Craig Crawford (born 1956) is a writer and television political commentator based in Washington, D.C., a columnist for Congressional Quarterly, and the author of Listen Up Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (with co-author Helen Thomas), 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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Craig Crawford was born in Owensboro, Kentucky.[1] During his childhood, Crawford moved with his family to Orlando, Florida, where he attended Pineloch Elementary School and Oak Ridge High School.[2] His parents, Tabitha and Bill Crawford, encouraged his interest in public affairs.[3] When he was nine years old, Crawford had the opportunity to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson.[2] While still in high school, Crawford served as a page to Republican Senator Ed Gurney.[3] In 1974, while attending Stetson University, he worked on Jimmy Carter's 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 College of Law (1981). He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1982.[4]
While beginning his law practice, Crawford worked for Democratic candidates John Glenn and Walter Mondale. In 1982, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Florida’s state legislature as a Democrat. Crawford joined the staff of the Orlando Sentinel in 1985 as a legal affairs and politics reporter.[3] 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.[5]
Crawford publicly resigned from MSNBC on March 5, 2010. In the comments section of his Congressional Quarterly blog, he wrote, "i [sic] simply could not any longer endure being a cartoon player for lefty games."[6]
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.[7][8] 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." [9]
Craig Crawford is the most prominent member of the media to launch a grass roots campaign to raise money for Haiti disaster relief. Via his Trail Mix Blog, Mr. Crawford has raised close to $75,000 to provide Shelter Boxes to earthquake victims, shelter over 900 Haitians for up to 6 months in durable tents with enough food, clean water and other necessities to survive.[10]
He currently is featured in a series of Web videos about Washington politics for Congress.org, a Web site run by the CQ-Roll Call Group.[11]
Crawford is openly gay.[12] Since 1987 he has lived with his partner David Blank, Deputy Communications Director, Alliance for Retired Americans.
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