Posted on 06/28/2004 4:57:38 AM PDT by Liz
After Newt Gingrich hit the national spotlight in 1994 by becoming the first Republican speaker of the House in 40 years, he was skewered by reports that he had served his first wife divorce papers as she lay in a hospital bed battling cancer.
But the press has been far kinder to Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry, who, according to published accounts going back more than a decade, began extricating himself from his first marriage to Philadelphia heiress Julia Thorne at the same time she was battling a case of depression so debilitating that it drove her to the brink of suicide.
In an attempt to explain why he decided not to let his wife's precarious mental state derail his 1982 bid to become Michael Dukakis' lieutenant governor, Kerry told the New Yorker magazine last December, "When I get focused and set out to do something, I'm pretty good at staying focused."
"You don't want to let yourself down, you know what I'm saying?" added the ambitious Democrat without a hint of irony.
Thorne, whose family is reportedly worth $300 million, married Kerry in 1970. According the New Yorker's Joe Klein, the couple's friends said Julia was not a typical political wife.
"There were times at dinner parties when John would be very pompous, unable to control his impulse to make a speech," one acquaintance told the writer. "It was all slightly laughable, and Julia was one of those who laughed. She'd say things like, 'What the f--k did you just say?'"
Kerry's career focus was so intense that Thorne apparently felt she was an impediment to her husband's ambitions. In her 1994 book about that period in her life, titled "You Are Not Alone," she wrote:
"I could no longer pretend I was of use to my husband or my children. ... I knew that, once I was gone, my family and friends would be relieved of the burden of my incompetency."
By Thorne's own account, she began to contemplate suicide a full two years before Kerry ratcheted up his 1982 campaign. Reviewing her book shortly after it was published, the Boston Globe reported: "One night in 1980, Julia Thorne put her children to bed and then sat on the edge of her own bed to contemplate suicide. She was exhausted - overwhelmed by despair, self-loathing and pain. She wanted to lie down. Curl up. Sleep forever."
The Kerrys were separated in 1982 but didn't divorce until 1988.
Press summaries of the New Yorker report focused on other details of Kerry's life story, such as his Vietnam heroism. Most omitted any mention of Kerry's first wife altogether, a fact that likely pleased the Massachusetts Democrat. "Kerry is understandably loath to talk about the details of the marriage," noted Klein.
In response to the New Yorker report, Sen. Kerry wrote what was described as "an anguished letter" of protest to the magazine. Thorne's two daughters by Kerry also registered their displeasure. Their mother, who has since conquered her depression and is happily remarried and living in Montana, told the Globe, "I support John's [presidential] candidacy, and I believe in John's candidacy. I think he is an immensely talented statesman, and I am 100 percent behind him."
But previous reports indicate that Thorne had problems with Kerry even after they split 21 years ago.
During the period the Kerrys were separated, for instance, the senator apparently felt little constrained by his marital vows. Gossip columns at the time linked him to Morgan Fairchild, Cornelia Guest and even President Reagan's liberal daughter, Patti Davis. An upcoming Boston Globe expose will reportedly feature details of the Massachusetts Democrat's 1980s affair with a 25-year-old British reporter.
According to a previous account offered by the paper, the fact that Kerry was still technically married till 1988 "reportedly came as a surprise to some of his frequent companions."
Just weeks before his May 26, 1995, remarriage to Ketchup heiress Theresa Heinz, Thorne took Kerry to court in a bid for an increase in child support payments, arguing that "his income was up substantially," according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Both Kerry and Thorne denied that the lawsuit had anything to do with Heinz or her fortune.
But friction arose again two years later when Kerry, a Catholic, applied to the Washington, D.C., archdiocese to have his marriage to Thorne annulled, even though the couple had two grown daughters.
Thorne "has written a letter of opposition to the archdiocese because she feels the process demeans their relationship and their children," reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1997.
The paper blamed Kerry's new wife on the annulment bid. His office issued a terse statement: "Sen. Kerry very much understands Julia's feelings and appreciates her support. Sen. Kerry believes that this is a private family matter."
The Washington Times noted in a Kerry profile several years ago that his critics consider him "a ruthless political opportunist." Given some of the more obscure details of Kerry's first marriage, that assessment may not be too far off the mark.
Humph. I betcha Teresa wouldn't say that.
Teresa probably says, " If you don't shut up now, you don't get your allowance this month."
What a compassionate Democrat!!
...'overwhelmed by despair, self-loathing and pain'...What most Americans will feel, under a Kerry administration.
Gosh, he really (gag) gets to me (hurl),
Kerry's first wife is lucky, she is free of the Baskturd.
Based on that anecdote, it sounds like Julia is a pretty normal person with a low tolerance for bullsh*t -- Kerry was too ambitious and too much a stiff to appreciate what he had! Had to trade up for Ketchup Gotmorebucks.
On the head. Democrats love being compassionate with other folk's money; the hell of it is that they can get by with it. Liberal women's groups swoon over that great protector of women's rights, Ted Kennedy, and rapist, Bill Clinton. It is beyond me.
Everyone forgets, these are Massachusetts courts we're dealing with: there's no way in blazes they'll let this stuff go public. It's just like Chappaquiddick, the rich left gets away with murder -- literally in some cases such as Teddy's.
As a Catholic that remarried after a divorce- he is not supposed to be able to receive communion- but I am sure he trots up there every Sunday to do just that- he cannot until his marriage to Thorne is annulled and he knows it- Joe Kennedy Jr had the same problem after he dumped his wife and twins and wanted to remarry( where did he go anyway?) Kerry is so power mad and determined to be President he is almost nuttier than Clinton in that regard- he needed Thornes money and prestige- when she was no longer useful- out she went!
Times change.
I think its obvious Kerry has a depressing effect on everybody he comes in contact with.....
And ignore, or come down like a hammer, on self-made women like Martha Stewart,Estee Lauder, Condelisa (sp?) Rice, etc.
Yeah right, when Hades freezes over.
Yeah, numbers don't lie.
Some things never change:
In addition,in the early 80s, Julia suffered an "inexplicable bout of paralysis, that forced her to use crutches."
( Page 176, " John F Kerry, The Complete Biography By The Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best ," Perseus Books, 2004 )
"He and Julia had quietly separated that summer,though the split never became public during the campaign."
( Page 185, ibid.)
" Kerry later became romantically involved with his former law partner, Roanne Stagow for a few years, but Kerry said their relationship ' had nothing to do with our marriage or breakup or anything.' "
( Page 186, ibid.)
So- Kerry's wife is paralyzed , hobbling around on crutches and he's busy dating his law partner and when he finally splits with his wife, Kerry keeps it secret during his campaign.
My personal favorite.
" at the time linked him to Morgan Fairchild "
Alexander Cockburn ( leftist, self described " radical journalist " ) writing in CounterPunch quotes Morgan Fairchild as saying :
" Kerry's favorite sexual positions were any in which he could gaze in the mirror at himself."
.....only the names have been changed to protect the guilty........
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