PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of the Irish Immigration Center.

During his distinguished political career, Gerard Doherty met with John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office, served as a campaign manager for Sen. Ted Kennedy and helped Jimmy Carter clinch the New York election that ultimately brought him to the White House. But throughout it all, the former Massachusetts State Representative and Democratic State Chairman has always called Charlestown home.
“The one thing that has always played a major role in my life and conditioning is my appreciation for the people in Charlestown who were always there when we needed help,” Doherty said to me during an interview at his law office in Boston’s Financial District last week.
Born on April 6, 1928, Doherty was raised in the Washington Street home that his maternal grandmother bought when she migrated from the North End to Charlestown after the death of her husband and where Doherty’s mother, Helen, also grew up. His father, Edward, was raised on Chauncey Place - now the site of the Bunker Hill housing development – and served as a Boston firefighter for more than 40 years.
Doherty attended St. Mary’s School, where he repeated the third grade because he was dyslexic. “Through luck and perseverance, I overcame it,” he said. Afterwards, he attended high school at Malden Catholic, where he was a star football player and was later named to the school’s football Hall of Fame.
In 1946, Doherty enrolled at Harvard and joined the freshman football team. He endured a shoulder injury during practice that continued to bother him in the following months. During his sophomore year, doctors ran a number of tests on Doherty and learned he was suffering from tuberculosis. As a result, Doherty was confined to a hospital bed in Saranac Lakes. N.Y., for the next two years, but not one to waste time idly, he taught himself Russian.
Doherty returned to Harvard in 1950 and signed up for the school’s Russian program before earning a graduate degree in health administration from Wayne State University in Detroit. He then returned to Charlestown to coach football.
At this time, tuberculosis carried a stigma much like AIDS does today, Doherty said, but he found comfort and acceptance in his hometown. “One of the things I’ve always been grateful to the people of Charlestown for is giving me a chance,” he said.
With the support of the community, Doherty entered the political arena and ran for state representative in 1954, but he lost the election by only 49 votes. Two years later, after an intensive campaign during which he visited 4,000 homes, Doherty beat the incumbent and won the seat. He would go on to serve four terms as a Massachusetts State Representative.
In 1955, Doherty married his wife, Marilyn, and soon afterwards, he enrolled at Suffolk Law School, where he befriended Judge Frank Morrissey, a friend and aide to Joseph Kennedy. When Joseph’s son, John F. Kennedy, was running for his third term as U.S. Senator in 1958, Morrissey handpicked Doherty to handle his signature drive.
“Lacking charisma and a bouncy personality, I had the good fortune of developing a good working crowd,” Doherty said.
Amid speculation that John F. Kennedy’s brother, Ted, would run for a senatorial seat in late 1961, Morrissey asked Doherty to set up a lunch meeting with a handful of legislators at LockOber, one of Boston’s premiere restaurants at the time, to garner support for Kennedy at the upcoming Democratic Convention. One of those in attendance was a South Boston native Billy Bulger, who was backing Kennedy rival and fellow South Boston resident Edward McCormick.
Bulger had told McCormick’s ally, “Sonny” Patrick McDonough, about the meeting and was advised to order the most expensive dish on the menu, the Lobster Savannah. Following McDonough’s advice, Bulger ordered the costly meal while the others opted for club sandwiches. Bulger, who was highly unresponsive when asked to show his support for Ted Kennedy, also made no effort to reach for his wallet when the bill arrived. After Ted Kennedy scraped enough money together to cover the bill, he quipped to Doherty, “We can’t afford them.”
Soon after a second, more successful function for Ted Kennedy at LockOber, Doherty returned home from a football game and his wife told him that someone imitating John F. Kennedy had called repeatedly during his absence. The caller turned out to be Ted, who invited Doherty to his home in Charles River Square and asked Doherty to travel with him during his campaign.
Doherty obliged Ted Kennedy’s request and was soon tapped to write a summary outlining Kennedy’s chances of winning over voters in each state district. Ted handed the summary over to John F. Kennedy, who, in turn, invited Ted and Doherty to the White House to review Doherrty’s analysis. In the Oval Office, Doherty briefed John F. Kennedy on his findings and was asked by the President to oversee the Democratic Convention.
Ted Kennedy was named to the Senate seat previously occupied by his brother, John, and asked Doherty to serve as Democratic State Chairman. Doherty honored the request and held the position from 1961 to 1967.
When Doherty wanted out of the Legislature in early 1967, he joined a law practice that included, among others, Billy Bulger. The following year, he was recruited as a consultant for the political campaign for John and Ted’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy. In March of 1968, Doherty flew out to Indiana and was able to gain the 5,000 signatures required for Kennedy’s eligibility for the primary in just five days.
On June 6, 1968, nearly five years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Doherty, who was on his way to run Robert’s campaign in New York the following day, learned the tragic news while watching the 11 o’clock news from his Charlestown home.
In 1976, Doherty was asked to run Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign, but he was reluctant because he didn’t want to burden his wife or secretary. He eventually agreed to run Carter’s campaign in New York at the request of Ted Kennedy. Carter beat the incumbent Gerald Ford in the election, securing his victory in the national election.
Doherty leads me through his office to a poster used in the New York campaign that featured the front page of the Daily News with the headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead” in reference to President Ford’s failure to provide federal funding to a nearly bankrupt New York City. Doherty recalls receiving a phone call from the newspaper’s editor who threatened to sue him over the unauthorized use of the Daily News piece. When the editor told Doherty that his attorney was away on vacation, however, he realized this was an idle threat.
While Doherty eventually declined Carter’s request to oversee his campaign in other states, Carter did send Doherty on a trade mission to Russia to look at housing and also selected him as one of the U.S. representatives to the Vatican following the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978.
Doherty bowed out of the political limelight following Carter’s presidency, but he did act as Thomas M. Menino’s chief fundraiser during his first bid for mayor in 1993, even going so far as to stand at the polls for him on Election Day.
Throughout his career, Doherty has committed himself to various philanthropic causes, many of which he continues to be involved in to this day. He serves as the co-chairman of the John F. Kennedy Library and a trustee at Suffolk University. Doherty also set up a scholarship fund for Charlestown boys who want to attend his alma mater Malden Catholic, and at his wife Marilyn’s request, he set up a similar endowment for local girls at Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Brighton.
In Charlestown, Doherty was instrumental in the establishment of both the John F. Kennedy Family Service Center and the MGH Charlestown HealthCare Center. He also worked to open the Emmons-Horrigan-O’Neil Skating Rink in the early ‘60s.
Today, Doherty focuses on his law practice, where he specializes in real estate development. Among the noteworthy projects he has been involved in are the Admiral’s Hill condos in Chelsea, as well as the redevelopment of the Vermont State Prison into housing. Due to a conflict of interests, Doherty said he doesn’t handle development in the City of Boston.
Looking back on his success, Doherty likens his good fortune to his childhood when he would ride the streetcar all over the city for just 5 cents.
“I’ll admit I’ve gone a long way on a nickel,” he said.

PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Mike Capuano (rear, third from left) is seen with Dr. Domenic Amara (far left), principal of the Warren-Prescott School; Danny Ryan (far right), Capuano’s district representative; and students. (Not pictured: Charlestown Lacrosse & Learning Center Executive Director Bob Cutler).

The day before Thanksgiving, Congressman Mike Capuano spoke with students at the Warren-Prescott School about his career in politics, as well as major issues now facing the nation.
The event, sponsored by the Charlestown Lacrosse & Learning Center, drew approximately 150 sixth-, seventh- and eighth graders to the school auditorium.
Capuano, now serving his fifth term as a Representative in Congress for Massachusetts' Eighth District, which includes Charlestown, told students how he was educated in Somerville, struggled to pay for college, married his high school sweetheart and now lives in a two-family home in his hometown.
“In many ways, I’m like the people I represent,” he said. “Most of us in public office are just like you.”
Capuano also emphasized to students the importance of hard work and enthusiasm in achieving their goals. “There are no limits to what to you can do if you put your mind to it and your heart into it,” he said.
While Capuano told students that he was a proud patriot, he admitted that he doesn’t always support U.S. policies.
“I think there are a lot of problems with America, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect it,” he said.
One shortcoming that Capuano cited was how the passage of the Patriot Act following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has resulted in the loss of civil liberties for Americans.
“There is no place in the world where we have more freedom of thought than the United States, but the terrorists won when the Patriot Act was passed,” he said.
Capuano said that although he doesn’t support an open-door policy for immigration, he believes that foreigners, like his ancestors, should be allowed to come to the U.S. to pursue better lives.
“Would you rather live in a country where people are trying to get in or a country where people are trying to leave?” Capuano put forth to the students.
After fielding questions from the audience, he distributed a copy of the Constitution to each child.
Charlestown Lacrosse Executive Director Bob Cutler was pleased that so many students turned out for Capuano’s appearance, which turned out to be both educational and informative.
“Initially, we wanted to [host Capuano] at the Lacrosse Center, but we figured this way, we could reach more kids and introduce them to the process of federal government,” Cutler said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Domenic Amara, principal of the Warren-Prescott School, was appreciative that Capuano visited the school and received such a spirited response from students.
“It was great of him to take time out to talk to the kids, and the kids had a number of poignant,” Amara said.

