Alleged Kerry Affair with Intern Draws Media Attention

Talon News ^ | February 13, 2004 | Jimmy Moore

[new cruelty]

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA) has allegedly been involved in a two-year extramarital affair with an intern beginning in Spring 2001, according to The Drudge Report on Thursday.

Drudge said a full-scale investigation into this is underway at Time Magazine, ABC News, the Washington Post, the Hill, and the Associated Press.

"There is no lawsuit testimony this time [like former President Bill Clinton with Paula Jones]," a top source told Drudge Thursday night. "It is hard to prove."

When asked about the investigation on Thursday, Jack Stokes, a spokesman for the AP, told the Editor & Publisher, "We simply don't comment on stories we are pursuing or not pursuing."

In addition, the executive editor for The Washington Post, Leonard Downie, Jr., admitted the newspaper was looking into Kerry's past, but said he was not aware of an extramarital affair.

"What we're finding, I don't know," Downie exclaimed to the Editor & Publisher. "This is the first we are looking into him this way."

A source at one of the major television networks told Talon News that they are specifically forbidden to talk about this story on the air until one of the other major television networks reports on it first.

The unknown woman involved is a former employee for the AP, according to Drudge, and a previous intern with Kerry. Drudge states that she "recently fled the country, reportedly at the prodding of Kerry." The woman is allegedly in an undisclosed location in Africa after a top news producer approached her about her relationship to Kerry, Drudge reports.

A friend of the woman told her story to a reporter in late 2003 and said she had "fantastic stories" that may bring an end to the Kerry presidential campaign, Drudge continues.

Kerry is currently married to ketchup millionaire heiress Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Yet, retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, who dropped out of the race on Wednesday and will officially endorse Kerry for the Democrat nomination today, told a group of reporters earlier this week, "Kerry will implode over an intern issue."

"Three reporters in attendance confirm Clark made the startling comments," Drudge contends. Actually, ShortNews.com reports Clark reluctantly confirmed he made the statement on Thursday.

These reporters who heard Clark make the statements are amazed the retired Army general would endorse Kerry.

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who last week said he would drop out of the race if he did not win the Wisconsin primary on February 17, apparently changed his mind because of these looming charges against Kerry, campaign officials told Drudge.

But Dean campaign officials said this is "absolutely false" and "didn't have anything to do with our decision" to remain in the race.

"I actually think it's too bad this is starting," an anonymous Dean campaign aide told Scotsman.com. "It has no relevance to the campaign."

Nevertheless, in the past few days, the criticism of Kerry has become more intense by the Dean campaign, including Dean describing Kerry as a part of "the corrupt political culture in Washington."

Yet Democratic sources imply the Republican Party had something to do with this and have accused them of playing "dirty tricks" in an attempt to smear the leading candidate to face Bush.

Kerry has been racking up big victories in primaries and caucuses for the Democrat nomination to face President George W. Bush in November. In all, he has won 12 of 14 states.

Kerry is expected to be in Wisconsin Friday campaigning for next Tuesday's primary election.

The Kerry campaign did not immediately return calls inquiring about these allegations. However, the embattled presidential candidate is scheduled to appear exclusively today on the Don Imus radio talk show to talk about these allegations made by Drudge.

Matt Drudge, who was responsible for breaking the story about Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky in 1998, cleared his web site for most of Thursday to devote space to this story.

But this is not the first time Kerry has been accused of being engaged in an extramarital affair.

While separated from his first wife, millionaire Julia Thorne, in the mid-1980s, Kerry was rumored to be linked to Morgan Fairchild, Cornelia Guest, and Patti Davis, the liberal daughter of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Then, the Boston Globe reported last year that Kerry had an affair in the 1980s with a young British reporter while still married to Thorne. When she and the other alleged women eventually heard that Kerry was still married until 1988, it "came as a surprise to some of his frequent companions," according to the Boston Globe.

Last week, the Boston Herald's Inside Track had a story on a recent National Enquirer investigation into Kerry's "eye for Hollywood honeys" including Fairchild, Michele Philips, and Catherine Oxenberg. The Herald added that Fairchild and Philips were so disgusted by Kerry that they decided to give political contributions to other candidates running for the Democratic presidential nomination instead of the Massachusetts senator.

The Boston Herald also noted that the National Enquirer story made note of a "22-year-old blonde who was spotted around midnight 'dropping off her resume' at Kerry's Louisburg Square home while wife Teresa Heinz was in Nantucket."

The Congressional Quarterly's Craig Crawford remarked that Chris Lahane, Clark's press secretary and a previous adviser to former Vice President Al Gore, has known about the Kerry affair story for a while and "has shopped around for a long time" to find someone to publish it.

Interestingly, Crawford states Lehane also briefly worked as an adviser for Kerry's latest presidential bid.

"The Kerry camp has long expected to deal with this, and have assured party leaders they can handle it," Crawford said.

