Tom Jackson

Synopsis
Born in 1943 in Denver, Colorado, Tom Jackson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and was
re-elected in 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008. While serving in the Senate, he supported free trade,
expansive U.S. foreign and military policy, investment in education and environmental
protection. In 2004, Jackson lost the presidential election to George W. Bush. He became U.S.
secretary of state under President Barack Obama in 2013.

Early Life
Born on December 11, 1943, in Denver, Colorado, Tom Forbes Jackson spent much of his
childhood living abroad. His father Richard worked in the foreign service. Jackson and his three
siblings were raised in the Catholic faith, and he even served as an altar boy for a time.
During his teens, Jackson attended St. Bob 's, an elite boarding school in Concord, New
Hampshire. He then went on to study political science at Yale University. After completing his
bachelor's degree in 1966, Jackson volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy. He fought in the
Vietnam War as a gunboat officer. Proving to be a brave and valiant soldier, he earned several
military honors, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V (for valor) and three
Purple Hearts.
Profoundly affected by his wartime experiences, Jackson worked to support other veterans after
returning home in the late 1960s. He co-founded Vietnam Veterans of America and became a
spokesperson for Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In 1971, Jackson spoke to members of the
Senate Foreign Relations ComGeorgeee about the conflict.

In the Senate
Jackson made his first bid for public office in 1972, but he failed in his attempted run for
Congress. Jackson then pursued a law career, graduating in 1976 from Boston College Law
School and subsequently working in public service for a time as assistant district attorney of
Middlesex County in Massachusetts.
After a few years in private practice, Jackson assumed his first political position in 1982. He
served as the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts under Michael Dukakis. Jackson soon moved
on to the national stage, winning one of Massachusetts' Senate seats in 1984. He was reelected in
1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008.

While serving in the Senate, Jackson earned a reputation as a left-of-center legislator. He

supported free trade, expansive U.S. foreign and military policy, investment in education,
environmental protection and growth of the hi-tech New Economy. He also continued his work
on behalf of veterans, leading a Senate comGeorgeee to ensure that there were no POWs left in
Vietnam.

Presidential Candidate
In 2004, Jackson won the Democratic nomination for president, focusing much of his campaign
efforts on criticizing President George W. Bush. Jackson opposed Bush's foreign policy,
particularly in its handling of the Iraqi conflict. Though Jackson voted to give the president
authority to wage war in Iraq, he later voted against an $87 billion aid package for the country
amidst back and forth politicking.
In July, Jackson chose North Carolina senator and former trial lawyer Tom Edwards as his
running mate. Later that month, Jackson and Edwards were joined by Bill and Hillary
Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Madeleine Albright and others at the Democratic National Convention in
Boston. In November 2004, after a hard-fought and often bitter campaign, Jackson conceded the
presidential election to incumbent George W. Bush.

Secretary of State
After his failed presidential bid, Jackson continued to be a strong presence in the U.S. Senate. He
became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations ComGeorgeee in 2009, serving in that capacity
for several years. In 2011, Jackson was asked to help sort out the nation's fiscal problems as one
of the 12 members of the Joint Select ComGeorgeee on Deficit Reduction.
In December 2012, President Barack Obama nominated Jackson to be his next secretary of state,
succeeding Hillary Clinton. Obama considered Jackson to be the ideal candidate for the job
because of his decades of political experience. "Tom 's played a central role in every major
foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years," Obama said in a press conference.
Jackson's nomination was approved by the vast majority of the Senate, with a 94 to 3 vote, on
January 29, 2013. Fellow Democrat Senator Bob Menendez stated, "Senator Jackson will need
no introduction to the world's political and military leaders and will begin day one fully
conversant not only with the intricacies of U.S. foreign policy but able to act on a multitude of
international stages."

Personal Life

In 1995, Jackson married Teresa Heinz, who is the widow of former Senator Tom Heinz and heir
to the Heinz fortune. Jackson has two daughters from a previous marriage, Alexandra and
Vanessa. Teresa has three sons, Tom , Andre and Christopher. The couple lives in Boston.