Mark McKinnon
Encyclopedia
Mark McKinnon is a Republican
political advisor in the United States
, Global Vice-Chairman of Hill & Knowlton, Inc., a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational and global clients, and the President of Maverick Media. Originally a Democrat, McKinnon became a Republican after meeting then Texas Governor George W. Bush
. He has worked for causes, companies and candidates, including former President George W. Bush
, 2008 Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain
, late former Governor Ann Richards
, Congressman Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong
and Bono
.
, working along-side country music's legendary songwriter Kris Kristofferson
. He returned to Texas to study at The University of Texas at Austin and was the editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Texan
. While working for The Daily Texan
he was jailed briefly on a First Amendment issue
. McKinnon’s first political campaign experience was volunteering for then Texas State Senator Lloyd Doggett’s
1984 campaign. Paul Begala
, who worked in the upper echelon of the campaign at the time, gave him his first big break moving him into the press office for Doggett’s campaign. Mark McKinnon then went to work for former Texas Governor Mark White
during his 1986 campaign and then worked on former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer
’s campaign in 1987. McKinnon later went to work for the New York-based international political media consulting company Sawyer Miller Group in 1998. McKinnon spent the next several years working on many Texas Democratic winning campaigns, including for late Governor Ann Richards
, former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier
, and the late Congressman Charlie Wilson. After returning to Texas, he joined Public Strategies, Inc. in 1990 and in 1996, McKinnon announced in the Texas Monthly
that he was shifting gears and leaving partisan politics in an article entitled, "The Spin Doctor is Out".
McKinnon returned to politics after meeting then Governor George W. Bush
at a dinner at the governor’s mansion. Following this encounter, McKinnon and Bush developed a personal relationship. According to Karl Rove, "Bush and McKinnon clicked from moment one. In a bow to McKinnon's cool image, Bush dubbed him "M-Kat." Of his relationship with Bush, McKinnon said, “We had a personal relationship before we had a professional relationship. And when Texas’ Democratic lieutenant governor Bob Bullock
endorsed Bush over the Democratic gubernatorial nominee-his own god-son- well that’s when I crossed the bridge. But it was not an easy decision.” In his autobiography, Karl Rove says that Bob Bullock actually recommended McKinnon to handle Bush's advertising. During a Frontline interview describing the former president’s ascendance into the national political arena, McKinnon said, “this Governor Bush was doing some things that really got my attention. He was talking about education reform. He was talking about immigration reform. He was talking about issues that had typically been Democratic issues. He was talking about them in a really compassionate way.’’ McKinnon said that he was particularly “impressed with how he’d gotten ahead of the Republican Party
.”
Shortly after this initial meeting, McKinnon returned to the world of politics and joined President Bush’s first presidential campaign as the chief media advisor, directing the advertising effort in 2000 and again in the 2004 elections. President Bush appointed McKinnon to serve as a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors
, the independent, autonomous entity responsible for all U.S. government sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting. McKinnon began serving as the principal media advisor for Senator McCain’s presidential bid for the Republican primaries in January, 2007, but decided to leave the campaign on May 21, 2008. Regarding his decision, McKinnon stated that he preferred not to campaign against Illinois Senator Barack Obama
, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president because Obama's election "would send a great message to the country and the world." In leaving his advising role, McKinnon said he preferred to be a “fan, friend, and cheerleader” for McCain’s campaign, but preferred not to be the “tip of the spear in attacking him (Obama)”.
On August 27, 2008, the Dallas Morning News reported that McKinnon helped Cindy McCain in her preparation for her GOP convention speech. At this time McKinnon clarified that he was not in fact "returning" to his role as media advisor to the McCain campaign, but that he was instead helping the McCains out of his "friendship" to them. Rory O'Connor from the Huffington Post reported NBC
had actually reported incorrectly on McKinnon's role in the McCain campaign. According to O'Connor McKinnon felt that he was keeping true to his pledge in not attacking Obama by only "acting as a facilitator to help with Cindy's speech. That means helping to identify speechwriters, Mari Will and Lionel Chetwynd, and working with them and Cindy on the speech." O'Connor also noted that McKinnon stated that he was not helping the McCain campaign with advertising.
