Joseph Robert Kerrey (born August 27, 1943) is an American politician who served as the 35th
governor of Nebraska
The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...
from 1983 to 1987 and as a
United States Senator
The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress.
Party affiliation
Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
from
Nebraska
Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
from 1989 to 2001.
Before entering politics, he served in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, as a
United States Navy SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
officer and was awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
for bravery in combat. During the action for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor, he was severely wounded, precluding further naval service. He later faced controversy for being the commanding officer during the
Thanh Phong raid, where numerous civilians were killed.
Kerrey was a candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomination in 1992. He retired from the Senate in
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
and was replaced by former governor and fellow Democrat
Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 37th governor of Nebraska from 1991 to 1999 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 2001 to 2013. He is a member of the D ...
. From 2001 to 2010, he served as president of
The New School
The New School is a Private university, private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for p ...
, a university in New York City. In May 2010, he was selected to become the head of the
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the Major film studios, five major film studios of the Cinema of the United States, United States, the Major film studios#Mini-majors, mini-major Amazon MGM Stud ...
. The MPAA, however, could not reach an agreement with him and chose former
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
Senator
Chris Dodd
Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Connecticut from 1981 to 2011. Dodd is the List of United Sta ...
instead. In 2012, Kerrey
sought election to his old Senate seat to succeed his successor, the retiring Democratic incumbent
Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 37th governor of Nebraska from 1991 to 1999 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 2001 to 2013. He is a member of the D ...
.
He lost to Republican nominee
Deb Fischer
Debra Lynelle Fischer (; born March 1, 1951) is an American politician and former educator serving as the senior United States senator from Nebraska, a seat she has held since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Fischer is the third woman t ...
.
In 2013, Kerrey joined the Carmen Group lobbying firm. Kerrey is a co-chair for the advisory board of
Issue One
Issue One is an American nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the role of money in politics. It aims to increase public awareness of what it views as problems within the present campaign finance system, and to reduce the influence of money ...
, an organization that describes its mission as "fighting for real solutions to the problem of money in politics". In 1987, Kerrey was elected to the
Common Cause
Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican, who was the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President Lyndon ...
National Governing Board.
Early life and education
Kerrey was born in
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
on August 27, 1943, the son of Elinor Fern (née Gonder), a University of Nebraska instructor, and James Henry Kerrey, a builder and businessman. He attended the public schools of Lincoln and graduated from
Lincoln Northeast High School
Lincoln Northeast High School is a public high school in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln Public Schools district and was established in 1941 when three rival schools (Bethany, Havelock and Jackson) were combined int ...
in 1961. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...
from the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (Nebraska, NU, or UNL) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. Chartered in 1869 by the Nebraska Legislature as part of the M ...
in 1966. Kerrey pledged
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta (), commonly known as Phi Gam and sometimes written as FIJI, is a North American social fraternity with 139 active chapters and 13 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania ...
fraternity, and during his senior year he was admitted into the
Society of Innocents, the chancellor's senior honorary society of spirit boosters.
Military service
Kerrey served in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
as a
SEAL
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, also called "true seal"
** Fur seal
** Eared seal
* Seal ( ...
officer during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. He completed Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1967. He then received assignment to
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB Coronado) is a US naval installation in San Diego, California. The base, situated on Silver Strand between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is a major United States Navy shore command, supporting over 30 t ...
and subsequently completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with class 42 in December 1967. He received direct assignment to SEAL Team ONE, a separate organization from the Underwater Demolition Teams to which new personnel were normally assigned. After extensive pre-deployment training, Kerrey deployed to the
Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with it ...
as assistant platoon commander with Delta Platoon, SEAL Team ONE in January 1969.
Kerrey was seriously wounded and lost the lower part of his right leg in combat on Hon Tre island near
Nha Trang
Nha Trang ( or ; ) is a coastal city and capital of Khánh Hòa Province, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bounded on the north by Ninh Hoà town, on the south by Cam Ranh city and on the west by Diên Khánh District. The city had ...
Bay on March 14, 1969. While suffering shrapnel wounds and blood loss, Kerrey organized his squad in a counterattack that killed or captured enemy Viet Cong. He was later medically discharged from the US Navy due to his wounds. On May 14, 1970, President Richard Nixon awarded Kerrey the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.
