Senator John Kerry
With election day less than
three weeks away, the country is gripped in what could be the closest, and most
important, elections in recent memory. George
W. Bush, the incumbent Republican president, is facing of against the
Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, of Massachusetts.
John Kerry’s appearance on
the series of nationally televised debates was the first time many Americans
were exposed to him. Apart from the
recent slander attack questioning his presence in the Vietnam War, many
Americans knew relatively little about the man. So who is John Kerry?
John Kerry was born on
December 11, 1943 at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Colorado. His father, Richard, volunteered in the Army
Air Corps during World War II. His
mother, Rosemary, was a lifelong community activist. After graduating from Yale, Kerry enlisted to serve in the
Vietnam War. On his tour of duty, his
leadership, courage, and sacrifice earned him a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with
Combat V, and three Purple Hearts.
However, he was disillusioned with the war after witnessing the deaths
of many combat mates, and questioned Washington’s decision to send troops
there. When he returned home, he became
a spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and later co-founded
Vietnam Veterans of America.
John Kerry would then attend
and graduate with a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1976. He then worked as a top prosecutor in Middlesex
County, Massachusetts, fighting organized crime and putting behind bars some
notorious gangsters. He fought for
victims’ rights and created programs for rape counseling.
John Kerry entered politics
when he was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1982. Two years later, he was elected to the United States Senate and
has won reelection three-times since. In
the Senate, John Kerry fought to strengthen our economy, improve public
education, make health care more affordable, and protect our environment. During his 19 years on the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, he has distinguished himself as one of our nation’s most
respected voices on national security and international affairs.
In the current election,
Kerry has differing views on several key topics compared to Bush. The War on Iraq is the most notable. Kerry has been extremely critical of the
Bush administration’s entrance into the war.
He cites that the War against Terror was used as a smokescreen to invade
and occupy Iraq – with economic and oil interests being the main fuel driving
the invasion. Kerry feels that US
credibility is deteriorating in the international community due to all the
unilateral actions Bush has taken while embarking on his war.
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