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Arab Americans and John Kerry

Posted on Tuesday June 22, 2004

Sen. John Kerry with James Shaer

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has a long-standing relationship of cooperation and respect with the Arab American community, beginning at home, where he enjoys strong suport among the 175,000 Arab Americans living in all fourteen Masscahusetts counties.

Arab Americans can be found throughout Senator Kerry’s campaign, from high-level campaign staff to the most active volunteers. Judge William Shaheen led Kerry’s successful New Hampshire campaign during the Democratic primaries, and former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen serves as Kerry’s National Campaign Chair.

And Arab Americans are making contributions to Senator Kerry’s efforts not only in the campaign, but in his Senate office as well. James Shaer served Senator Kerry for over 16 years. He began as a volunteer for Kerry’s 1982 campaign for Lieutenant Governor. In Kerry’s Senate office, Shaer worked his way up from a mid-level staffer in to a Senior Advisor. Leigh O’Neill, another proud Arab American and granddaughter of the legendary Congressman and former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, serves in Kerry’s Senate office spearheading his Arab American outreach effort.

Sen. John Edwards with Florida ALC Council member Taleb Salhab

During his tenure in the Senate, Kerry has received support from Arab Americans for his strong defense of civil liberties, security at home, and a balanced foreign policy. He has been responsive to the concerns of Arab Americans on a number of important issues, including the governmental overreach of some post-September 11 policies as well as the manner in which the war in Iraq has been conducted.

During the primary season, Kerry visisted America’s oldest mosque located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also gave a rousing speech at AAI’s National Leadership Conference in Dearborn, Michigan in October 2003. Kerry told the assembled Arab American leaders that “the story of Arab Americans is the story of America, an immigrant people whose hard work and beliefs have made this nation great. It is the story of hundreds of thousands of Arab Americans who came through Ellis Island, as my own grandparents on my father’s side of the family did, and who settled all over our country. It’s the story of soldiers, and statesmen, and scientists, who created the America that we love.”