Congrats to Vanessa Kerry for being awarded a Fulbright Grant. And I concur with James Joyner, the issue of such a grant is more than one of money, it is an academic competition and there is a prestige factor that is beyond money.
Further, there is no reason that Vanessa Kerry (or her siblings or the Bush daughters, for that matter) should be denied the right to pursue their personal goals like normal people with non-high-profile parents.
Full disclosure: I won a Fulbright Grant to do my dissertation work in Colombia, so perhaps I am biased. Although I will say that at the time the main issue was the money, because sans grant there would have been no research trip.
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August 16th, 2004 at 3:10 pm
And Bogota is much cheaper to live in than London.
August 16th, 2004 at 7:12 pm
Vanessa Kerry winning the Fulbright just cheapened my son’s winning one last year. Her money and influence got her into all the right schools. Her parents could certainly have paid for her study abroad. I just think about the person who didn’t win because of her. I am not naive enough to think that it was a blind competition.
August 16th, 2004 at 7:49 pm
As I recall, there was no identifying information on that actual proposal form. However, it has been about ten years, so my memory may be faulty/things may have changed.
I would submit, however, that even if she did receive special treatement, I don’t see how that would cheapan your son’s accomplishment. Indeed, wouldn’t it enhance it since he clearly did not get it through influence?
Furher, plenty of people with money, influence and who get into the right still fail. Regardless of one;s politcs, it is cler that Mr. Kerry’s daughters have talents and abilities in their own right and it seems to me to be overly critical of them serves no purpose.
August 16th, 2004 at 10:11 pm
Kerry’s Daughter Wins Fellowship
You’re never too rich to suck a little money off the federally funded tit…KETCHUM, Idaho — Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has announced that his daughter Vanessa has won a Fulbright scholarship to study medicine in London. Vanessa Kerry…
August 16th, 2004 at 11:26 pm
she had no business in the competition. She has the wherwithal to do it on her own dime. Regardlesss of her quality, money wins out, and her’s should strike her from the list
August 16th, 2004 at 11:39 pm
Kerry: Fullbright Scholar
In the running subplot of the election, Kerry Sisters vs. Bush Twins, Vanessa Kerry scored a major accomplishment. “Kerry Daughter…
August 31st, 2004 at 4:11 pm
Why should she be forced to live off of her parent all her life? She accoplished this by herself, by working harder than the average person who didnt get it.
September 3rd, 2004 at 1:50 pm
maybe your son’s winning it cheapened vanessa kerry’s winning one. I’m so sick of ignorant people that attack her just because of who her family is…let the record show that vanessa kerry is a very smart girl (who is probably smarter than your golden child son…quit being ignorant and let her enjoy her accomplishment
October 5th, 2004 at 8:55 am
Simply because Vanessa Kerry’s family has the money to pay for her to study in London for a semester does not mean that she is not entitled to every opportunity that everyone else is. A fulbright scholarship is based on one’s intelligence, and clearly Ms. Kerry proved that she possessed the intelligence to be awarded such an honor without help from her family or friends. Why would you want to deny her the opportunity simply because she comes from a wealthy family? Perhaps people should spend less time worrying about the wealth she comes from and listen more to the message she professes to colleges around the country.
October 16th, 2004 at 12:31 pm
I have not really seen you but what i hear about makes me happy and. You should not drop your courageous work and i believe things works oyt for good
October 16th, 2004 at 12:32 pm
Just work hard for your dad victory
October 27th, 2004 at 8:44 am
no matter what your politics, i think its important to appreciate Ms. Kerry’s accomplishments and talents as her own, not as the good fortune of her family. She is her own person, and no one else could have gotten that grant for her, regardless of the affluence of her mother and father. I currently attend the prep school that Vanessa Kerry did, Phillips Andover, and i must tell you that here, at least, money doesnt matter. we come from all walks of life, and to say that some are more deserving of educational opportunities than others, just based on money, is an insult to everyone, rich or poor, who works and studies hard at school for chances like a Fulbright grant.