986 - Christopher Dodd - Connecticut - Senate Foreign Relations Committee - Contra - Cocaine - Marijuana - Trafficking - Richard G. Lugar - Indiana

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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 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.

Related Topics:
October 14 - Lieutenant Colonel - Oliver North - National Security Council - CIA

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These parties were said to be involved in shipping cocaine and marijuana to the United States, with the profits from the sales going to pay for the Contra weaponry. The investigation, Kerry's report said, raised "serious questions about whether the United States has abided by the law in its handling of the contras over the past three years." The Kerry report generated a firestorm of controversy and marked the beginning of years of investigations, hearings, and televised proceedings, which altogether, were referred to by some as 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 because North's testimony before Congress under immunity may have affected testimony in the trial. http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/991224onthisday_big.htmlhttp://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.htm

Related Topics:
Iran-Contra affair - May 4 - 1989 - September 16 - 1991

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Other investigations

Kerry's inquiry eventually widened, expanding its focus from the Contras to U.S. involvement in Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, Panama, and Honduras. In 1989, he released a report that slammed the Reagan administration for neglecting and undermining anti-drug efforts while pursuing other objectives in foreign policy. The report contended that the U.S. government "turned a blind eye" in the 1980s to the corruption and drug dealings of CIA-backed Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, who had assisted the Contras. Kerry's report concluded that the CIA and the State Department had known that "individuals who provided support for the contras were involved in drug trafficking...and elements of the contras themselves knowingly received financial and material assistance from drug traffickers." While some critics attacked him as being a "conspiracy theorist," the CIA inspector general released a pair of reports that confirmed Kerry's findings ten years later.

Related Topics:
Cuba - Haiti - Bahamas - Panama - Honduras - 1989 - Anti-drug efforts - 1980s - Manuel Noriega - State Department - Drug trafficking - Conspiracy theorist

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The subcommittee's investigation into the connection with drug trafficking included an examination of the role of Felix Rodriguez, a veteran CIA agent and personal friend of George H. W. Bush. Rodriguez's business partner, Gerald

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Latchinian, was convicted of a conspiracy to smuggle $10 million worth of cocaine. http://server1.fast-servers.net/pipermail/liberationnewsservice_mindspace.org/Week-of-Mon-20040920/000629.html Felix Rodriguez had met with a money launderer named Ramon Milian Rodriguez (not related to him). Milian Rodriguez testified that, at the meeting, Felix Rodriguez accepted his offer to provide $10 million in drug money to the Contras. Felix Rodriguez, at a closed subcommittee hearing, denied this version and countered that he had not only rejected the offer but had reported it to the CIA and the FBI. Given this conflict between the two accounts of what happened, Kerry, as the subcommittee chair, arranged for Ramon Milian Rodriguez to be given a polygraph test. He flunked it. The subcommittee then granted Felix Rodriguez his request to give public testimony, at which time "Senator Kerry stated that he did not believe Ramon Milian Rodriguez' version of the meeting was truthful." http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/ARCHIVE/KERRY.html#XI Regardless of Rodriguez's role, however, a convicted leader of the Colombian drug cartel testified at the 1991 trial of Manuel Noriega that the cartel had donated $10 million to the Contras. http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/800/

Related Topics:
Polygraph - Colombia - Manuel Noriega

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Kerry and the George H.W. Bush administration

On November 15, 1988, at a businessmen's breakfast in East Lynn, Massachusetts, Kerry made a joke about president-elect George H.W. Bush and his running mate, saying "if Bush is shot, the Secret Service has orders to shoot Dan Quayle." He apologized the following day.

Related Topics:
November 15 - 1988 - East Lynn - President-elect - George H.W. Bush - Secret Service - Dan Quayle

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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 terrorists, including Abu Nidal. It blasted the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, the Customs Service, the Federal Reserve Bank, as well as influential lobbyists and the CIA. http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0409.sirota.html

Related Topics:
Pakistan - Bank of Credit and Commerce International - Money laundering - 1991 - 1992 - Hank Brown - Colorado - Terrorists - Abu Nidal - Department of Justice - Department of the Treasury - Customs Service - Federal Reserve Bank - Lobbyist

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One of the Bush administration figures criticized for his handling of BCCI was Robert Mueller who, in his then-role as Deputy Attorney General, was criticized about slow performance regarding the investigation. Kerry himself was criticized in some circles for not pressing harder against certain Democrats, and he was also criticized by some Democrats for pursuing his own party members, including former Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford. The BCCI scandal was later turned over to the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Related Topics:
Robert Mueller - Deputy Attorney General - Secretary of Defense - Clark Clifford - Manhattan

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Before the 1992 election, Kerry was considered a potential running mate of Bill Clinton before he chose Tennessee Senator Al Gore.

Related Topics:
1992 - Bill Clinton - Tennessee - Senator - Al Gore

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2000 Presidential Election

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.

