John Kerry caught in 1972 election scandal-brother breaks into rival’s campaign office

All the senator’s men, coming to a theater near you: Film `exposes’ Kerry’s ’72 loss
By Elisabeth J. Beardsley
Wednesday, July 14, 2004

A rich booster of President Bush [related, bio] will unveil a documentary about Democrat John F. Kerry [related, bio] days before his convention coronation - sparking cries of political shenanigans'' over its focus on Kerry's sole campaign defeat 32 years ago.     Three days before the Democratic National Convention's kickoff, more than 200 political and media glitterati are expected at the premiere ofEclipsed by the Sun: The Political Education of John Kerry [related, bio],’’ which details Kerry’s 1972 congressional loss and the role of news coverage by The Sun of Lowell in his demise.
Democrats are alarmed the film by Christopher Egan - who has raised more than $200,000 for Bush - aims to create a Watergate-style frenzy over a 32-year-old scandal in which Kerry’s brother, Cameron, and an aide were arrested for breaking into a rival’s campaign headquarters.
That's typical political shenanigans,'' charged Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.I mean, my question to him is, Chris, have you ever done anything wrong in your life?’’
Egan, son of top Republican fund-raiser and former ambassador to Ireland Richard Egan, said the 28-minute film is no hatchet job, but rather a timely tale of Kerry’s struggle with a skeptical blue-collar community and an onslaught by an arch-conservative newspaper.
Fairness is in the eyes of the beholder,'' Egan said.I did it as a documentarian, which is an honest representation of the facts of something historical.’’
The Kerry campaign declined requests for documentary interviews, Egan aides said. Kerry aides did not return calls yesterday.
Besides Egan, the film doesn’t include any Republicans, but rather features interviews with journalists, politicians and activists who were involved - who paint a harsh picture of a race Kerry admits he bungled by not responding to The Sun’s charges.
In the opening shot, Kerry stands on an Iowa stage six months ago and says the 1972 race taught him the most valuable political lesson he ever learned. I made the great mistake of thinking you didn't have to defend yourself,'' Kerry says.     The film repeats buzzwords that irk Democrats who worry about Kerry's Brahmin background -opportunist,’’ son of privilege,''darling of the liberal elite’’ and ``sense of entitlement.’’
Egan said he paid for the film out of his own pocket, but would not say how much it cost - noting he’s negotiating with local and national networks to air the film during the next three weeks.