Crawford added that the affair story was "one reason the Gore vetters in 2000 shied away from Kerry as a running mate choice" because of the possibility it might get leaked and remind people of "Clinton's personal failings" with Monica Lewinsky and Paula Jones.

Responding to questions about whether the Lewinsky affair during the Clinton impeachment was affecting his job as president, Kerry told the Boston Globe in a September 21, 2001 story, "I think it is entirely possible [the extramarital affair by Clinton] was a distraction that kept him from performing his duty as president."

Also, in a statement from the U.S. Senate's closed deliberations on the articles of impeachment against Clinton on February 12, 1999, Kerry made some rather intriguing comments about the former president's infidelity that reveal his thoughts on the matter.

Responding to criticism that Clinton's affair was corrupting American culture, Kerry defended the two-term Democrat president by saying the Clinton affair gave parents a tool for teaching their kids about various character flaws.

"If anything, there may now be a greater appreciation for the trouble you can get into for certain behavior," Kerry said in the statement at the time. "More parents are teaching their children about lying, about humiliation, about family hurt, about public responsibility, than before we ever heard the name of Monica Lewinsky."

Addressing the affair itself in the statement, Kerry said he was "deeply disturbed by" it, but said it was "understandable" that Clinton wanted to "cover it up."

Before this story about his alleged affair with an intern was released to the public, Kerry was already in hot water over a photograph showing Kerry with political activist Jane Fonda at a 1970 anti-war rally in Pennsylvania published on the front page of the Washington Times on Wednesday. Kerry has attempted to portray himself as a hero of the Vietnam War, but has distanced himself from the aggressive protests he took part in after he returned from the war.

Some political observers are already speculating that this latest turmoil in the Democrat presidential race is laying the groundwork for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) to become the nominee in a brokered Democrat convention in Boston this summer.

[Salvation]

What You Don't Know about John Kerry

Now it appears there is even more we don't know about John Kerry!!

[Uncle Hal]

Rush this morning, termed a married Democratic nominee for president having an affair with an intern as a "resume enhancer." Well said.

[thesummerwind]

I've not seen such a partisan media in my lifetime, its irresponsible and sickening.

Yes, the media is more liberal than ever, given the HATE they have for G.W., and their desire for a one world government, U.N. as major honcho.

The media is currently giving the biggest pass ever to Kerry, Drudge didn't leak the story General Clark did, this is a democrat infight.

Yes!

There is no excuse for the US Media's sitting on this story while running the AWOL allegations against Pres. Bush.

No, and yes! There is a reason for the lamestream media to be closed-mouthed about this Kerry intern story. Nothing is verified yet! Right?

But, the disgusting hits on G.W. about the "AWOL" crap is totally all Liberal horses**t!

I have said forever that the mainstream media is the most influential, evil, destructive institution in the country today. I have been stopped by my own desire to my impression of today's mainstream media by the realization that I'd be suspended or banned from here by suggesting my characterization of the matter.

I love FR so much that I do not want to be sent away. FR is the best website in the country, no site is even in second place, IMO.

But, the mainstream/liberal/sycophantic/Democrat/mainstream media today in America is basically a group of a few very powerful liberal folks who have controlled the media for over sixty years.

The problem for me is, that when I SUGGEST who these owners of the media are, the producers of the media product, and the directors of the media's direction, I get in real trouble.

Just let me say that .......... if you look back to the short list of fellows who were permitted to buy up and own the three major television networks back at their inception, you will see a common thread, and today a similar group of people are deconstructing this country, on purpose - deconstructing this country with their control of the influence of American voters' opinion.

IMO, it is time, before this very important election 2004, to have the American voters realize who owns, operates, and directs the direction of the reporting of all political events in this country.

We are at a point in America where most citizens, thanks to the media, think that cuts in tax rates bring LESS renenue into the government...........and that is totally wrong. At this point, the mainstream media takes every opportunity to suggest that all our efforts in Iraq constitute a "quagmire". And on and on.

At this point in America, the mainstream media has taken it upon themselves to completely ignore the effect of the Supreme Courts decision on CFR.

The mainstream media has nothing to do but ignore what 'The Founding Fathers' meant as the intent of "The Press".......... a watchdog on government, an institution to keep the citizens up on the truth.

Well, I'm tired of it, and it's time for all of us to try to figure out how to get things right before a Democrat is elected this time around.

Sorry for all the meandering, I just care alot about this.

It is time to expose the mainstream media, because, along with the liberal courts and the public schools, they are the most evil institutions in the country.

It is a VERY partisan media, and that fact has to be somehow exposed to the majority of voters before November or there will be a Democrat in the White House......... maybe The Beast.

Sorry ........... I don't write real well, I just care.

[mrsmith]

Gee, get a grip.

