Kerry Would Be Third-Richest U.S. President

[sleipnir]

By Dan Ackman

It is difficult to compare personal wealth across historical periods, but below is our best estimate of the relative net worths of the richest five U.S. presidents. The rankings are based on our own calculations and extensive interviews with presidential historians.

Rank Name Party Term
1. George Washington Federalist 1789-1797
2. John F. Kennedy Democrat 1961-1963
John F. Kerry* Democrat NA
3. Andrew Jackson Democrat 1829-1837
4. Lyndon B. Johnson Democrat 1963-1969
5. Herbert Hoover Republican 1929-1933

* Candidate.
NA: not applicable.


Sen. Kerry, like the last JFK from Massachusetts to serve as commander in chief, is also extremely wealthy. We estimate his family fortune at $525 million, which would make him, if elected, the third-richest president ever. But the key word is "family." The Kerry money comes from his wife, Theresa Heinz Kerry, who inherited it from her late husband, Sen. John Heinz III of the Heinz food family.

This puts Kerry in a situation somewhat similar to President Kennedy's. President Kennedy's father, Joseph, and his mother, Rose, were both still alive when JFK was in office and when he was assassinated, so John never inherited even a share of the Kennedy family fortune, which we estimated to be worth $850 million at its height in 1990.


http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/13/cx_da_0213kerry.html

[DrFunkenstein]

1. Bitchin'

My guess is he'd probably be #1 on the list of Presidents with the coolest cars!

[JVS]

3. No way, did you ever see the Lincoln that Kennedy died in?

The Ford museum in Dearborn has one of those and it is such a cool car. Those 61 Lincolns were sweet.

[TheDonkey]

17. What's JK's car look like?

Just like the post with all the canidates houses, that would be cool to see their cars.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Wasn't Clinton essentially the poorest President ever?

What's GW's approximately net worth BTW?

[David Dunham]

5. GWB has about $10 million.

[2004Donkeys]

7. I want to say Carter. And Clinton has started to amass worth.

n/t

[RobertSeattle]

9. But Carter owned that Peanut Farm Business

So that must have been some wealth. Clinton didn't own anything - not even a house before becoming President. As the RW'ers would often say, he lived in "Government Housing" (Arkansas Governor Mansion)

[nightperson]

24. This article

has some info on the approximate net worths of various candidates-http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/printer-friendly.aspx?aid=1.

[David Dunham]

4. Kerry Will Be The Tallest President Ever, TOO!!

[ShaneGR]

6. Lincoln

I believe was 6'4", same as Kerry. But I'm not positive on that.

[DrFunkenstein]

11. I Think Kerry's 6'3 With The New Haircut

[AP]

8. This study is confusing. I think they say that Wash would

be worth 400 mil today, but say that he's richer than Kerry who's worth more than that.

As for JFK, he was only worth 10 mil when he was president, 1/10th of what LBJ was worth at that time, and they impute his family's wealth on him, which they say was 850 mil at its peak in 1990. What was it worth in 60 (in today's dollars)?

[sallyseven]

10. 10 Million

was big money in those days. My husband was only earing 10,000. that year.

[AP]

15. LBJ was worth 100 mil at that time, which is, apparently, less

than what Kerry's worth today in today's dollars.

Yet they have Kennedy ranked higher than Kerry and LBJ.

I read somewhere else that Kerry would be the wealthiest man ever to run for president, and be president, and I believe that's the case.

[leyton]

21. Perhaps they consider it Teresa's money?

As I understand it, most of the Kerry fortune is Teresa Heinz's money. Perhaps the study didn't count there combined fortunes but only his half or the money he brought to the marriage?

Although that doesn't make all that much sense either, since Washington married into money. Maybe back then there was less of the separation of finances?

[nightperson]

23. For questions about

"how much is that worth today?" I usually turn to this site-http://www.eh.net/ehresources/howmuch/dollarq.php. I'll now stay out of it and let those better informed on Washington, LBJ etc. go wild.

[trotsky]

12. I wonder where FDR would appear on that list.

I'm kind of surprised he's not in the top 5.

[nator311]

13. How is LBJ on this list?

I thought he was just a school teacher before entering congress. I don't believe that his family had that much money either.

[sleipnir]

14. Uh...the huge Texas ranch???

He was loaded, with the ranch and the oil and everything.

[AP]

19. No. The Austin TV station.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi nator311!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Guava Jelly]

16. even drudge has this on his page

and you know how great a reporter and kerry fan he is,.

[AP]

20. Because it blurs class distinctions which Dems will need to make

with Bush.

Actually, it reverses class distinctions. It makes it look like Bush is more in touch with the average American.

This is going to be a killer come November if Kerry is nominated.

[oasis]

18. George Washngton married into money when he wed Martha.

[Killarney]

22. How much does Bush have?

Bush himself and the Bush Dynasty?

Anyone know?

[Killarney]

25. ?

[Jacobin]

27. Gee. that's funny. I hadn't heard that the Carlyle Group is broke

Smirkco is obviously vastly wealthy.