John Kerry

Would-be U.S. president, John Kerry was born on December 11, 1943, in Denver, Colorado. Kerry's father was a lawyer and U.S. Foreign Service officer; and his mother, a Blue-blood Boston native. Raised Roman-Catholic, Kerry lived in various locations growing up, as the family often had to relocate for his father’s job. At age twelve, Kerry was struck with scarlet fever while attending a Swiss boarding school and had to be quarantined. Kerry attended high school at the elite St. Paul's preparatory school in Concord, New Hampshire, where he was described by some classmates as a little too eager to please and somewhat socially awkward.

In 1962, Kerry enrolled at Yale University, where he joined the debate team as well as the secretive Skull and Bones society. Kerry graduated from Yale in 1966, giving a speech that criticized U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Despite this, Kerry voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduation, and was sent to Vietnam. Kerry was appointed captain of a Navy gunboat and awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. He also came home with long-term injuries from a wounded arm and leg.

After returning from the war in 1969, Kerry became disturbed by stories of the atrocities coming out of Vietnam, and led the Vietnam Veterans against the War group. After delivering a rousing testimony and throwing his war medals on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building, Kerry garnered publicity that propelled him into politics. After being defeated in runs for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970 and 1972, Kerry dropped out of politics for a brief period to earn a law degree from Boston College in 1976. He then served as assistant district attorney until 1979, when he opened and operated a private law practice until 1984.

In 1984, Democratic Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas retired, and Kerry was elected to the U.S. Senate. Kerry immersed himself in foreign-policy issues, including the Iran-Contra scandal that emerged during the Ronald Reagan administration. In 1991, Kerry served as chairman of a senate select committee on Prisoner of War and Missing in Action affairs, which investigated American POW’s still being held captive in Vietnam.

With the political pressures of his job affecting his personal life, in 1988, Kerry split from first wife, Julia Thorne. Seven years later, he married ketchup heiress, Teresa Heinz.

In the months leading up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2002, Kerry voted to authorize President Bush to wage military action in Iraq. In 2004, Kerry prevailed over Democratic candidate, Howard Dean; black activist, Al Sharpton; and North Carolina senator, John Edwards in the Democratic primaries, winning the nomination to run in the presidential election against President George W Bush. With John Edwards as his running mate, Kerry criticized President Bush’s conduct on the war in Iraq. In a close race, President Bush was elected to a second term on November 2, 2004.

In the aftermath of the 2004 elections, rumors that Kerry may consider running again in 2008 were addressed by one of his advisors, who commented to Newsweek, "if he wants to come back, he'll have to come back as a different candidate, not the stiff who plays it safe and takes four sides of every issue."

YUDDY