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Political affiliation: Democratic Party |
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Born:
December 11, 1943
Denver, Colorado |
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Personal:
Married to Teresa Heinz; two
daughters --Alexandra and Vanessa. Three stepchildren. Catholic. |
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Occupation:
U.S. Senator |
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Education:
Bachelor's degree, Yale University,
1966; law degree, Boston College, 1976. |
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Experience:
Navy
officer, awarded Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat "V,"
three Purple Hearts for Vietnam War service, 1966-70; spokesman,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, 1971; Middlesex County,
Mass., prosecutor, 1976-78; lawyer in private practice, 1979-1982;
Massachusetts Lieutenant governor, 1983-85; U.S. Senate, 1985-present. |
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John Kerry
SNAPSHOT
U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., won the Democratic
nomination for president in July, the only Democrat left standing in a field
that at one time numbered 10. In winning the nomination, Kerry survived several
shake-ups of his campaign after former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean spent most of
2003 as the frontrunner. But the Iowa caucuses, and an ill-timed scream, doomed
Dean, and forced out Sen. Richard Gephardt. And Kerry rolled on Super Tuesday,
forcing his primary competitor, Sen. John Edwards, out of the race. In June,
Kerry named Edwards his choice for vice president.
Kerry did not get a large bounce after the Democratic National Convention in
Boston, and then in late August, the Republican Convention in New York, coupled
with a strong ad campaign by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, heavily damaged
Kerry, who never recovered from a sharp drop in the polls, even though the final
election result was close.
Clinton advisor and Gore backer turns Bush booster
Political consultant Dick Morris is often credited with propelling Bill Clinton into the White House for a second term, despite having to resign before the campaign ended amid a prostitution scandal. He's not a Democrat, though. An avowed independent, Morris voted for Al Gore in 2000, but this year, he's thrown his support behind President George W. Bush. He explained his politics and offered his analysis of the American political process at the Commonwealth Club of California on August 10.
( 08/23/2004)
Bush campaign targets Wisconsin, Minnesota in latest swing
President George W. Bush is in Crawford, Texas, resting after a bus tour that took him through Wisconsin and Minnesota. The president made a campaign stop on Wednesday just across the St. Croix River in Hudson, Wis., followed by a rally at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. He repeated many of the campaign's familiar themes on the economy and the war in Iraq. But he also opened the dialogue slightly by inviting audience members to pepper him with questions.
(08/19/2004)
Kerry campaign official attacks Bush on war, veterans issues
The war of words over which presidential
candidate is a better ally of troops and veterans made its way to
the state Capitol grounds Wednesday as former Georgia Sen. Max
Cleland led a "Veterans for Kerry" rally hours ahead of President
Bush's campaign stop in St. Paul.
(08/18/2004)
Presidential politics
With President George W. Bush coming to Minnesota for the third time in a little over a month, we talk with one of our political analysts about the state of the 2004 presidential campaign. Both the President and Democratic candidate John Kerry are campaigning unusually hard both in Minnesota and in swing states across the nation in what Arizona Sen. John McCain has called "the bitterest, most unsavory campaign in the nation's history."
( 08/18/2004)
Presidential politics in western Wisconsin
President George W. Bush's campaign visit to Hudson, Wisconsin, in the western part of the state, is a nod to that area's population growth. But, even though it is in Wisconsin, the area is considered part of the Twin Cities media market. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with professor Tracy Gladstone-Sovell, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin -- River Falls, about the presidential politics of that part of the state.
(08/18/2004)
Edwards discusses health care on a Belle Plaine front porch
It has been a busy couple of weeks of presidential politics in Minnesota, and there's no sign the campaign pace will slow down. President Bush will be back in the state next week for a campaign rally in downtown St. Paul. Friday evening, Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards rallied supporters gathered in the Twin Cities suburb of Rosemount. He campaigns in Belle Plaine, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota Saturday.
(08/14/2004)
O'Grady: Kerry's actions after Vietnam constituted treason
Scott O'Grady, the Air Force pilot who captured
headlines in 1995 when he survived being shot down over Bosnia, on
Friday said Sen. John Kerry committed "treason" during the
Vietnam War.
(08/13/2004)
Laura Bush woos female business owners
First lady Laura Bush made a campaign stop in central Minnesota Tuesday, visiting a quilt shop in the city of Waite Park near St. Cloud. After a tour through rows of colorful fabric, the first lady spoke to a crowd of female business owners. Laura Bush said her husband's policies are strengthening the nation's small businesses.
Meanwhile, a group of Democratic businesswomen in St. Cloud say the president hasn't done enough. They spent the morning touting John Kerry's proposals to strengthen small business.
(08/10/2004)
The role of the first lady
President George W. Bush has been warming up crowds at campaign rallies lately with the applause line: "I'm going to give you some reasons why I think you need to put me back in office, but perhaps the most important reason of all is so that Laura will be First Lady for four more years." The crowd cheers, presumably expressing their preference for the president's wife over Theresa Heinz Kerry. And although the First Lady has no official duties, it's clear that the electorate pays attention to the people married to the candidates. But what does the American public expect from the First Lady? An activist? Someone who stays out of political fray? Or somehow both things at once?
( 08/10/2004)
Vice President Cheney visits East Grand Forks
Vice-President Dick Cheney visited East Grand Forks, Minnesota on Friday. Cheney's visit is part of a Republican push to win in Minnesota this fall. Traditionally a stronghold for Democrats in the presidential election, Minnesota is seen as a battleground state in 2004.
(08/06/2004)
Farmers, hunters turn out for Bush stop in southern Minnesota
Minnesota is becoming familiar territory for President Bush. On Wednesday, the president made his 10th visit to the state since taking office. The purpose of the trip was two-fold. At a stop in LeSueur, he announced plans to expand a popular federal initiative called the Conservation Reserve Program. It pays farmers to take highly erodible land out of crop production. Later in the afternoon, he led a re-election rally in Mankato, where he encouraged several thousand supporters to get out the vote.
(08/05/2004)
President Bush visits Minnesota
President Bush campaigns in LeSueur and Mankato. Political science professor Chris Gilbert discusses residential politics in Minnesota.
( 08/04/2004)
DFL mayor of St. Paul supports Bush re-election
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, a lifelong DFLer, is boarding a plane today, and touring the state with Republicans who support President George W. Bush. Mayor Kelly came out yesterday in support of the president's re-election campaign. Kelly's announcement comes just three days after the Democratic Party nominated Sen. John Kerry for president. Kelly's tour around the state brings him, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Republican State House Speaker Steve Sviggum to Rochester and Duluth. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly.
(08/02/2004)
St. Paul mayor supports Bush for re-election
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly broke Democratic
Party ranks on Sunday to announce his support for President Bush's
re-election.
Kelly said he's remaining a Democrat, however.
(08/01/2004)
John Kerry's acceptence speech
To absolutely no one's surprise Sen. John Kerry was officially nominated by his party on Wednesday night, garnering 4,255 votes, with Ohio Rep. Denis Kucinich taking a distant second place with 37. We bring you his Thursday night acceptence speech.
( 07/30/2004)