Kerry, John
/ˈkerē
/ (1943-), US politician and statesman; secretary of state since 2013; full name John Forbes Kerry. A Massachusetts Democrat, he served in the US Senate 1985–2013 and was the Democratic candidate for president in 2004. During his service in Vietnam, he was a highly decorated naval commander. He was a prosecutor in Massachusetts and then served as lieutenant governor 1982–1984.