John Kerry is spending his final day as a United State Senator thanking the people of Massachusetts. Events were scheduled in the state’s three largest cities, with the farewell tour beginning in Springfield.
After 28 years representing Massachusetts in the United States Senate John Kerry said closing that chapter of his career is bittersweet.
Kerry addressed a crowd of 100 people in the boardroom at the YWCA in Springfield. The audience had many current and former elected officials, including at least a half dozen mayors, Democratic political activists and friends of the soon-to-be US Secretary of State.
As he did when he spoke for the last time in the Senate chamber Wednesday, Kerry said he would miss being a senator, especially the satisfaction that comes from constituent service.
Kerry said he wanted to tour the state Thursday and conclude with a speech at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall to deliver one simple message to the people of Massachusetts.
Kerry, who first come to national prominence as a Vietnam War veteran protesting the war, was elected Massachusetts Lt Gov in 1983. He was first elected to the senate in 1986. He was the Demorcratic party’s nominee for President in 2004. Now, as Secretary of State he is out of politics. He was asked if he might return to it someday.
Candy Glazer of Longmeadow , a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, and a long time friend and supporter of Kerry’s said she was thrilled with his appointment as Secretary of State.
Kerry was saluted in Springfield Thursday for his support of the anti-poverty program YouthBuild. It has grown from a single location in Harlem in 1992 to more than 275 programs in 45 states and several countries. YouthBuild founder and CEO Dorothy Stoneman said Kerry saw to it that each year there was a federal appropriation for the program.
Kerry said he was proud to be known as the “ senator of YouthBuild.”
