Whopper of the Week: John Kerry Did he pretend to be Irish?

Slate ^ | March 7, 2003 | Timothy Noah

[Hon]

Whopper of the Week: John Kerry Did he pretend to be Irish? By Timothy Noah Posted Friday, March 7, 2003, at 3:34 PM PT

"[John] Kerry acknowledged that some voters in Massachusetts, the nation's most Irish-American state, may have had the impression that he had Irish roots. He said that he knew of no Irish ancestry and that he had always tried to correct misstatements whenever he learned about them.

"Numerous publications, including the Globe, have stated that Kerry is Irish-American.

"'I'm sure some people see the name and say, "Hey, I think it's this or that," but I've been clear as a bell,' Kerry said. 'I've always been absolutely straight up front about it.'

"Kerry 'has never indicated to anyone that he was Irish and corrected people over the years who assumed he was,' [spokeswoman Kelly] Benander said."

—Michael Kranish, "Search for Kerry's Roots Finds Surprising History," in the Feb. 2 Boston Globe.

''For those of us who are fortunate to share an Irish ancestry, we take great pride in the contributions that Irish-Americans …"

—Senate floor statement by John Kerry, March 18, 1986, as quoted in Frank Phillips' and Brian C. Mooney's "1986 Statement Counters Kerry's Stand on Heritage," in the March 6 Boston Globe.

"As some of you may know, I am part-English and part-Irish. And when my Kerry ancestors first came over to Massachusetts from the old country to find work in the New World, it was my English ancestors who refused to hire them."

—Draft remarks prepared for Kerry in 1984, quoted by Phillips and Mooney in the March 6 Globe. Kerry was lieutenant governor of Massachusetts at the time.

"[I]n 1982, at the state Democratic convention in Springfield, his campaign gave his convention floor workers emerald-green T-shirts and hats featuring the logo, 'Up Kerry'—a takeoff on the rallying cry for the first president of the Republic of Ireland, Eamon de Valera, whose supporters cried, 'Up de Valera!' "

—Phillips and Mooney in the March 6 Globe.

[Dolphy]

This coming from a guy who said this week that President Bush was out of touch and doesn't know what is going on in the living rooms across America.

[Hon]

"He already told us last year that he's Jewish and his real name is Kerrystein... just in time to garner Jewish votes, of course... coincidence..."

If you search the internet you'll see how many versions of this he has spun out.

In some, Kerry says he found out 15 years ago. In others, just two years ago. In others still, he didn't know it until the Boston Globe showed him the information.

Same with his grandfather's suicide. His story seems to depend on what kind of mood he is in, or what he thinks you want to hear.

[Howlin]

Didn't he say he was Jewush as well?

No, he didn't, but somebody that was searching his roots found out he was -- and that his grandfather had committed suicide.

That was on FR months ago.

[Howlin]

I'm confused here; is she claiming that, even though it was in the draft of the remarks, because he didn't actually SAY them, they weren't there/it's not true?

[colorado tanker]

What did he kerry himself?

[Hon]

More precisely, Kerry says he has known for more than 15 years that he had a Jewish grandmother, but claims he only found out his grandfather was Jewish when a Boston Globe reporter showed him his research last year.

Kerry claimed he had tried very hard to research his father and grandfathers's genealogy for many many years, but apparently a (Lt. Governor and then) Senator doesn't have the research assets that a cub reporter (who found this pretty quickly) does.

[SouthernFreebird]

He said that he knew of no Irish ancestry

As an O'brien descendant, I say thank-God.

[expatpat]

I understand the 'draft' remarks were published in a govt. publication.

[Hon]

"I'm confused here; is she claiming that, even though it was in the draft of the remarks, because he didn't actually SAY them, they weren't there/it's not true?"

As you know this is just the defense of one of the remarks which have been attributed to him, in which he seemed to be claiming Irish heritage.

Best I can tell, as the article says, the Boston Globe got a hold of some statment that was written in 1984 under Kerry's Lt. Governor letterhead--which talked about his English and Irish heritage.

The claim is that this was a draft that was never used. But even if that is true, how could his staff make such a mistake? Especially when we are told that Kerry has always been so careful not to give the wrong impression.

It looks more like Clintoneque weaseling to me.

[Hon]

"I understand the 'draft' remarks were published in a govt. publication."

Could be. But you might be mixing it up with his other lie--I mean, gaffe:

"Quote: ''For those of us who are fortunate to share an Irish ancestry, we take great pride in the contributions that Irish-Americans …" (Congressional Record, March 18, 1986).

Charge: Kerry was accused of using such comments to make his Irish-American constituents think he is one of them when, in fact, he isn't. The Republican National Committee included the 1986 statement in a compendium of Kerry quotes titled Will He Say Anything To Get Elected?

Context: Kerry never delivered the statement orally. He claimed that his staff wrote it and, without showing it to him, submitted it to the Congressional Record to commemorate St. Patrick's Day."

http://slate.msn.com/id/2089125/

But in effect it is the same excuse. His darn staff!

[Azzurri]

Let's see--he first ran as a proud Vietnam vet in Massachussets and got clobbered, so he became an anti-war activist.

What?! Are you telling me John Kerry was in Vietnam?

[beckett]

The story is OLD. Jeez, you cite a 1993 story to refute my contention that it's old? Guess what? 1993 was over TEN YEARS AGO!

Criminee.

And by the way my original post was only meant to point out that the story at the top of the thread is OLD. It was posted on FR last year.

[Hon]

In case you hadn't noticed John Kerry had not just won the Iowa caucus and was considered the front-runner for the Democrat nomination ten year ago.

BTW, the Boston Globe seems to think this is somewhat topical, since they ran an article (some of which I have quoted) on the same subject on their front page on 3/6/2003 -- which was six months before Kerry announced.

But I guess you are right. If it didn't just happen it's not important. Criminee!

[Capt. Tom]

but apparently a (Lt. Governor and then) Senator doesn't have the research assets that a cub reporter (who found this pretty quickly) does.

Madelein Albright had the same problem. - Tom

[ladyjane]

The Forbes clan has a very nice island off of Woods Hole. Lots and lots of Forbes around here.

[antaresequity]

Kerry is a Viet Nam vet? I thought he was Italian

[larryjohnson]

JOHN FONDA KERRY

[river rat]

Part Irish, part Jewish, part English......who cares?

Nothing is changed!

He remains TOTALLY a leftist, blow dried, French looking, French speaking - incompetent flip-flopping asshole.

Semper Fi

[Eva]

When one is running for President, everything that was once old, is new again, as Gov. Dean found out in Iowa.

[Eva]

I have an idea, why don't we ask Chris Lehane, who was once Kerry's campaign manager?