Medal of Honor citation
His
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
citation reads:
Thanh Phong raid

In 2001, ''
The New York Times Magazine
''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. The magazi ...
'' and ''
60 Minutes II
''60 Minutes II'' (also known as ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' and ''60 Minutes'') is an American weekly primetime news magazine television program that was intended to replicate the "signature style, journalistic quality and integrity" of the origin ...
'' carried reports on an incident that occurred during Kerrey's
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
service. On February 25, 1969, he led a
Swift Boat raid on the isolated peasant village of Thanh Phong,
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
, targeting a
Viet Cong
The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and ...
leader who intelligence suggested would be present. The village was considered part of a
free-fire zone
A free-fire zone is an area in which any person present is deemed an enemy combatant who can be targeted by opposing military forces. The concept of a free-fire zone does not exist in international law, and failing to distinguish between combatants ...
by the U.S. military.
Kerrey's SEAL team first encountered a villager's hut. Later, according to Kerrey, the team was "shot at" from the village and returned fire, only to find after the battle that some of the killed appeared to be children. "The thing that I will remember until the day I die, is walking in and finding, I don't know, 14 or so, I don't even know what the number was, women and children who were dead", Kerrey said in 1998. "I was expecting to find Viet Cong soldiers with weapons, dead. Instead I found women and children." Kerrey denied personally participating in the operation, but admitted to his own complicity.
Gerhard Klann, a member of Kerrey's SEAL team, gave a different version. According to Klann, the team rounded up civilians and decided to "kill them and get out of there", for fear that they would alert enemy soldiers. He said that Kerrey gave the order. Kerrey responded to Klann's account by stating "it's not my memory of it". Another witness, Pham Tri Lanh, said she hid in a banana grove as the soldiers entered the village. She says she witnessed the soldiers kill five civilians. Another survivor, Bui Thi Luom, was twelve at the time of the attack. She says seven men entered their hut of sixteen civilians, including five of her relatives, and killed the occupants with gunfire and an explosive device. She was the only survivor.
Kerrey expressed anguish and guilt over the events of that night, saying: "You can never, can never get away from it. It darkens your day. I thought dying for your country was the worst thing that could happen to you, and I don't think it is. I think killing for your country can be a lot worse. Because that's the memory that haunts."
In a speech to ROTC candidates at
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a public senior military college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 as America's first state military college and is the oldest public senior military college in the U.S. In k ...
in 2001, Kerrey acknowledged using "lethal procedures when there was doubt." And admitted "It was a tragedy, and I had ordered it," he said. "Though it could be justified militarily, I could never make my own peace with what happened that night. I have been haunted by it for 32 years."
He was awarded a
Bronze Star
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
for the raid on Thanh Phong, after his unit had falsely reported all the dead civilians as enemy guerrillas.
The citation for the medal reads, "The net result of his patrol was 21 Viet Cong killed, two hooches
utsdestroyed and two enemy weapons captured."
A display at the
War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum () is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. It contains exhibits relating to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War.
History
Operated by the Ho Chi Minh City government, an ...
in
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025.
The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
is based on the incident.
It includes several photos and a drain pipe, which it describes as the place where three children hid before they were found and killed.
Business career
After his military service, Kerrey pursued a business career.
From 1972 to 1982, he owned and operated Grandmother's Inc. a chain of restaurants known as Grandmother's Skillet.
Another company, Kerrey Holdings, included several fitness centers and a bowling alley.
After he ceded active management to his brother-in-law in 1983, the businesses grew to include 10 restaurants, three fitness centers, a bowling alley, and other enterprises.
Kerrey's other ventures included trading in cattle futures and a partnership that invested in commercial real estate including shopping centers.
While engaged in his business career, Kerrey gained his initial political experience.
These activities included working on a 1971 voter registration drive with anti-war activist
Allard K. Lowenstein.
Kerrey also managed a friend's successful campaign for a seat in the state legislature.
In addition, he served as a member of the city of Lincoln's Human Rights Commission.
Governor of Nebraska
In 1982, Kerrey ran for
Governor of Nebraska
The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...
