Mitch McConnell's Claim About John Kerry's Nicaragua Visit Mostly True

Strategic Insights -

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appeared on CNN's State of the Union on March 15, 2015, to discuss the letter to Iran's leaders signed by 47 Republican senators. During the show, McConnell referenced a 30-year-old episode involving then-Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and his visit to Nicaragua in 1985. McConnell stated that Kerry flew to Managua, met with communist dictator Daniel Ortega, and accused the Reagan administration of engaging in terrorism.

This visit came at a time when Nicaragua's communist strongman, Daniel Ortega, was being challenged by a U.S.-aligned rebel movement known as the Contras. The Associated Press covered Kerry's comments in an April 16, 1985, dispatch, stating that Kerry and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) planned to visit Nicaragua to express their concerns about the U.S. repeating the mistakes of Vietnam in Central America. Kerry and Harkin ultimately did visit Nicaragua, meeting with Ortega and other local leaders.

Upon further investigation, we found two inaccuracies in McConnell's claim. The first inaccuracy was that Kerry made his statements before flying to Managua, not after. The AP article provided evidence that Kerry made his statement in the days before the trip, not after. The second inaccuracy was that McConnell slightly exaggerated Kerry's use of the word "terrorism." Kerry actually said that the Reagan administration was "funding terrorism to overthrow governments of other countries," whereas McConnell stated that Kerry "accused the Reagan administration of engaging in terrorism."

Despite these minor inaccuracies, McConnell's claim is mostly true, and we rate it as such.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, referenced a 30-year-old episode involving Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) visit to Nicaragua in 1985 on NBC's Meet the Press.
  • During the visit, Kerry met with Nicaragua's communist dictator, Daniel Ortega, and accused the Reagan administration of engaging in terrorism.
  • Kerry and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) planned to visit Nicaragua to express their concerns about the U.S. repeating the mistakes of Vietnam in Central America.
  • The Associated Press covered Kerry's comments in an April 16, 1985, dispatch, providing evidence that Kerry made his statements before flying to Managua.
  • McConnell slightly exaggerated Kerry's use of the word "terrorism," stating that Kerry "accused the Reagan administration of engaging in terrorism," whereas Kerry said the administration was "funding terrorism to overthrow governments of other countries."

Statistics:

  • 30 years passed between Kerry's Nicaragua visit in 1985 and McConnell's reference to it on CNN's State of the Union in 2015.
  • 87% of the Senate GOP caucus, including McConnell, signed the letter to Iran's leaders, prompting the controversy.
  • The Reagan administration's funding of the Contras was a contentious issue during the 1985 Nicaragua visit.
  • 2 inaccuracies were found in McConnell's claim: the timeline and the exact phrasing of Kerry's charge against the Reagan administration.

Sources:

  • Mitch McConnell, comments on CNN's State of the Union, March 15, 2015
  • Associated Press, "Kerry, Harkin, to Nicaragua," April 16, 1985
  • Washington Post, "Senate Approves, House Defeats 'Contra' Aid; Two Alternatives to President's Plan on Nicaragua Are Scheduled for Vote Today," April 24, 1985
  • PolitiFact, "Limbaugh: Ted Kennedy undercut Reagan with back-door line to Soviets," March 13, 2015
  • Email interview with Don Stewart, spokesman for Mitch McConnell, March 16, 2015