Kerry would be richest president in over a century

[JaneQPublic]

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/report.aspx?aid=1

If Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry were elected to the White House in 2004, he would be America's richest president in more than a century.

Kerry, a democratic presidential candidate, has listed assets worth between $165 and $626 million on his latest financial disclosure forms, and has publicly said that he has not ruled out using some of this wealth to run for president.

While President George W. Bush is thought to have a political advantage in campaign finance, Kerry has more than 20 times the reported personal capital of the incumbent president and leads all other likely candidates, according to a Center for Public Integrity study of recent financial disclosure forms.

==============

Although I don't believe a person's wealth should be an issue if they do good in the world, I can imagine the Repukes will take the ball and run with it. And we Dems would have to shut up about the weath of Cheney and his rich friends, since Dick's personal fortune is only a drop in the bucket compared to Kerry's.

[jpgray]

1. Around 98% of that is his wife's.

Kerry doesn't have much of a personal fortune.

[Democrats unite]

11. But that doesn't get headlines...

Anyone else see a sinking ship?

[windansea]

2. Kerry's fortune is his wifes

everyone knows this

next???

[adadem]

3. Pass more grapes please n/t

[Jacobin]

4. Richest First Lady, maybe

That'll play well. :eyes:

A kept man.

[DevilsAdvocate2]

5. Where's the logic?

Would you say that Melinda Gates (Bill Gates' wife) is not rich?

[Walt Starr]

6. Peroia's gotta love that one

:nopity:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. Rich in all the right ways

I'm telling you (and I am not alone in this) John Kerry will be the greatest President of our lifetimes.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. If you "don't believe a person's wealth should be an issue" why

did you post it? :eyes:

Main Entry: hy·poc·ri·sy
Pronunciation: hi-'pä-kr&-sE also hI-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -sies
Etymology: Middle English ypocrisie, from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide -- more at CERTAIN
Date: 13th century
1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2 : an act or instance of hypocrisy
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=hypocrisy

[mainer]

9. So I guess it means he can't be bribed

A good thing, right?

[Jacobin]

14. I suppose you haven't noticed what his average contribution has been

Smirky is rich too. That doesn't stop him from looting and plundering.

[Sir_Shrek]

10. Well, that'll help heeps...

...in maintaining that appearance of the Democratic PArty as the stewards of the working class.

[aldian159]

17. IA workers sure supported Kerry despite his millions.

n/t

[sandnsea]

12. And Dean's family were sharecroppers???

This is really funny considering Dean's family background.

[Buffler]

16. Sharecroppers? No.

But they "didn't treat the servants like servants."

[sandnsea]

19. Meaning what, exactly? n/t

[Buffler]

22. Howards Mom

Howards mom made that comment in a recent interview.

[Karmadillo]

20. And the Park Avenue apartment was not all that large

n/t

[Snow]

13. It may simply be that he's more honest about revealing how

much he's (or his wife's) got than some other presidents I could think of.

[Cocoa]

15. Dean is rich too

[JohnKleeb]

26. Youre a Kerry person now eh Cocoa?

I knew you were for Gep. Where do you think Gep's other supporters will go? and of course Dick himself. BTW on wealth. Yes thats true as well but FDR and JFK were rich, that didnt make them terrible people. I dont mind wealth in a candiate, I like self made guys but rich guys are ok.

[VolcanoJen]

18. All Four of the current frontrunners are relatively wealthy.

Edwards made a fortune as a brilliant litigator in North Carolina, and Dean and Kerry were born into wealth. Clark's made at least a cool mil as a lobbyist, but likely didn't accumulate much wealth during his 37 years in the Army.

Out of the top four, Clark's probably the "poorest."

I will admit to being more than a little turned off by Kerry's enormous wealth.

[Jerseycoa]

21. I've been wondering how the roots thing would play, too

Edwards, Clark and Kucinich working class heroes and all that, although it didn't do anything for Gephardt.

[zulchzulu]

23. Rich people are evil! Evil! Evil! Every one of them!!!

Yeah riiiiight...

[Buffler]

24. Some here

believe that and talk about it every chance they get.

[isbister]

25. Its not how much, it HOW

Kerry and his wife earned her money the old fashioned way, they inherited it.

Dick and George wheelbarrow the dough out of the White House's back door and invade other countries.

[maxr4clark]

27. little George inherited, too

[isbister]

28. I think the bulk of georgie's money came from

the Arabian connections that funded his oil company and the sweetheart deal with the Texas Rangers... wait a minute, this george or his dad?

[maxr4clark]

29. How did he buy the Texas Rangers in the first place?

I thought it was with his family's money. He sure didn't earn enough in his short, unsuccessful career in the oil business to do it on his own.

Oh, that's right--through those shady deals that no one is investigating. My mistake. :)