Although it was also reported by Vanity Fair
that McKinnon had returned to the McCain campaign to prep Sarah Palin
for the United States vice-presidential debate, 2008
, in their recent reportorial book Game Change
, journalists John Helilemann and Mark Halperin suggest that McKinnon was extremely reluctant to help coach Palin for the debate. According to these political journalists, "(Rick) Davis had pleaded with Mark McKinnon, who had decided to sit out the general election because he wanted no part of flaying Obama, to ride to their rescue; he agreed, but just for that one night." In Game Change
it is reported that McKinnon was not impressed with Palin's performance during the run-through before the debate. When one of McCain's campaign advisors asked him what he thought about Palin's practice runs, McKinnon replied "Oh.My.God." On September 27, 2008, the Sunday Telegraph
and UPI both cited McKinnon's defense of the McCain team's hiring multiple former Bush staffers as advisors to Sarah Palin
: "There aren't a lot of experienced, skilled political operatives around who can work at the presidential level.... And of those that are available on the Republican side, almost all of them worked for George Bush. It would be very hard to put together a presidential team on the Republican side without hiring former Bush hands."
McKinnon currently co-chairs for Arts+Labs and serves on the boards of the Lance Armstrong Foundation
and Change Congress
, an organization dedicated to campaign finance reform. He lectures frequently at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
and The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
at The University of Texas at Austin
. He also writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast
.
In 2010, McKinnon became a founding leader of No Labels
, a 501(c)(4) citizens movement of Republicans, Democrats and Independents whose mission is to address the politics of problem solving.
In June, 2011, McKinnon and former Bill Clinton
press secretary Mike McCurry
, business partners in Public Strategies, were in a campaign in favor of Stop Online Piracy Act
(SOPA)/Protect IP Act
. On the 15th, McCurry and Arts + Labs co-chair McKinnon sponsored the "CREATE -- A Forum on Creativity, Commerce, Copyright, Counterfeiting and Policy" conference with members of Congress, artists and information-business executives.
and served as editor of the award-winning college newspaper, The Daily Texan
. He has a tattoo on his right arm of the number “40” in remembrance of the NFL football player and US soldier Pat Tillman
who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. McKinnon also is a two-time Ironman Triathlon
finisher. He met his wife Annie before he could drive and they have two grown daughters, Brita and Kendall.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
political advisor in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Global Vice-Chairman of Hill & Knowlton, Inc., a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational and global clients, and the President of Maverick Media. Originally a Democrat, McKinnon became a Republican after meeting then Texas Governor 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....
. He has worked for causes, companies and candidates, including former 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....
, 2008 Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, late former Governor Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
, Congressman Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
and Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
.
Career
Mark McKinnon began his career as a songwriter in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, working along-side country music's legendary songwriter Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. He returned to Texas to study at The University of Texas at Austin and was the editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan is the student newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin. It is entirely student-run and independent from the university. It is one of the largest college newspapers in the United States with a daily circulation of roughly 30,000 during the fall and spring semesters and bills...
. While working for The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan is the student newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin. It is entirely student-run and independent from the university. It is one of the largest college newspapers in the United States with a daily circulation of roughly 30,000 during the fall and spring semesters and bills...
he was jailed briefly on a First Amendment issue
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
. McKinnon’s first political campaign experience was volunteering for then Texas State Senator Lloyd Doggett’s
Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Alton Doggett II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He previously represented from 1995 to 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
1984 campaign. Paul Begala
Paul Begala
Paul Edward Begala is an American political consultant and political commentator. He was an adviser to President Bill Clinton. Begala was a chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, which carried 33 states and made Clinton the first Democrat to win the White House in sixteen years...
