US PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS. Monthly Herald Staff Writer, Milton Nevins
The formal announcement of his presidential bid, in front of the World War II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, flanked by his Vietnam crewmates was seen as a deliberate contrast to President Bush's announcement on board an aircraft carrier in May 2003 of an end to combat operations in Iraq. President Bush did not see active military service. Just weeks ago, it appeared that his campaign was being eclipsed by the vehemently anti-war former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. There were rumours of splits within the Kerry camp, with some advisers said to be pressing for him to follow Mr Dean's hard-line stance. Critics were dismissing Mr Kerry's reserved lawyer's personality as too stiff and too formal to appeal to US voters. But his victory in Iowa - where he more than doubled Mr Dean's share of the vote - gave him vital momentum and injected rising confidence in his campaign. The result returned Mr Kerry to front-runner status in the race to become the Democrat party's candidate to challenge President George Bush for the White House. Trademark move A switch in Mr. Kerry's campaigning style has been key to his success.
Last November he fired his campaign manager Jim Jordan, saying he wanted to "change the dynamic" in his push for the nomination. Bolstering his campaign staff team, Mr. Kerry came up with a new message - a "Real Deal" for Americans - and a new, shortened stump speech. While stressing his foreign policy experience, he is pushing a domestic agenda of expanded healthcare and a reversal of President Bush's tax cuts for the very wealthy. In December, with Howard Dean leading the New Hampshire polls, Mr Kerry decided to devote most of his energies to Iowa - hoping to beat expectations and go to New Hampshire with momentum. He put his own money on the line, withdrawing from the public-finance system and borrowing $6.4m against his Boston town house. Kite-surfing After Christmas, he spent all but a few days in Iowa. Critics say he improved his delivery in front of voters - dropping his procedural Senate-speak for plain English. In the week before the Iowa vote, he forged a trademark move - offering to take questions until every caucus-goer in the room was won over. Mr. Kerry has mastered the art of managing expectations, and his approach to the Iowa vote was marked by a lack of presumption over the result. John Kerry is married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, the baked bean heiress from Mozambique who inherited an estimated $500m when her first husband died. "Outspoken" is the word commonly used to describe her: she rarely sticks to scripted remarks. "Men with opinions are well informed and smart. But women with opinions are opinionated. If I didn't have opinions, then a - I couldn't have gotten done what I have and b - I would be a silly fool. I refuse to be categorised," she told Newsweek magazine when asked if her comments helped or hindered her husband's campaign. Mr. Kerry has two daughters, Alexandra and Vanessa, whileTeresa has three other sons, John, Andre, and Christopher. On his campaign website he lists the "extreme sport" of kite-surfing among his non-political interests. BBCNews.
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He [Bush] misled every one of us... That's one reason I'm
running to be president
