Candidate bios

Wesley Clark

Born: Dec. 23, 1944, in Chicago.

Hometown: Little Rock, Ark.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, U.S. Military Academy, 1966; master’s degree, Oxford University, 1968. Attended U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., from 1974-75, where he was awarded a Masters of Military Art and Science.

Religion: Catholic, attends Protestant services.

Career: Army, 1962-2000, including service in Vietnam, 1969-1970; awarded Silver Star; Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1994-96; commanding general with 1st Infantry Division, 1992-1994; commander in chief of U.S. Southern Command, 1996-1997; commander in chief of U.S. European Command, NATO Supreme Allied Commander, 1997-2000; investment banker, 2000-2003; CNN military analyst, 2001-2003.

Campaign Web site: www.clark04.com.

Howard Dean

Born: Nov. 17, 1948, in New York City; grew up in East Hampton, N.Y.

Hometown: Burlington, Vt.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Yale University, 1971; medical degree, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, 1978.

Religion: Congregational.

Career: Completed medical school in three years rather than the traditional four and was sent to Vermont for his residency in 1978. In 1981, opened his medical practice in Shelburne, Vt., with another doctor. His wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg, joined the practice in 1985. Dean entered politics in 1980 as a volunteer for Jimmy Carter. Served in Vermont House, 1982-86. Elected lieutenant governor in 1986. Became governor in 1991 on death of Gov. Richard Snelling. Re-elected five times; served until January 2003.

Campaign Web site: www.DeanForAmerica.com

John Edwards

Born: June 10, 1953, in Seneca, S.C.; raised in Robbins, N.C.

Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, North Carolina State University, 1974; law degree, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1977.

Career: U.S. Senate, 1999-present; trial lawyer from 1977-97.

Religion: Methodist.

Campaign Web site: www.johnedwards2004.com

John Kerry

Born: Dec. 11, 1943, in Denver.

Hometown: Boston.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Yale University, 1966; law degree, Boston College, 1976.

Religion: Catholic.

Career: Served on a U.S. Navy gunboat in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Received Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts. Co-founder of the Vietnam Veterans of America, became a spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Assistant district attorney for Middlesex County, 1977-1979; attorney, 1979-1982. Elected Massachusetts lieutenant governor in 1982. Elected to U.S. Senate in 1984.

Campaign Web site: www.johnkerry.com.

Dennis Kucinich

Born: Oct. 8, 1946.

Hometown: Cleveland.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Case Western Reserve University; Master’s degree, Case Western Reserve University, 1973.

Religion: Catholic.

Career: Cleveland City Council, 1970-75, 1983-85; Municipal Courts Clerk, 1967-77; Cleveland Mayor, 1977-79; radio talk show host, lecturer, consultant, 1979-94; TV reporter, Cleveland, 1989-92; Ohio Senate, 1994-97; elected to Congress 1996 and re-elected 1998, 2000 and 2002.

Campaign Web site: www.kucinich.us

Joe Lieberman

Born: Feb. 24, 1942.

Hometown: New Haven, Conn.

Education: LLB, Yale Law School, 1967. BA, Politics/Economics, Yale University, 1964.

Religion: Jewish.

Military service: None.

Career: Senator, United States Senate, 1988-present. Candidate, Vice President of the United States, 2000. Attorney General, State of Connecticut, 1983-1989. Senator, Connecticut State Senate, 1971-1980, Majority Leader, 1975-1980. Democratic Nominee, United States House of Representatives, 1980. Partner, Lieberman, Segaloff & Wolfson, 1972-1983.

Campaign Web site: www.joe2004.com



Rev. Al Sharpton

Born: Oct. 3, 1954, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Hometown: New York.

Education: Attended Brooklyn College.

Religion: Christian.

Career: Began preaching at age 4; ordained a minister in 1964 at age 10; in 1969, started working for Jesse Jackson’s Operation Breadbasket; in 1973, became touring manager for singer James Brown; gained national attention in 1987 with his defense of Tawana Brawley, a black teenager who claimed to have been assaulted by a gang of whites; in 1991, founded civil rights group National Action Network; ran for New York state Senate in 1978, for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and 1994, and was a candidate for New York mayor in 1997.

Campaign Web site: www.al2004.org.

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