Scott McConnell

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Scott McConnell (born 1952) is an American journalist best known as the current editor of The American Conservative.

After receiving a Ph.D in history at Columbia University, McConnell became active in politics and worked on the presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter in 1976. Shortly after this, however, he became attracted to the neoconservative movement, and began writing for publications such as Commentary and National Review. During the first half of the 1990s McConnell was editorial page editor for the New York Post. McConnell was fired from the Post in 1997 for publishing an editorial opposing statehood for Puerto Rico.

He has since distinguished himself as by far the leading neocon defector to the broadly defined paleoconservative movement, becoming a prominent supporter of Pat Buchanan. After spending many years as a columnist for the New York Press and Antiwar.com, in 2002 he collaborated with Buchanan and Taki Theodoracopolous in founding The American Conservative, a magazine which has served as a powerful voice for conservatives opposed to the policies of George W. Bush.

At the end of 2004, McConnell became the sole editor of TAC, presumably after a widespread negative reaction to Buchanan's reluctant endorsement of Bush's re-election. McConnell had written forcefully in favor of John Kerry's candidacy.

McConnell has also written about the power of the pro-Israel Lobby in American politics, arguing in March 2007 that many voices in intellectual circles and in the blogosphere are speaking up against the negative tactics and effects of pro-Israel groups.