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Text File | 1992-01-19 | 7KB | 144 lines

                       J Robert Kerrey

    "Complex" is the word for this 48-year old first-term
 senator from Omaha. While Nebraska is one of the most
 conservative states in the union, Bob Kerrey is one of the
 most liberal of senators. Yet his popularity rating at home
 usually tops 70 %.
    By almost any measure, "unique" is the other word for Bob
 Kerrey.
    Even before he announced, Kerrey was counted among the
 "first tier" of candidates, with Sen Tom Harkin (Iowa) and
 Gov Bill Clinton (Arkansas).
    The most important event in Kerrey's life happened in
 Vietnam. A supporter of the war, he volunteered for a tough
 fighting force and was in Vietnam only 3 months when a
 grenade shattered his right leg. He won the Medal of Honor
 (only 4 other honorees have ever served in the Senate amd
 they were all from the Civil War). But he turned against the
 war. He also fought his way back to full health. He jogs
 5 miles a day.
    Vietnam was a defining event in his life. When questions
 of war, peace and patriotism are the issue, what Kerrey
 suffered in Vietnam is never far in the background.
    When patriotism was being measured by one's support for
 an amendment to protect the flag, Kerrey at first was in
 favor. But after reading Supreme Court decisions on the
 subject, he voted "no." That showed another side of this
 complex man: a willingness to change his mind, to admit
 error, and to discuss both with candor and introspection.
    President Bush, in supporting the amendment, "chose the
 path of least resistance and greatest political gain," said
 Kerrey.
    Kerrey himself concedes his Vietnam experience led him
 astray in the debate over the Persian Gulf.
    In the months of debate leading up to the vote for war in
 the Persian Gulf, Kerrey was a leading opponent.
    After the victory, he didn't change his mind on his vote,
 but he did offer this explanation to the Senate:
    "I have had the experience of just being in a war and
 then discovering you get halfway into it and Americans stop
 supporting it. It influenced my judgment on what we should
 do, perhaps too much."
     Some say Kerrey's heroism in Vietnam gives him a
 "bulletproof vest" on issues of war and peace, which may
 remove his vote against the Gulf war as a campaign issue.
    Kerrey's penchant for introspection and rambling
 discourse have earned him the sobriquet "Cosmic Bob."
 He is described as "charismatic," "daring," "independent,"
 "humble" and "kind." Less friendly folks tend to call him
 "naive" and "incredibly vague."
    Almost everyone says Kerrey has "star quality." And what
 kept Nebraskans entertained over the years was his
 relationship with the movie star Debra Winger.
    Said one admirer: "He might as well have 'hot
 presidential prospect' stamped on his forehead."
    Kerrey's presidential aspirations are based on rather
 limited political experience. After recovering from his war
 injury, he became wealthy operating a chain of restaurants.
 In 1982, he made his first run for office and was elected
 governor. But in 1986, with job approval rating over 70 %,
 he said he did not "feel the call" and would not run again.
 In '88, he ran for and won the Senate seat he now holds.
    Married and divorced, he has 2 children: son Benjamin,
 16, and daughter Lindsey, 14.
    In the Senate, he has protected agricultural interests
 and has promoted better ties with Indochina.
    Kerrey sums up his political philosophy this way:
    "I like to believe and I do believe that you can tell the
 people the truth about yourself and your decisions, about
 the hard decisions and sacrifices that have to be made now
 so that we can secure good things for ourselves and our
 society in the future...
    "I can tell you there are worse things to be faced in
 life than losing an election. It's a lot easier to tell the
 truth, to tell what you believe the truth to be, at least,
 and see where it leads you."

                     Kerrey's Program

    Even his fans concede that Kerrey has not left many
 tracks in the legislative field. He has sponsored no major
 piece of legislation in 3 years in the Senate. He has been
 judged to be one who will offer leadership on selected
 issues rather than seek legislative accomplishment.
    Critics say he's all style and no substance.
    As governor, he showed how he would cope with a deficit:
 He cut spending on popular programs and raised taxes. And
 left a surplus at the end of his term.
    In foreign policy, his experience is focused on Southeast
 Asia. He argues that the US should improve relations with
 Vietnam and Cambodia.
    In 1990, Kerrey made his first visit back to the area
 since losing his leg in 1969.
    Critical of the administration for going to war in the
 Persian Gulf, he now says the victory will be meaningless
 unless the US keeps pushing for individual freedom in Iraq
 and Kuwait.
    But he believes that America's most serious problems are
 right here at home, not in the Persian Gulf.
    Kerrey's political platform includes these planks:
    * A tax-funded program for universal health care is a
      top priority.
    * A $1 billion Education Capital Trust Fund to help
      schools that are struggling to improve.
    * Pro-choice on abortion.
    * Against the death penalty.
    * No discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
    * Critical of administration policy in Latin America.

                   Kerrey's Campaign

    Kerrey is running because of what he calls "the slimness"
 of the Democratic field. He said the failure of the party's
 strongest candidates to run prompts him to take on the
 president to make sure that vital domestic issues are
 raised.
    Kerrey will run as a liberal as does his fellow senator
 from neighboring Iowa, Tom Harkin. They'll be in the most
 liberal grouping of candidates.
    His campaign will be guided by Bill Shore, a former aide
 to Gary Hart.
    Kerrey's first decision may be where to run. Liberals do
 well in the Iowa caucuses, but with native son Tom Harkin
 running, Iowa does not look inviting to outside Democrats.
    One Iowa activist reportedly advised Kerrey to schedule
 stops at the Des Moines airport on trips home--but said he
 should "not spend a dime" competing with Harkin.
    But Kerrey, alone among the other hopefuls, has name
 recognition in western Iowa and strong liberal credentials.
 So he may enter the caucuses, set low expectations and
 damage Harkin if the latter fails to score a sweep.
    Otherwise, it's on to New Hampshire.
    Kerrey is expected to stress: the urgency of domestic
 problems that are going unsolved, the importance of
 leadership in getting people and institutions to attack
 those problems, and a skepticism that government is always
 the best way to do it.
    Kerrey's candidacy may pose a threat to Harkin, because
 both come from the Midwest, and their ideas grow out of the
 traditional liberal wing of the party.
    Kerrey's threat to all candidates lies in his freshness
 and willingness to challenge conventional or government
 solutions to problems.