What's the story behind Kerry's divorce records? Please explain...

[mstrsplinter326]

And what relavance do they have to the 2004 election. And wouldn't peering into Kerry's closet be bad for democrats. It seems to me that only the dedicate dem's are the ones interested in opening them, why?

If someone has a decent link, that would be helpful, because I don't know anything about this at all.

[apnu]

1. They are trying to "Jack Ryan" him.

Buy causing a big stink over this and then hoping to find out that in the 60's, while under the influence of LSD, Kerry blew a goat. Or something like that.

Kerry is probably gonna 'rope-a-dope' them again on this.

GO KERRY!

[Warpy]

2. it's a fishing expedition

Never mind that the first Mrs. Kerry has openly supported Kerry's bid for president. The right wing is hoping to dig up some evidence of acrimony that they can use against him.

If he (quite rightly) refused to release his records, they will accuse him of having something to hide, and they will continue to try to dig up their acquaintances at the time who would be willing to dish gossip.

One wonders what they could possibly dig up that could be worse than Newtie's serving his wife with divorce papers when she was in the hospital after breast cancer surgery, or Rush's three "beards."

[rkc3]

3. Declining full disclosure means you have something to hide.

Fox will blast Kerry on this - but will conveniently allow Not So Curious George to hide his military record and not push Laura about her driving record in the 60's.

[PVnRT]

5. Exactly

That's what hurt Jack Ryan in Illinois - not so much what was in the file as the fact that suddenly he was perceived as someone having something to hide.

This sounds an awful lot to me like retribution for Ryan. Who is trying to dig these records up?

[LTR]

4. From what I understand, nothing salacious in Kerry's divorce papers

Julia, his first wife, was frustrated with the political scene and being in the spotlight. She is a bit low-key, and prefers to stay that way. She lives in Montana, and has remarried, but she will not allow disclosure of her city of residence.

I have heard that she suffered from depression. Likely, she was burnt out on public life. She does participate in some low-key activist organizations, though.

I doubt that there really is anything to hide. But the GOP schlockmeisters could probably spin something out of it. Kerry is right in saying that all of this could get pretty ridiculous, and is likely protecting his ex-wife's privacy. They are still on good terms. Likely, Kerry's divorce papers are pretty boring.

Ryan's divorce papers were demanded by the Chicago Tribune. It does seem relevant, since Ryan was campaigning on a family-values platform.