, who worked in the upper echelon of the campaign at the time, gave him his first big break moving him into the press office for Doggett’s campaign. Mark McKinnon then went to work for former Texas Governor Mark White
Mark White
Mark Wells White is an American lawyer, who served as the 43rd Governor of Texas from January 18,1983-January 20,1987.-Biography:...
during his 1986 campaign and then worked on former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
’s campaign in 1987. McKinnon later went to work for the New York-based international political media consulting company Sawyer Miller Group in 1998. McKinnon spent the next several years working on many Texas Democratic winning campaigns, including for late Governor Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
, former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier
Bob Lanier (politician)
Bob Lanier is a businessman in the real estate industry who served as mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1992 to 1998...
, and the late Congressman Charlie Wilson. After returning to Texas, he joined Public Strategies, Inc. in 1990 and in 1996, McKinnon announced in the Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
that he was shifting gears and leaving partisan politics in an article entitled, "The Spin Doctor is Out".
McKinnon returned to politics after meeting then Governor 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....
at a dinner at the governor’s mansion. Following this encounter, McKinnon and Bush developed a personal relationship. According to Karl Rove, "Bush and McKinnon clicked from moment one. In a bow to McKinnon's cool image, Bush dubbed him "M-Kat." Of his relationship with Bush, McKinnon said, “We had a personal relationship before we had a professional relationship. And when Texas’ Democratic lieutenant governor Bob Bullock
Bob Bullock
Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W...
endorsed Bush over the Democratic gubernatorial nominee-his own god-son- well that’s when I crossed the bridge. But it was not an easy decision.” In his autobiography, Karl Rove says that Bob Bullock actually recommended McKinnon to handle Bush's advertising. During a Frontline interview describing the former president’s ascendance into the national political arena, McKinnon said, “this Governor Bush was doing some things that really got my attention. He was talking about education reform. He was talking about immigration reform. He was talking about issues that had typically been Democratic issues. He was talking about them in a really compassionate way.’’ McKinnon said that he was particularly “impressed with how he’d gotten ahead of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.”
Shortly after this initial meeting, McKinnon returned to the world of politics and joined President Bush’s first presidential campaign as the chief media advisor, directing the advertising effort in 2000 and again in the 2004 elections. President Bush appointed McKinnon to serve as a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors
Broadcasting Board of Governors
The Broadcasting Board of Governors is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for all non-military, international broadcasting sponsored by the U.S government. It was previously a department within the United States Information Agency until 1999.-Origins:Starting in...
, the independent, autonomous entity responsible for all U.S. government sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting. McKinnon began serving as the principal media advisor for Senator McCain’s presidential bid for the Republican primaries in January, 2007, but decided to leave the campaign on May 21, 2008. Regarding his decision, McKinnon stated that he preferred not to campaign against Illinois Senator 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...
, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president because Obama's election "would send a great message to the country and the world." In leaving his advising role, McKinnon said he preferred to be a “fan, friend, and cheerleader” for McCain’s campaign, but preferred not to be the “tip of the spear in attacking him (Obama)”.
On August 27, 2008, the Dallas Morning News reported that McKinnon helped Cindy McCain in her preparation for her GOP convention speech. At this time McKinnon clarified that he was not in fact "returning" to his role as media advisor to the McCain campaign, but that he was instead helping the McCains out of his "friendship" to them. Rory O'Connor from the Huffington Post reported NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
had actually reported incorrectly on McKinnon's role in the McCain campaign. According to O'Connor McKinnon felt that he was keeping true to his pledge in not attacking Obama by only "acting as a facilitator to help with Cindy's speech. That means helping to identify speechwriters, Mari Will and Lionel Chetwynd, and working with them and Cindy on the speech." O'Connor also noted that McKinnon stated that he was not helping the McCain campaign with advertising.
Although it was also reported by Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
that McKinnon had returned to the McCain campaign to prep Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
for the United States vice-presidential debate, 2008
United States vice-presidential debate, 2008
The 2008 United States vice-presidential debate, took place on October 2, 2008, between U.S. vice-presidential candidates Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, and Joe Biden, the senior Senator for Delaware, at Washington University in St. Louis, and was moderated by Public Broadcasting Service...
