John F. Kerry (D) Massachusetts is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We know him well in the Greater Lowell environs – as a war hero, an anti-war activist, the Democratic nominee for congress from the 5th district, as an assistant district attorney for Middlesex County, as Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth and now as our senior senator. For over 40 years we’ve watched John Kerry – the Democratic nominee for President who lost in 2004 who has now settled into an influential role as legislative bridge builder, international troubleshooter and party elder statesman. Much has been written – much has been commented and observed of Kerry from the Lexington Green and the campaign days of 1972 through his presidential run and his hopes for the diplomatic prize – Secretary of State. Today’s NYTimes Magazine article sheds a little more light on our senior senator – as he is today.

James Traub a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine traveled with Senator John Kerry as he visited to Afghanistan and Pakistan in May. Kerry prefers these diplomatic trips be done with just one or two aides and definitely not with a reporter along. Traub writes of this trip and his views of Senator Kerry here. The article is worth a read.