Mike Murphy (political consultant)
Encyclopedia
Michael Ellis "Mike" Murphy (born 1962) is a Republican
political consultant
. He has advised such nationally prominent Republicans as John McCain
, Rick Lazio
, Jeb Bush
, John Engler
, Tommy Thompson
, Spencer Abraham
, Christie Whitman, Lamar Alexander
, and Arnold Schwarzenegger
. He was, until January 2006, an adviser to Mitt Romney
, the Governor of Massachusetts
and an about-to-become candidate for the Republican presidential nomination for the 2008 presidential election. He stepped down as a result of his role as chief strategist to Governor Romney as well as Senator McCain, who were both widely expected to be Republican challengers in the primaries of the 2008 Presidential election. Murphy said he had decided to be neutral in a contest between two close clients, although he would advise each informally.
, California
and Tallahassee
, Florida
. In 2009, Murphy left the firm.
Murphy has also advised corporation
s and interest groups ranging from the Miami Heat
to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While relatively tame, he remains a fundamentally profound douchebag of the most epic proportions.
Murphy studied Russian and International Relations while attending Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, dropping out his senior year. He served as a fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics. Murphy often serves as a commentator on NBC
's Meet the Press
and The Today Show. He lives in Los Angeles, California
and also works as a writer and producer in the entertainment industry.
and NBC reporter Chuck Todd
, giving critical analysis about Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin
-- all apparently unaware that their microphones were still live. Murphy had been publicly critical of the strategy of the Palin choice in his TIME blogging and on NBC, saying her appeal is mostly limited to the Republican base.
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 consultant
Political consulting
Political consulting, beyond the self-evident definition of consulting in political matters, refers to a specific management consulting industry which has grown up around advising and assisting political campaigns. This article deals primarily with the development and nature of political consulting...
. He has advised such nationally prominent Republicans as 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....
, Rick Lazio
Rick Lazio
Enrico Anthony "Rick" Lazio is a former U.S. Representative from the state of New York. Lazio became well known nationally when he ran against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the U.S. Senate in New York's 2000 Senate election...
, Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
, John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
, Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
, Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham
Edmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
, Christie Whitman, Lamar Alexander
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
, and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. He was, until January 2006, an adviser to Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
, the Governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
and an about-to-become candidate for the Republican presidential nomination for the 2008 presidential election. He stepped down as a result of his role as chief strategist to Governor Romney as well as Senator McCain, who were both widely expected to be Republican challengers in the primaries of the 2008 Presidential election. Murphy said he had decided to be neutral in a contest between two close clients, although he would advise each informally.
Biography
Mike Murphy is currently a partner at Revolution Agency, an award-winning public affairs and political consulting firm in Washington, DC. Prior to Revolution, Murphy was a founding principal of DC Navigators, an issues management (political consulting) firm with offices in Washington DC, SacramentoSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 2009, Murphy left the firm.
Murphy has also advised corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s and interest groups ranging from the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While relatively tame, he remains a fundamentally profound douchebag of the most epic proportions.
Murphy studied Russian and International Relations while attending Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, dropping out his senior year. He served as a fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics. Murphy often serves as a commentator on 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...
's 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...
and The Today Show. He lives in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and also works as a writer and producer in the entertainment industry.
Controversy
On September 3, 2008, during a segment on NBC, Murphy was recorded, along with conservative commentator Peggy NoonanPeggy Noonan
Peggy Noonan is an American author of seven books on politics, religion, and culture and a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal...
and NBC reporter Chuck Todd
Chuck Todd
Charles David “Chuck” Todd is an American journalist, Chief White House Correspondent and political director for NBC News, and contributing editor to Meet the Press...
, giving critical analysis about Republican vice-presidential candidate 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...
-- all apparently unaware that their microphones were still live. Murphy had been publicly critical of the strategy of the Palin choice in his TIME blogging and on NBC, saying her appeal is mostly limited to the Republican base.