Curriculum vitae: Democrat John Kerry
Last updated at 11:49 25 October 2004
John Forbes Kerry
Born: December 11, 1943, Fitzsimons Military Hospital in Denver
Height: 6ft 4in
Star sign: Sagittarius
Political slant: Massachusetts Liberal
Strengths: Foreign affairs and military policy, favours free trade, voted for welfare reform
Would like: American energy independence
Religion: Catholic
Heritage: Father’s family mostly from Austria
Father: Richard Kerry – Foreign Service officer
Mother: Rosemary - member of aristocratic Forbes family of Boston
Education: Boarding school in Switzerland, New Hampshire and Yale University, graduating 1966. Law degree from Boston College.
Languages: French and Italian
Idol: John F Kennedy
Military history: Enlists in US Navy 1966 and sent on first tour of Vietnam, second tour in 1968, earns silver star and three purple hearts in 1969 for killing Viet Cong guerilla who threatened the life of his crew
Anti-war?Became leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War in 1971 and publically throws away ribbons from medals on Capitol steps
On Iraq: Voted against Gulf War of 1991 but supported military action in Iraq since. Voted for 2003 war on Iraq
First brush with politics: Volunteers in Edward Kennedy’s senatorial campaign and meets JFK
First political move: 1972 defeat in congressional race in Massachusetts
First election success: 1982 Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
Washington history: Arrived in Senate 1985 as senator for Massachusetts and sat on foreign relations committee, reelected to Senate 1990, won closely-contested 1996 Senate campaign
Other work experience: Top prosecutor in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Wives: Julia Thorne 1970-1988, Teresa Heinz 1995-present
Family: Daughters Alex and Vanessa and stepsons
Drug history: Smoked marijuana a couple of times
Nicknames: Senate Romeo after dating a string of high profile women in the late 1980/early 1990s; Cash and Kerry, The Ketchup Kid after his marriage to Teresa Heinz
Wealth: Sizeable after marrying Teresa – one of the richest women in the US
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