WASHINGTON -- John Kerry is often attacked by political opponents for being a wealthy, out-of-touch elitist.

But while he is quite wealthy, and has never been without at least a comfortable income and lifestyle, the presumptive Democratic nominee has experienced broader swings between the high life and pedestrian money concerns than the caricature suggests.

Indeed, from about 1984 through 1995, in between his marriages to two wealthy women and during his first years in the Senate, the father of two stretched dollars from paycheck to paycheck and borrowed money to cover tuition payments. He made financial decisions that indicate he was more willing to take financial hits than potentially career-damaging political ones.

During that period, dubbed his "gypsy" years by his current wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Mr. Kerry lived mostly on a government salary. Sometimes he bummed free lodging in Boston to see his daughters, Alexandra and Vanessa.

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In federal financial-disclosure reports, Mr. Kerry reported $395,338 in taxable income in 2003. His wife, who files separately and has an estimated net worth of $500 million, reported $5.1 million in income....

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In 1990, the Senate barred senators from accepting outside speaking fees. Mr. Kerry had often earned an extra $25,000 to $30,000 annually from speeches. He opened several lines of personal credit, some as large as $100,000, at Boston banks. His parents also provided a financial "safety valve" when times got tight, he says.

Mr. Kerry says he doesn't remember how much money he drew down from those lines...

Hilarious article. they're trying to make it sound like Kerry experienced the school of hard knocks. Basically, the article says: Between gigolo marriages, Kerry scraped by on the public dole, lived the life of a vagabond playboy, but never dirtied his hands by making a living in the real world. I think the best has to be Kerry seeking sympathy because he had to live the lifestyle of a lowly Congressman, rather than a Senator.

"In federal financial-disclosure reports, Mr. Kerry reported $395,338 in taxable income in 2003. His wife, who files separately and has an estimated net worth of $500 million, reported $5.1 million in income...."

And we're supposed to believe that these people will be good for the economy. Okay, you've got $500 million and your income for a whole year is $5.1 million? What a loser. My 16 year old could do 5 times better than that.