Kerry shakes off rumours about 'relationship'

Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry today moved to quash potentially catastrophic rumours linking him to an intern.

Right-wing news web site The Drudge Report – which broke the Monica Lewinsky scandal – claimed yesterday that a woman close to Senator Kerry recently left America at his behest.

But when asked about the issue on MSNBC radio show, Imus in the Morning, Senator Kerry said today: “There is nothing to report, nothing to talk about. There’s nothing there. There’s no story.”

The woman in question is reported to be an intern who worked for the married father-of-two after previously working as a journalist for the Associated Press in New York.

Her parents are believed to live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and she is thought to have gone to Africa.

The scandal allegations were explained away by democratic sources as Republican dirty tricks.

But internet columnist Matt Drudge claimed Kerry’s former rival for the Democratic nomination, General Wesley Clark, told reporters in an off-the-record conversation last week: “Kerry will implode over an intern issue“.

In a separate twist former Nato commander Clark is to endorse Kerry, a Senator from Massachusetts.

Drudge claimed that Time magazine, ABC News, The Washington Post and The Associated Press had been investigating her relationship with Kerry in recent days.

Decorated Vietnam veteran Kerry is married to Theresa Heinz Kerry, the wealthy heiress to the food empire.

Born on December 11, 1943 in Denver, Colorado he has two children from his first marriage, and three step-children with his current wife.

Drudge claimed a close friend of the mystery woman approached a reporter late last year claiming “fantastic stories“.

He also suggested that behind-the-scenes panic in the Kerry camp was prompting one-time campaign front-runner, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, to ratchet up his attacks on Kerry in the past few days.

Drudge said that explained why Dean decided to reverse his decision to drop out of the race if he failed to win the Wisconsin primary on February 17.

Senator Kerry, from Massachusetts, is currently the runaway favourite to win the Democratic ticket to run against President George Bush in November.

He has won 12 of the 14 state primaries and caucuses held so far.

The Kerry campaign headquarters has remained tight-lipped, refusing to comment on the claims.

Ms Heinz-Kerry, widow of Pennsylvania Senator John Heinz, who was killed in a 1991 air crash, is known for her outspoken views

She once told Elle magazine she warned her first husband on the subject of adultery: “If you ever get something, I’ll maim you. I won’t kill you. I’ll maim you.”