Biography

Very good friends with Republican senior senator from Arizona John McCain.

Narrowly defeated in his bid for President of the United States, 251 to 286 electoral votes.

On 18 February 1966, despite his opposition to the Vietnam War, Kerry enlisted in the Navy. He was wounded during his first combat experience on 2 December 1968 and was awarded a Purple Heart. On 20 February 1969, he earned a second Purple Heart when his left thigh was hit with shrapnel. On 28 February 1969, his boat was hit by a B-40 rocket. He beached the boat, chased down the fleeing wounded Viet Cong who fired the rocket, killed him, and returned with the rocket and its launcher. He was awarded the Silver Star. On 13 March 1969, Kerry's boat detonated a mine and he was wounded. For that, and rescuing Army Green Beret James Rassmann in the same incident, he was awarded a third Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Combat V.

Lost to President George W. Bush by over 3.5 million votes on Nov. 2, 2004.

U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, January 2, 1985 - February 1, 2013; 68th U.S. Secretary of State, February 1, 2013 - January 20, 2017.

On Bush's war in Iraq - "He did it in the worst possible way - without the United Nations, without our allies and without a plan to win the peace."

It's full speed ahead, and we're not playing cautious here. I'm going to take the fight to George Bush. We must take nothing for granted, but in November we will beat George W. Bush.

If the American people give me a shot at George Bush next November, I will give them back the White House.

I am John Kerry and I am reporting for duty.

"I think 9/11 was the predominant overriding element. And I think that in the end, an awful lot of people were unwilling to switch commander-in-chief in midstream. And it just came down to, sort of, that perception." (Imus in the Morning, February 7, 2005 - on why he believes he lost the 2004 presidential election)