Craig Crawford

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Craig Crawford (b. 1956) is a writer and television political commentator based in Washington D.C., a columnist for Congressional Quarterly, and the author of The Politics of Life: 25 Rules for Survival in a Brutal and Manipulative World, and Attack the Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against the Media.

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[edit] Background

Craig Crawford was born in Owensboro, Kentucky.[1] His family moved to Orlando, Florida, where his parents, Toby and Bill Crawford, encouraged his interest in public affairs. While attending Oak Ridge High School, Craig developed an early devotion to Richard Nixon despite his parents allegiance to the Democratic party.[citation needed] While still in high school, Crawford served as a page to Republican Senator Ed Gurney.[2] His devotion to the GOP lasted until the Watergate scandal.[citation needed]

In 1974, while attending Stetson University, Crawford worked on the Jimmy Carter presidential campaign.[3] After the 1976 election, Crawford transferred to American University in Washington to intern in the Carter White House press office. Crawford graduated from Stetson University (1978) and Stetson University Law School (1981). He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1982. [4]

[edit] Career

While beginning his law practice, Crawford worked for Democratic candidates John Glenn and Walter Mondale. In 1982, he ran as a Democratic candidate for Florida’s state legislature. Crawford joined the staff of the Orlando Sentinel in 1985 as a legal affairs and politics reporter. In 1989, he moved to the paper's Washington bureau. In 1997, Crawford left the Sentinel to run The Hotline until 2003, when he joined Congressional Quarterly leading to his current work for NBC, CNBC and MSNBC.

Crawford was a regular contributor to the John Batchelor and Paul Alexander radio show, broadcast from WABC - AM, New York. He also appeared on the CBS Early Show as a political contributor. The television work brought him to the attention of Don Imus, where Crawford is a frequent guest on the Imus in the Morning radio/tv simulcast.

In 2005, Crawford released the book "Attack The Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against The Media" which talks about "the role of politicians in taking advantage of that public distrust of the media"[5]

In the 2008 Presidential campaign, Crawford drew attention for his vigorous defense of Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton.[6] [7] On Jan 26, 2008, for example, Crawford said, " I really think the evidence-free bias against the Clintons in the media borders on mental illness." [8]

[edit] Works

  • Attack the Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against the Media.(2005) ISBN 0-7425-3816-8
  • The Politics of Life: 25 Rules for Survival in a Brutal and Manipulative World] (2007) ISBN 0-7425-5250-0 - a kind of updated Machiavelli according to the author's homepage.[9]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Craig Crawford
  2. ^ Craig Crawford
  3. ^ Stetson's H@tMail - March 2006
  4. ^ Craig Crawford Joins Team of Political Bloggers and Columnists on CQ Politics
  5. ^ 'Attack The Messenger', Craig Crawford On 'How Politicians Turn You Against the Media' - CBS News
  6. ^ Media Matters - Craig Crawford: "[M]any of us in the media tend to gang up on the Clintons"
  7. ^ Media Matters - Scarborough called Crawford "only guy" defending Bill Clinton's Jackson comment - ignoring Jackson himself
  8. ^ Media Matters - Craig Crawford: "[T]he evidence-free bias against the Clintons in the media borders on mental illness"
  9. ^ CrawfordsList.com 05/2007.