John DiIulio
Encyclopedia
John J. Dilulio Jr. is a political scientist. He currently serves as the Frederic Fox Leadership Professor of Politics, Religion, and Civil Society and Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania
. Previously, he served as the first director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
under President George W. Bush
from early 2001 to August 2001. He was the first senior Bush advisor to resign and was succeeded by Jim Towey
. In a letter written a little over a year after resigning (that later was printed in Esquire
), he wrote that while "President Bush is a highly admirable person of enormous personal decency," his governing style allowed certain staffers, referred to as "Mayberry Machiavelli
s," to "[steer] legislative initiatives or policy proposals as far right as possible." In late 2008 and early 2009, DiIulio consulted with the transition team of President Barack Obama
regarding the restructuring of the White House faith-based initiative.
DiIulio has authored numerous studies on crime, government, and the relationship between religion and public policy. He is also the co-author of the widely used textbook American Government with James Q. Wilson
, which was reviewed by the publisher and the College Board
after the discovery of factual inaccuracies and allegations of conservative bias regarding issues such as global warming
, school prayer
, and gay rights. Among those who criticized the textbook was James E. Hansen, the director of NASA
's Goddard Institute for Space Studies
, who wrote to the publisher that the book contained "a large number of clearly erroneous statements" which cause "the mistaken impression that the scientific evidence of global warming is doubtful and uncertain."
He is also credited with coining, or at least popularizing, the term (and concept of) "superpredators" in reference to juvenile violent crime in the early 1990s.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Previously, he served as the first director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, formerly the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is an office within the White House Office that is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.-Under George W. Bush:OFBCI was...
under President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
from early 2001 to August 2001. He was the first senior Bush advisor to resign and was succeeded by Jim Towey
Jim Towey
Jim Towey served as Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and as Assistant to President George W. Bush from 2002 to May 2006. He served as president of Saint Vincent College, a small Catholic university in Latrobe, Pennsylvania from 2006 until stepping down on...
. In a letter written a little over a year after resigning (that later was printed in Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
), he wrote that while "President Bush is a highly admirable person of enormous personal decency," his governing style allowed certain staffers, referred to as "Mayberry Machiavelli
Mayberry Machiavelli
Mayberry Machiavelli is a satirically pejorative phrase coined by John J. DiIulio Jr., Ph.D., a former George W. Bush administration staffer who ran the President's Faith-Based Initiative...
s," to "[steer] legislative initiatives or policy proposals as far right as possible." In late 2008 and early 2009, DiIulio consulted with the transition team of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
regarding the restructuring of the White House faith-based initiative.
DiIulio has authored numerous studies on crime, government, and the relationship between religion and public policy. He is also the co-author of the widely used textbook American Government with James Q. Wilson
James Q. Wilson
James Q. Wilson is an American academic political scientist and an authority on public administration. He is a professor and senior fellow at the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy at Boston College....
, which was reviewed by the publisher and the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
after the discovery of factual inaccuracies and allegations of conservative bias regarding issues such as global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, school prayer
School prayer
School prayer in its common usage refers to state-approved prayer by students in state schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, organized prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited...
, and gay rights. Among those who criticized the textbook was James E. Hansen, the director of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Goddard Institute for Space Studies
The NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies , at Columbia University in New York City, is a component laboratory of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Earth-Sun Exploration Division and a unit of The Earth Institute at Columbia University...
, who wrote to the publisher that the book contained "a large number of clearly erroneous statements" which cause "the mistaken impression that the scientific evidence of global warming is doubtful and uncertain."
He is also credited with coining, or at least popularizing, the term (and concept of) "superpredators" in reference to juvenile violent crime in the early 1990s.