Here's a FR thread from before your time that gives the simple facts behind the liberal control of the media:
American Journalism and the Constitution (Tony Snow)

[woodyinscc]

Sorry ........... I don't write real well, I just care.

You have not a thing to be sorry about.!

If the R's keep their powder dry, on this issue, the media by default will further expose themselves for what they are. The term journalist is now becoming a misnomer. There are few true journalists in the media. Most who consider themselves journalists are just using their job as an arm of the DNC, thus they are nothing but political hacks. Alas, it has been this way, and will remain this way, until the people who buy their product, wake up and smell the coffee.!!

[labard1]

I agree that the mainstream media is quite hostile to us. Being someone who has been very politically interested for almost 50 years, I can only say that we have better ways to get out our message and respond to the mainstream media than ever before.

There were few conservative or libertarian voices heard nationally when William Buckley founded the National Review. So as bad as current media stories are today, it's a lot better than it used to be-- with one major exception. In those earlier years both parties at least claimed to be strong on defense and in favor of a strong bipartisan foreign policy. No mainstream press in those (pre-Vietnam days) would ever have questioned the good faith or factual assertions of the US government, much less have relentlessly cheered for the enemy when the US was at war.

[dalebert]

What media attention?

[thesummerwind]

it's a lot better than it used to be-- with one major exception

Disagree ......... the exception is today........... the people, the voting public is less informed, more somnambulant than four or five decades ago.

I'm 57, so we're somewhat the same age.

But we have more of a problem today, IMO, even with FoxNews and conservative talk radio, because ......... the people are so involved with paying their taxes and have been taught that after that, all they should care about is self-gratification, a pizza, and a rented movie. You know the average voting American is relatively clueless on political details, and nearly totally influenced by the media they see.

For verification, check out "Jay Walking" on Leno!

[thesummerwind]

Most who consider themselves journalists are just using their job as an arm of the DNC, thus they are nothing but political hacks.

Yes, you are so right. But my question is to you .................. when will a majority of the voting Americans understand what you just said? Before November?

I doubt it, but I pray something "Godly" happens to enlighten the country, the best founded country in the world.

But, there is trouble ahead. The ruthless, unending Democrat hatred, voter fraud, and their media enablers could possibly ruin this country this fall.

[thesummerwind]

Gee, get a grip.

I read sweet Tony's words. Thanks.

Now, what's your point? Do you have a grip, smitty?

100 words or less would be good!

[thesummerwind]

a FR thread from before your time

What's that mean, genius?

"before your time"...............

[labard1]

If you want to argue that our public schools are a disgrace and much worse today than they were 50 or 100 years ago, you'll get no argument from me. If you want to also observe that college faculties (other than engineering, science, and math) are more leftist and more intent on indoctrinating our children rather than educating them, I'll agree.

But we can't blame all that on what we usually call "the media." The schools are more responsible than the media for the "Jay Walking" show.

[thesummerwind]

From Snow;"Talk radio, the Internet and cable television have shattered the "mainstream" media's grip on the distribution of facts and ideas.

Now, you get a grip! At least as much as twenty five times as many citizens watch NBC, ABC, SeeBS, and CNN versus FoxNews every night of the week. Get your grip.

You're dreaming, smitty.

shattered the "mainstream" media's grip on the distribution of facts and ideas ............. all respect due, you're dreaming!

[thesummerwind]

O.K., you're right. ;)

[mrsmith]

Whatever. Feel free not to 'ping' me.

[thesummerwind]

Great point you made, smitty. Thanks for the intelligent answer.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Whoa, I never thought of that! I'm sure that if a small fry shows up, he will come before the cameras to announce how proud he is that daddy is a Vietnam Vet.

Of course, I'm assuming you've heard that rumor...kerry was in Vietnam...;^)

[pettifogger]

Malvern, Pennsylvania

OMG, this is minutes from my home!

[labard1]

When you start with Rush Limbaugh, add other talk radio, Fox news, plus blogs and sites that try to emulate Free Republic, you have lots of sources of news for people who are motivated to get information not covered honestly by the mainstream press. Yes, it would be nice to have more of a mainstream network presence today (even though its market share is steadily shrinking).

My recollection of old behavioral studies on political opinion formation showed that "opinion leaders" tended to have a much bigger impact on political decision making than any other factor. The information is readily available for people motivated to find it (which is a defining factor to be "opinion leaders"). Those folks have a much better chance to get good information today than they did in years past. Folks who watch Fox News are MUCH more influential than folks who watch Brokaw, just like readers of the Wall Street Journal are MUCH more influential than readers of USA Today, notwithstanding the lower audience/readership of the more influential sources.

[thesummerwind]

you have lots of sources of news for people who are motivated to get information not covered honestly by the mainstream press

I hear you, but unfortunately for Bush and Republicans there just are NOT NEARLY ENOUGH "people who are motivated to get information". And not much will change before November.

The mainstream media will most likely win this election.