; he easily won the Democratic nomination 71 percent to 29 over state senator George "Bill" Burrows, then achieved a narrow victory over incumbent Republican
Charles Thone
Charles Thone (January 4, 1924 – March 7, 2018) was an American Republican Party (United States), Republican politician. He was the List of governors of Nebraska, 34th Governor of Nebraska, serving from 1979 to 1983. He previously served as a ...
, 51% to 49%. He served as one term, 1983 to 1987, and did not run for reelection in 1986.
During his governorship, Kerrey pursued policies including welfare reform, education reform, job training, and environmental conservation.
Several of these programs became models for other states and the federal government.
In 1986, Kerrey served as chair of the
Midwestern Governors Association
The Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the governors of Midwestern states to work cooperatively on public policy issues of significance to the region. The MGA was created ...
.
As governor, he was known for his transparency and criticism of "politics as usual" obfuscating and clichés. He was the subject of nationwide news coverage in July 1986, when he ordered the
Nebraska State Patrol
The Nebraska State Patrol is Nebraska's only statewide full-service law enforcement agency. Serving Nebraska since 1937, State Patrol troopers perform a wide variety of duties. Those include working with communities to improve public safety, enf ...
to halt a train after the federal government failed to notify him of a rail shipment of nuclear waste that would pass through Nebraska, and directed the
Nebraska Army National Guard
The Nebraska Army National Guard is a group of Army National Guard units in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Adjutant General for these units is Major General (United States), Major General Craig W. Strong, who assumed his new duties in July 2023.
...
to park a tank on the tracks at the Kansas-Nebraska border to ensure that the train did not proceed.
After Kerrey's chief of staff and the head of the state patrol met with federal authorities in Kansas, the train was allowed to proceed, with representatives of the federal government agreeing to notify state officials of the dates, times and routes for similar trains in the future.
U.S. Senate
Elections
1988
In 1988, Kerrey ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by recently appointed incumbent Republican
David Karnes
David Kemp Karnes (December 12, 1948 – October 25, 2020) was an American politician, businessman, and attorney. He was a United States Senator from Nebraska from 1987 to 1989, and was president and chief executive officer of The Fairmon ...
. He won the Democratic primary with 92% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Karnes 57% to 42%.
1994
Kerrey won re-election to a second term defeating businesswoman Jan Stoney 55% to 45%
2012
Kerrey ran again for his old Senate seat after the retirement of Incumbent Democratic Senator
Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 37th governor of Nebraska from 1991 to 1999 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 2001 to 2013. He is a member of the D ...
in 2012, but was defeated by Republican candidate State Senator
Deb Fischer
Debra Lynelle Fischer (; born March 1, 1951) is an American politician and former educator serving as the senior United States senator from Nebraska, a seat she has held since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Fischer is the third woman t ...
.
["Official Results of Nebraska General Election – November 6, 2012".]
p. 12. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
Tenure
Senator Kerrey was a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Finance Committee, and was a member of the Appropriations Committee from 1989 to 1996. He also served as vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee from 1995 to 1999. He was the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 104th Congress before retiring in 2001.
Kerrey voted for the
Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act
The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA), also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, () is an act of the 106th United States Congress (1999–2001). It repealed part of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933, removing barriers in ...
which repealed the
Glass–Steagall Act in 1999, defending his position against opposition by stating, "The concerns that we will have a meltdown like 1929 are dramatically overblown". Most famously, Kerrey cast the deciding vote in favor of President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
's
1993 budget plan.
9/11 Commission
After his retirement from the Senate, Kerrey served on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, commonly known as the
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, commonly known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, to investigate all aspects of the September 11 attacks, the deadliest terrorist attack in world history ...
. The commission was created by Congressional legislation to investigate the circumstances of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and to provide recommendations of actions that could help prevent future similar attacks. It was a bipartisan commission of five Democrats and five Republicans. The commission issued its final report, the
9/11 Commission Report
''The 9/11 Commission Report'', officially the ''Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States'', is the official report into the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It was prep ...
on July 22, 2004.
Kerrey criticized the 2014
Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture
The Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program is a report compiled by the bipartisan United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) about the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s Detent ...
as "unfair" and "partisan".
