Jack Germond
Encyclopedia
Jack Worthen Germond is an American journalist
, author
, and pundit
.
. When he was 13, his family moved to Mississippi, and then to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
, where Germond finished high school. After attending Louisiana State University
for one semester, he served in the U.S. Army in 1946-47, returning to college on the GI bill and then graduating from the University of Missouri
with degrees in journalism and history.
Germond began his career working for Gannett's Rochester Times-Union
in 1961. He moved to the Washington Star
in 1974, became a syndicated columnist and national editor, and went on to The Baltimore Sun when the Star folded. He began to appear on Meet the Press
in 1972, the Today Show in 1980, and the NBC and PBS program The McLaughlin Group
from its inception in 1981.
Despite having been a television personality for decades, Germond has cultivated an image of being an old-fashioned newspaper reporter, somewhat disdainful of slick TV types, and who likes to visit the horse racing
track and enjoy the occasional drink
.
A fixture on The McLaughlin Group for 15 years before abruptly resigning, Germond now appears on CNN
, and appeared for a time on the PBS program Inside Washington
.
His political opinions are generally liberal, and he is an atheist.
for five years, Mandy died at age 14. Jessica (now Jessica Moreland) is a pediatrician who does clinical work and research.
In 1984, Germond met political activist and Democratic campaign party operative Alice Travis. Germond and his wife Barbara subsequently divorced, and in 1988, he and Alice Travis married. Alice Travis Germond has two children from a prior marriage: David Travis and Abigail Travis
, and is the current Secretary of the Democratic National Committee
. Germond resides with his wife in Charles Town, West Virginia
on the bend of the Shenandoah River.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and pundit
Pundit (politics)
A pundit is someone who offers to mass media his or her opinion or commentary on a particular subject area on which they are knowledgeable. The term has been increasingly applied to popular media personalities...
.
Life and career
Germond was born in Boston, Massachusetts, an only child and raised in a striving middle-class household in Boston and Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. When he was 13, his family moved to Mississippi, and then to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, where Germond finished high school. After attending Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
for one semester, he served in the U.S. Army in 1946-47, returning to college on the GI bill and then graduating from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
with degrees in journalism and history.
Germond began his career working for Gannett's Rochester Times-Union
Rochester Times-Union
The Times-Union was a widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area for 79 years. It was published as an afternoon daily counterpart to the morning Democrat and Chronicle under the ownership of Gannett when it ceased operations in 1997...
in 1961. He moved to the Washington Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
in 1974, became a syndicated columnist and national editor, and went on to The Baltimore Sun when the Star folded. He began to appear on Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
in 1972, the Today Show in 1980, and the NBC and PBS program The McLaughlin Group
The McLaughlin Group
The McLaughlin Group is a syndicated half-hour weekly public affairs television program in the United States, where a group of five pundits discuss current political issues in a round table format. It has been broadcast since 1982, and is currently sponsored by MetLife...
from its inception in 1981.
Despite having been a television personality for decades, Germond has cultivated an image of being an old-fashioned newspaper reporter, somewhat disdainful of slick TV types, and who likes to visit the horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track and enjoy the occasional drink
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
.
A fixture on The McLaughlin Group for 15 years before abruptly resigning, Germond now appears on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and appeared for a time on the PBS program Inside Washington
Inside Washington
Inside Washington is a political roundtable show hosted by WJLA news anchor and chief political reporter Gordon Peterson. It is produced by Allbritton, owner of WJLA, and distributed to PBS stations nationwide by American Public Television...
.
His political opinions are generally liberal, and he is an atheist.
Personal life
Germond and his first wife, Barbara Wipple, a fellow student at the University of Missouri, were married shortly after he graduated in 1951. They had two daughters, Mandy and Jessica. In 1977, after battling leukemiaLeukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
for five years, Mandy died at age 14. Jessica (now Jessica Moreland) is a pediatrician who does clinical work and research.
In 1984, Germond met political activist and Democratic campaign party operative Alice Travis. Germond and his wife Barbara subsequently divorced, and in 1988, he and Alice Travis married. Alice Travis Germond has two children from a prior marriage: David Travis and Abigail Travis
Abby Travis
Abby Travis is an American musician, songwriter, and performer. She is the daughter of Alice Travis Germond, the current Secretary of the Democratic National Committee and Emmy award winning cameraman Larry Travis.Abby Travis began her performance career in 1986 as the bassist in Los Angeles band...
, and is the current Secretary of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
. Germond resides with his wife in Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
on the bend of the Shenandoah River.
With Witcover
- Blue Smoke & Mirrors: How Reagan Won and Why Carter Lost the Election of 1980, Viking Press (1981);
- Wake Us When It's Over: Presidential Politics of 1984, Macmillan (1985)
- Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988, Warner Books (1989)
- Mad As Hell: Revolt at the Ballot Box 1992, Warner Books (1992)
Solo
- Fat Man in A Middle Seat: Forty Years of Covering Politics, Random House (2002)
- Fat Man Fed Up: How American Politics Went Bad, Random House (2004)
External links
- Official Random House list of his books
- Germond, Jack. "A Cold, Hard Look", Washingtonian, January 1, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.
- Germond, Jack. "A Look at Presidential Contender Gaffes", Washingtonian, September 1, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.
- Booknotes interview with Germond and Witcover on Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars?, August 27, 1989.