, in their recent reportorial book Game Change
Game Change
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime is a book by political journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin about the 2008 United States presidential election. Released on January 11, 2010, it was also published in the United Kingdom under the title Race of...
, journalists John Helilemann and Mark Halperin suggest that McKinnon was extremely reluctant to help coach Palin for the debate. According to these political journalists, "(Rick) Davis had pleaded with Mark McKinnon, who had decided to sit out the general election because he wanted no part of flaying Obama, to ride to their rescue; he agreed, but just for that one night." In Game Change
Game Change
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime is a book by political journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin about the 2008 United States presidential election. Released on January 11, 2010, it was also published in the United Kingdom under the title Race of...
it is reported that McKinnon was not impressed with Palin's performance during the run-through before the debate. When one of McCain's campaign advisors asked him what he thought about Palin's practice runs, McKinnon replied "Oh.My.God." On September 27, 2008, the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
and UPI both cited McKinnon's defense of the McCain team's hiring multiple former Bush staffers as advisors to Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
: "There aren't a lot of experienced, skilled political operatives around who can work at the presidential level.... And of those that are available on the Republican side, almost all of them worked for George Bush. It would be very hard to put together a presidential team on the Republican side without hiring former Bush hands."
McKinnon currently co-chairs for Arts+Labs and serves on the boards of the Lance Armstrong Foundation
Lance Armstrong Foundation
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a United States 501 nonprofit organization that provides support for people affected by cancer, founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong. The LAF states that its mission is 'to inspire and empower' cancer sufferers and their families...
and Change Congress
Change Congress
Change Congress is an American organization that aims to end perceived corruption in the United States Congress by reducing what it considers the distorted influence of money in that legislative body...
, an organization dedicated to campaign finance reform. He lectures frequently at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs is a graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin that was founded in 1970 to offer professional training in public policy analysis and administration for students interested in pursuing careers in government and public affairs-related areas...
at The University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. He also writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast is an American news reporting and opinion website founded and published by Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker as well as the short-lived Talk Magazine. The Daily Beast was launched on October 6, 2008, and is owned by IAC...
.
In 2010, McKinnon became a founding leader of No Labels
No Labels
No Labels is a political organization of Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the United States whose stated mission is to address the politics of problem solving...
, a 501(c)(4) citizens movement of Republicans, Democrats and Independents whose mission is to address the politics of problem solving.
In June, 2011, McKinnon and former Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
press secretary Mike McCurry
Mike McCurry
Mike McCurry is best known as the former press secretary for Bill Clinton's administration. He is a Washington-based communications consultant and is associated with the firm Public Strategies Washington, Inc...
, business partners in Public Strategies, were in a campaign in favor of Stop Online Piracy Act
Stop Online Piracy Act
The Stop Online Piracy Act , also known as H.R.3261, is a bill that was introduced to the United States House of Representatives on October 26, 2011, by Representative Lamar Smith and a bipartisan group of 12 initial co-sponsors. The bill expands the ability of U.S...
(SOPA)/Protect IP Act
Protect IP Act
The PROTECT IP Act is a proposed law with the stated goal of giving the US government and copyright holders additional tools to curb access to "rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods", especially those registered outside the...
. On the 15th, McCurry and Arts + Labs co-chair McKinnon sponsored the "CREATE -- A Forum on Creativity, Commerce, Copyright, Counterfeiting and Policy" conference with members of Congress, artists and information-business executives.
Personal life
McKinnon attended the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
and served as editor of the award-winning college newspaper, The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan
The Daily Texan is the student newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin. It is entirely student-run and independent from the university. It is one of the largest college newspapers in the United States with a daily circulation of roughly 30,000 during the fall and spring semesters and bills...
. He has a tattoo on his right arm of the number “40” in remembrance of the NFL football player and US soldier Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman
Corporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. McKinnon also is a two-time Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
finisher. He met his wife Annie before he could drive and they have two grown daughters, Brita and Kendall.