1992 presidential election

In September 1991, Kerrey announced his candidacy for the 1992 Democratic nomination for president. In a small field of five second-tier candidates devoid of an early frontrunner, Kerrey was seen as the early favorite. However, his performance on the campaign trail sometimes seemed lackluster, especially in comparison to that of Arkansas governor
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
.
Kerrey finished third in the
New Hampshire primary in February 1992, despite spending heavily on television advertising. He briefly rebounded after winning the
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...
primary but soon dropped out of the race after finishing fourth in the Colorado primary. Kerrey was on Clinton's "short list" of vice presidential candidates, but Tennessee Senator
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
received the nod instead.
The New School
Kerrey served as President of
The New School
The New School is a Private university, private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for p ...
from 2001 to 2010. During this time he more than doubled the endowment, taking it from $94 million in 2001 to $206 million. He also secured substantial federal funding for the school. Both of these factors helped the New School accomplish major academic growth and expansion in the decade that Kerrey was president.
Kerrey presided over an ambitious program of academic development at the university. Under his leadership, the university launched numerous new academic programs, including several joint degree programs. Enrollment increased by 44% to over 10,200, and online course enrollment doubled. He also oversaw an increase in the size of the faculty. The number of full-time faculty members grew from 156 in 2001 to more than 372 in 2009. He also helped to establish the Faculty Senate, which allowed the school to set university-wide standards for promotion, hiring, and faculty evaluation. Additionally, tenure was instituted for all academic departments.
On April 14, 2005, Kerrey announced that the university was changing its name from "New School University" to "The New School", and rebranding its eight divisions as specialized, separate entities serving different constituencies.
On April 17, 2005, a week after accepting a position as head of Democrats for Bloomberg in support of
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and politician. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., and was its CEO from 1981 to 2001 and again from 2014 to 2023. He served as the 108th mayo ...
's re-election as
Mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
, Kerrey publicly stated that he was considering running against Bloomberg in the
2005 New York City mayoral election
The 2005 New York City mayoral election occurred on Tuesday, November 8, 2005, with incumbent Republican Party (United States), Republican List of mayors of New York City, mayor Michael Bloomberg soundly defeating former The Bronx, Bronx Gov ...
. Three days after announcing his interest, Kerrey announced that he would not run for Mayor, focusing instead on his position as President of the New School.
On December 10, 2008, it was announced that Kerrey had received a vote of no confidence from the university's senior faculty. This was perceived to have come as a response to his management style. The no-confidence vote was largely a symbolic gesture. The Board of Trustees offered their unanimous support for Kerrey at a meeting following the faculty vote.
On December 16, 2008, dozens of students took over the cafeteria in the 65 5th Avenue building; as the occupation continued, the group grew into hundreds of students from the New School, other New York City based universities, labor union members, and other supporters. Initially, the students stated that they would not leave the building unless several school officials resigned. Kerrey attempted to have a discussion with the students at the beginning of the occupation, but the students voted down that option. The occupation ended after 30 hours when the two parties accepted a treaty; Kerrey agreed to amnesty for the students involved in the occupation, more student space, and more student input in school investments and decision making.
Early in the morning of April 10, 2009, 19 students took over the 65 5th Avenue building, erecting an anarchist flag and demanding once again that Kerrey resign. A few hours later, about 20 police officers entered the building, arresting 22 students and ending the occupation after five hours.
In December 2012, the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' reported that in 2010, the year of his anticipated departure, his salary was more than $600,000, and his total take-home pay, including bonuses, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits, was $3,047,703, making Kerrey the highest-paid private college president in the United States.
Kerrey's time as president concluded on January 1, 2011. He was succeeded by
David E. Van Zandt. Kerrey was then appointed President Emeritus.
Fulbright University Vietnam controversy
While visiting Vietnam in May 2016, then Secretary of State
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
announced that the United States had appointed Kerrey to be chairman of the Board of Trustees of
Fulbright University Vietnam
Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) is a private nonprofit university currently located at the Crescent Plaza in Phú Mỹ Hưng, the new headquarters will be at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in near future, after the new campus here is done in 2026, b ...
. This announcement unleashed a heated controversy, in view of Kerrey's role as the person in charge of the
Thanh Phong village massacre in 1969.
