John Kerry is running for president to make America stronger at home and more respected in the world. He has a plan to restore the values that have always made America a leader in the world. He has a plan to create good-paying jobs at home - jobs that let American families get ahead in an America where the middle class is growing, not being squeezed. He has a plan to make health care a right for all Americans. He has a plan to make this nation independent from Middle East oil. And he has a plan to modernize and strengthen America's military and lead a new era of alliances - so young Americans are never put in harm's way because we insisted on going it alone. John Kerry is running for president to answer the call to service - just as he has answered that call all his life. He was born on December 11, 1943 at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Colorado. His father, Richard, volunteered in the Army Air Corps during World War II. His mother, Rosemary, was a lifelong community activist. As he was about to graduate from Yale, John Kerry volunteered to serve in Vietnam. His leadership, courage, and sacrifice earned him a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts. In Vietnam, John Kerry saw the lives of his fellow soldiers put at risk because some leaders in Washington were making bad decisions. When he returned home, he became a spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and later co-founded Vietnam Veterans of America.

John Kerry then went to work as a prosecutor, putting behind bars "the number two organized crime figure in New England." He fought for victims' rights and created programs for rape counseling. John Kerry was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1982. Two years later, he was elected to the United States Senate and has won reelection three-times since. In the Senate, John Kerry fought to strengthen our economy, improve public education, make health care more affordable, and protect our environment. And during his 19 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has distinguished himself as one of our nation's most respected voices on national security and international affairs. John Kerry sees America as a country of the future, a country of optimists. As he says, "We just need to believe in ourselves. Let America be America again."