President Kerry Would Be Greatly Influenced by "X Files"

Might Choose Television Program's Producer as CIA Head

Aides and close associates of Sen. John Kerry, widely expected to be the Democratic presidential candidate, say that a President Kerry is likely to be heavily influenced by the television program "The X Files" when it comes to national security matters.

"Jack has been a huge fan of the 'X Files' for years and he is particularly absorbed, perhaps even obsessed, with the Cigarette Smoking Man character," said a Kerry confidante, who asked not to be identified. "He sees CSM as a metaphor for many of the senior people at the FBI and CIA who direct American national security operations almost as they see fit, while watching presidential administrations come and go."

Another Kerry associate claims that the candidate has met secretly a half dozen times with Chris Carter, the Hollywood television producer who created the "X Files". The meetings took place in Washington as well as other secret locations around the country so as to assure that Carter and Kerry did not become publicly linked, the associate said. Kerry sometimes wore a disguise.

He said that the two talked at length about Carter's views on what the problems are within the various national security agencies and the extent to which he thinks the agency's highest career officials are driven by conspiracy theories.

"I would not be surprised to see Carter appointed to a senior post in a Kerry Administration, maybe National Security Advisor or director of the CIA," the associate said.

"The X Files", which debuted on Fox Television in the mid-1990s and became a huge cult hit, ran for nine seasons and included a feature length film. The series is now in re-runs on BBC television in Great Britain.

At the core of the admittedly convoluted "X Files" plot is a secret, long-term conspiracy within the United States government in which an international group working with aliens seeks to gain control of the human race. The group carries out alien abductions of humans to gauge their ability to carry alien genetic material. The goal is to convert humans into an alien slave race.

The "X Files" action revolves around two FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who try to unravel the conspiracy. Mulder is played by David Duchovny, Scully by Gillian Anderson.

Sen. Kerry is said by campaign staff members to unwind after a hard day by watching DVDs of "X Files" episodes. Some staffers have grumbled that during flights between campaign stops when Kerry should be working on a speech or otherwise preparing for the next rally, he instead is watching an 'X Files" rerun.

Some campaign staffers have also noted a slight resemblance between Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, and Gillian Anderson. Mrs. Kerry is widely seen as a key campaign strategist.

Staffers also say that during relaxed moments Kerry loves to play "X Files" trivia games with those on the staff who also are "X Files" devotees.

For example, Kerry might say, "What is 'memento mori'?"

The correct answer, according to the program's cultists, would be that it was the title of an episode in Season Four and that it is a Latin phrase meaning "remember, you must die."

"X Files" fans have long cataloged some of the subtle (and not so subtle) touches in the programs, such things as newspaper headlines that appear in the backgrounds of various scenes.

"The senator has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the newspaper headlines," said an aide, who is also an "X Files" fan. "I think his favorite is probably the squirrel headine."

The headline: Girl Raised by Squirrels for 15 Years Found Begging for Peanuts in Park.

Several staffers said that Kerry's recent decision to hire a telepathic parrot as a campaign advisor struck them as a logical addition to the staff, given his "X Files" fascination.

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