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| John Kerry: "With George Bush in the White House, we have seen a 'get mine and get out' ethic that in effect glorifies a creed of greed."
Source: Speech, 5/21/03
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Update:
Kerry won nine of 10 "Super Tuesday" states on March 2. With Senator John Edwards dropping out, Kerry is almost guaranteed to be the Democrats' presidential nominee.
Personal:
- Born in Denver, Colorado, Dec. 11, 1943
- His father was a career foreign service officer; his mother came from an aristocratic family
- Lived in several places growing up, going to boarding school in Switzerland
- Was married to his first wife for 13 years, separating in 1983. They had two children. He re-married in 1995
- Roman Catholic
Education:
- BA Yale, 1965
- LLB, Boston College 1976
Profession:
Political, public experience:
- Volunteered for the Navy and served in Vietnam. Was a highly-decorated officer
- Helped form Vietnam Veterans Against the War and threw his ribbons on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in 1971; he kept his medals
- Elected lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts in 1982
- Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984; has won re-election ever since
- Elected House Democratic Leader in 1989
Political missteps:
- Seen as aloof, aristocratic by some
- Long service in Senate means he's seen as an insider
Key policy stances:
- Endorsed the war in Iraq but voted against an $87-billion US appropriation for it
- Supports gay civil unions but not gay marriage
- Wants to make insurance accessible to those who don't have it, using the Congressional health plan as a standard, ensure all children are covered and control premium costs for others
- Would repeal Bush tax cuts for wealthy and protect cuts for middle-class families
- Would strive to make the U.S. independent of Mideast oil within 10 years
Funds raised (to Dec. 31, 2003): $25.2 million US
Endorsements:
- Former Democratic rivals John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and Wesley Clark
- Sen. Edward Kennedy
- Environmental advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Former senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart
- Numerous current and former public officials, both elected and appointed
- On the weekend of Feb. 7-8, two unions which had supported Howard Dean withdrew their support and endorsed Kerry instead
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