Outspoken Vietnamese critics of the appointment of Kerrey included
Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, a former ambassador to the European Union, who exclaimed: “the decision to appoint Bob Kerrey to be chairman of the board of the first American-style university in Vietnam strikes me as insensitive to the Vietnamese at best, and taking us for granted at worst.” and the award-winning Vietnamese-American author
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Viet Thanh Nguyen (; born March 13, 1971) is a South Vietnamese-born American professor and novelist. He is the Aerol Arnold Chair of English and Professor of English and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California ...
. On the other hand, Kerrey's appointment was endorsed by
Đinh La Thăng
Đinh La Thăng (; 10 September 1960) is a Vietnamese former politician who served as Minister of Transport, Communist Party Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City, and member of the Politburo. On 22 January 2018 he became the first top Party official in ...
, who at that time was Communist Party Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City and a member of the Politburo, but in January 2018 was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 13 years in prison on corruption charges.
A critic Bao Anh Thai, a lawyer in Ho Chi Minh City, said that leading a university was not the proper place for a man with Kerrey’s war record. “Please tell me the name of any prestigious university in this world, where a killer in cold blood of women and children — which he admitted to it and he is not charged for it — could be the president!,” also pointing out Kerrey’s previous tenure as President of The New School.
Nguyen Duc Hien, another critic and journalist at a legal newspaper, noted that Kerrey kept quiet about the atrocities in Thanh Phong for more than 30 years and only spoke publicly about it when journalists had exposed him and forced his hand. “After killing and lying, he should not represent knowledge and contributing the values of America in Vietnam!”
In May 2018,
H. Kim Bottomly
Helen Kim Bottomly (born January 30, 1946) is an American immunologist and the former president of Wellesley College, serving from August 2007 to July 2016. Bottomly was the first scientist to become a president at Wellesley College. She has been ...
, former president of
Wellesley College
Wellesley College is a Private university, private Women's colleges in the United States, historically women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henr ...
, was appointed to succeed Kerrey.
Failed comeback bid
On December 27, 2011,
Political Wire
''Political Wire'' is an American political blog. It was founded in 1999 and published by Taegan () Goddard, a former policy adviser to Democratic U.S. Senator Donald Riegle and Independent Governor Lowell Weicker, and the co-author of the 1998 ...
reported that
Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 37th governor of Nebraska from 1991 to 1999 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 2001 to 2013. He is a member of the D ...
, who had succeeded Kerrey in the Senate, would not seek re-election, and asserted that Kerrey was in talks with senior Democrats about the possibility of replacing him. ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' reported that Kerrey would neither confirm nor deny the rumor.
American Crossroads
American Crossroads is a US Super PAC that raises funds from donors to advocate for certain candidates of the Republican Party. It has pioneered many of the new methods of fundraising opened up by the Supreme Court's ruling in '' Citizens United ...
had been running advertisements critical of Kerrey's potential Nebraska Senate run, focusing on the fact that Kerrey had been living in New York for the last ten years. Kerrey responded to the ads with an invitation for
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) is an American Republican political consultant, policy advisor, and lobbyist. He was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush administration until his resignation on August ...
to eat at one of Kerrey's restaurants in Nebraska, or to work out at one of his gyms that he owns in that state. On February 27, 2012, ''The Washington Post'' reported that Kerrey had earlier decided against a run, but that an aide had confirmed that he was now filing to seek election to his old Senate seat.
He won the May 15 Democratic primary against four minor candidates. However, he was defeated on November 6 by Republican state senator
Deb Fischer
Debra Lynelle Fischer (; born March 1, 1951) is an American politician and former educator serving as the senior United States senator from Nebraska, a seat she has held since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Fischer is the third woman t ...
. in a landslide. Kerrey narrowly won the state's two largest counties,
Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
* Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
and
Lancaster
Lancaster may refer to:
Lands and titles
*The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire
*Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies
*Duke of Lancaster
*Earl of Lancaster
*House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty
...
—home to Omaha and Lincoln, respectively—but only won three other counties. His margin in Omaha and Lincoln was not nearly enough to overcome Fischer's margin in the more rural parts of the state.
Circinus
Kerrey works closely as an advisor to
Elliott Broidy
Elliott B. Broidy (born 1956 or 1957) is an American former unregistered lobbyist and businessman. From 2005 to 2008, he served as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and deputy finance chairman of the RNC from 2017 to 201 ...