Related Topics:
Al Gore - John Edwards - Evan Bayh - Richard Gephardt - Jeanne Shaheen - Joe Lieberman

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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

Kerry opposed the bill to allow President George H. W. Bush to go to war against Iraq in 1991. The United Nations had imposed sanctions on Iraq, and Kerry argued that the sanctions then in place should be given more time to work.

Related Topics:
Iraq - 1991 - United Nations

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The second President Bush argued that Iraq under Saddam Hussein was actively developing weapons of mass destruction (see Yellowcake Forgery). Kerry cited the "threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction" as his principal reason for supporting the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq with assurances from Bush that all diplomatic efforts would be exhausted before using such force. Bush relied on that resolution in ordering the 2003 invasion of Iraq. After the invasion of Iraq it became apparent that there was no evidence of any such weapons. Kerry attacked Bush for having 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/ Nevertheless, Kerry has upset many anti-war activists by saying that he does not regret being one of 29 Democratic Senators to support the resolution. He has stated that he had hoped the threat of force would induce Saddam Hussein to comply with United Nations resolutions, but that the Bush administration rushed into war.

Related Topics:
Saddam Hussein - Yellowcake Forgery - 2003 invasion of Iraq

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During the 2004 Presidential campaign, Bush criticized Kerry for his vote in September, 2003 against a bill for an additional US$87 billion for expenditures in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush campaign also attacked Kerry for saying "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it". Kerry co-sponsored a bill that would have provided the $87 billion and funded it by reversing some of Bush's tax cuts, but voted against the bill that provided $87 billion through deficit spending.

Related Topics:
2003 - US$ - Billion - Afghanistan

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Kerry has also contended that Iraq has become a diversion from the fight against terrorism and Osama bin Laden.

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Sponsorship of legislation

Main article: Sponsorship of legislation by John Kerry

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Kerry has sponsored or cosponsored hundreds of bills during his time as a Senator. Areas of concern in the bills include small business concerns, education, terrorism, veterans' and POW-MIA issues, and marine resource protection.

Related Topics:
Bill - Small business - Education - Terrorism - Veteran - POW - MIA - Marine resource protection

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Political chairmanship and presidential nomination

Kerry was the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1987 to 1989. He was reelected to the Senate in 1990, 1996 (after winning re-election against the then-Governor of Massachusetts, Republican William Weld), and 2002. His current term will end on January 3 2009.

Related Topics:
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - 1987 - 1989 - 1990 - 1996 - Governor of Massachusetts - William Weld - 2002 - January 3 - 2009

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In 2003 and 2004, the Presidential campaign of John Kerry defeated several Democratic rivals, including Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark. 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.

Related Topics:
John Edwards - Howard Dean - Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark - July 6

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On November 3, 2004, Kerry conceded the Presidential race to Bush. 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 electoral votes, but 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 2000 election, there were disputes about the voting (see 2004 U.S. Election controversies and irregularities), no state was as close as Florida had been in 2000.

Related Topics:
November 3 - 2004 - Electoral votes - 2000 election - 2004 U.S. Election controversies and irregularities - Florida - 2000

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Committee assignments

In the Senate, Kerry serves on several committees:

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• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
• Committee on Finance

Kerry was the chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship from 2001 to 2003, but lost the position when Republicans regained control of the Senate. He remains the ranking member.

Related Topics:
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship - 2001 - 2003 - Ranking member

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Kerry also serves on several Senate subcommittees:

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• Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries and the Environment (ranking member)
• Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (ranking member)
• Subcommittee on Communications
• Subcommittee on Transportation
• Subcommittee on Health Care
• Subcommittee on International Trade
• Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy
• Subcommittee on European Affairs
• Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps & Narcotics Affairs

Issues and voting record

Though portrayed during the 2004 presidential election as a staunch liberal, John Kerry's voting record is more consistent with that of a political centrist. A member of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council, Kerry has co-sponsored Senate legislation with such prominent conservatives as Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum. While conservative special interest groups and the Bush campaign often noted that in 2003 Kerry was rated the National Journals top Senate liberal, 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.

Related Topics:
2004 - Liberal - Centrist - Democratic Leadership Council - Pennsylvania - Rick Santorum - 2003 - Keith T. Poole

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Kerry supports abortion rights for women, endorses civil unions for gays, opposes capital punishment except for terrorists, and is generally a supporter of trade agreements, having supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and Most Favored Nation status for China, but Kerry opposed the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Related Topics:
Abortion - Civil unions - Gays - Capital punishment - Terrorists - North American Free Trade Agreement - Most Favored Nation - China - Central American Free Trade Agreement

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For more information on Kerry's political views and voting record, see John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004.

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For Senator John Kerry's voting record, go to Massachusetts Senator John Forbes Kerry.

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