Grossman was co-chairman of Kerry's 1996 Senate re-election effort and has known him 34 years.

CNN: Dean campaign faces disarray

But Senator John Kerry, co-sponsor of the Senate bill, said Mr Obama's move could have an impact on domestic politics.

BBC: Obama vows greenhouse gas emissions cuts

My colleague, Kerry Bodine, co-author of the book Outside-In: The Power Of Putting Customers At The Center Of Your Business and an expert in customer experience published a blog post in November 2012 that talked about the importance of employee empowerment and the need to design the employee experience in the same way that you design the customer experience.

FORBES: Measuring Workforce Experience

Slayer, co-founded by Hanneman and Kerry King, became one of the "big four" thrash metal groups of the 1980s, along with Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica.

BBC: Jeff Hanneman, Slayer guitarist, dies at 49

Kerry Kitchin, a friend since school and co-founder of Novel Magazine, said Mr Halpin had a "sociable nature".

BBC: Film-maker Lee Halpin death: Two men arrested

Rep. William Lacy Clay (Mo.), a Gephardt ally who co-chaired his presidential campaign, said while his friend has raised money and campaigned for Kerry whenever asked, Gephardt isn't in the business of campaigning for the vice presidency.

ECONOMIST: Gephardt's Low-Key Path to VP