's firm Circinus, a paramilitary firm Broidy purchased in 2014 which has large contracts with the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
.
Personal life

While he was Governor of Nebraska, Kerrey dated actress
Debra Winger
Debra Lynn Winger (born May 16, 1955) is an American actress. She starred in the films '' An Officer and a Gentleman'' (1982), '' Terms of Endearment'' (1983), and '' Shadowlands'' (1993), each of which earned her a nomination for the Academy Awa ...
while the latter was in Lincoln filming ''
Terms of Endearment
''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family tragicomedy film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff D ...
'' (part of which is set in Nebraska), which won the 1983
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People and fictional and mythical characters
* Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar
* Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
for
Best Picture
The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
. When confronted with intense questioning by the press over the nature of the relationship, Kerrey famously replied; "What can I sayshe swept me off my foot", alluding to the fact that the lower part of one of his legs was amputated because of injuries sustained in his Medal of Honor action in Vietnam.
Kerrey is friends with fellow
Vietnam veteran
A Vietnam veteran is an individual who performed active Army, ground, Navy, naval, or Air force, air service in the South Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
The term has been used to describe veterans who served in the armed fo ...
Jim Webb
James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States ...
. In 2006 he became involved in convincing Webb to run for the US Senate. Webb entered the Virginia Democratic Primary, and Kerrey volunteered to serve as Webb's National Finance Chair. Webb went on to win the extremely close election in Virginia, defeating
George Allen. Kerrey also endorsed and appeared at campaign events for
Al Franken
Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, and actor who served from 2009 to 2018 as a United States senator from Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he worked as an ...
in his
bid for the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
in
Minnesota
Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
.
Kerrey married
Sarah Paley in 2001. They have a son. He has two children from his previous marriage.
In a 2012 ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' column by
Frank Bruni
Frank Anthony Bruni (born October 31, 1964) is an American journalist writing for ''The New York Times'' since 1995. Following a wide range of assignments, including a stint as chief restaurant critic, he was named an op-ed columnist in June 2011 ...
, Kerrey was introduced as a self-described agnostic; he said that during his political career, he refrained from using religious references such as "God bless America" in speeches because of his support for the separation of church and state, but remarked that in American politics, "If you talk openly about your doubts, you can get into trouble".
In a 1989 congressional directory, he listed himself as member of a
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
church.
On September 9, 2008, a
pedestrian bridge
A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...
connecting
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
with
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 62,799 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the state's List of cities in Iowa, te ...
was named in Kerrey's honor by the Omaha City Council.
In 2011, Kerrey was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from
The New School
The New School is a Private university, private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for p ...
.
In 2016, Kerrey received an honorary doctorate and delivered the postgraduate
commencement address
In the United States, a commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the ...
for
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester, New Hampshire, Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire, United States. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, along with ...
.
Awards and decorations
Medals and ribbons
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their o ...
*
Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, also called Bob the Bridge, is a footbridge across the Missouri River between Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa. It opened in 2008, and is named after former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, who secured fede ...
Notes
References
*
* by Gregory L. Vistica, ''New York Times Magazine'', April 25, 2001
*
*
*Clinton, Bill (2005). ''My Life''. Vintage. .
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*Kerrey, Robert. ''When I Was a Young Man: A Memoir''. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2002.
*Vistica, Gregory L. ''The Education of Lieutenant Kerrey''. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2003.
External links
*
*
*
, -
, -
, -
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kerrey, Bob
1943 births
Living people
20th-century American businesspeople
20th-century United States senators
21st-century United States senators
American agnostics
American amputees
American politicians with disabilities
American restaurateurs
American war criminals
Businesspeople from Nebraska
Candidates in the 1992 United States presidential election
Chairs of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Democratic Party United States senators from Nebraska
Democratic Party governors of Nebraska
Explosion survivors
Former Presbyterians
Lincoln Northeast High School alumni
Military personnel from Nebraska
Politicians from Lincoln, Nebraska
Politicians from New York City
United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
United States Navy SEALs personnel
United States Navy officers
United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War
University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni
Vietnam War crimes committed by the United States
Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
Candidates in the 2012 United States elections