Shortly after the New Year, a new cluster administrator will assume the reigns at the Charlestown Community Centers, according to Boston Centers for Youth & Families spokesperson Sandy Holden.
Lifelong Charlestown Beth Burton will take on the role effective Jan. 2 and will be responsible for overseeing operations at all city-operated Charlestown Community Centers sites, including the Clougherty Pool, the Golden Age Canter and the facility at 255 Medford St. Burton previously served as BCYF director of operations, a position she held since July 2006.
Burton succeeds Bob McGann of the BCYF, who has performed cluster administrator duties since Mike Farma was transferred from the position on Dec. 1 of last year.

THANSGIVING DAY was again a special occasion in Charlestown as volunteers under the direction of Carol and Bob Sweeney, with funds provided by the Killilea Fund of Bunker Hill Post 26, The American Legion, prepared, served and delivered more than 75 meals. Preparations were handled in short order the night before the holiday as volunteers, ranging in age from young children to senior citizens, peeled cut fresh vegetables, and on Thanksgiving Day, delivery teams, who were able, came to the Legion Hall.
In the photograph on the left, the food is ready on Thanksgiving Day, and servers prepare to dish out the meal. Shown, left to right, are Andrea Spector, Ryan Sweeney holding daughter Raegan, Carol Sweeney holding grandson Ryan Jr., Bob Sweeney, Chairman of the Legion’s Killilea Fund Jim Conway Bob LaMattina and Lainey Scott.
In the center photograph, Charlestown Boys & Girls Club Teen Center’s Keystone members are shown with adult help. Front (left to right): Elizabeth Morton, Mary Rizzo and Peggy Sindoris. Rear (left to right): Katie Ryan, Liam Lynch, Bridget Callahan, Paul Dougherty and Lois Gallagher.
In the photograph on the right, ladies deliver meals. Pictured, left to right, are Franoine Hammersley, Andrea Higgins, Debbie Lang and Ann Connolly.

The Transportation Committee of the Charlestown Neighborhood Council held its first organizational meeting at the Knights of Columbus Hall last week with the intention of defining the group’s mission, objectives and scope.
The committee, which is chaired by Paul Clausen and includes fellow CNC representatives Bill Galvin, Judy Brennan, George Morton and Mike Charbonnier, as well as Charlestown Preservation Society Design Review Committee man Bill Lamb, was formed to examine the potential traffic impacts on Sullivan Square and Rutherford Avenue in light of large-scale developments proposed for the area, including the IKEA home furnishings store in Somerville’s Assembly Square.
“This committee will oversee the planning process and be the residents’ voice during planning process,” Clausen said.
Clausen said the committee would help oversee the $14.5 million dollar traffic study planned for Sullivan Square and spearheaded by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Boston Transportation Department and the Department of Public Works that will appropriate city, state and federal funding. This new study follows the Rutherford Avenue Corridor Study, which was completed by the Boston Transportation Department in 1999 and proposed two plans for making the road narrower via the elimination of traffic lanes.
While the 1999 study examined the area between City and Sullivan squares and the surrounding streets, Galvin said the scope should be expanded to include the North Washington Street and Gilmore bridges.
As for the Transportation Committee’s next order of business, Clausen suggested holding a public meeting at which pertinent city and state agencies would present tentative plans for the reconfiguration of Rutherford Avenue. He also said he would request a copy of the Request for Proposals before the project goes out to bid.