Steve Schmidt Biography

Steve Schmidt has played a significant role in American politics and helped negotiate some of the most high-stakes corporate crises and business strategy difficulties of our time as a counselor to world leaders, CEOs, celebrities, and political movements over the last two decades. Schmidt is recognized for his top roles advising President George W. Bush, presidential contender Senator John McCain, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and is widely regarded as one of the most respected strategists and incisive voices in American politics. Schmidt's commentary on the American political climate has landed him "square in the middle of our national soul," according to national media outlets, who have dubbed him a "damage control master," credited him with dramatic turnarounds of left-for-dead political campaigns, and said his commentary on the American political climate places him "square in the middle of our national soul." He is one of the nation's most plugged-in political operators, exclusively represented by the Leading Authorities speaking bureau, who provides an honest look at today's headlines and breaks down what the newest political news means for stakeholders on Main Street, Wall Street, Capitol Hill, and beyond. Schmidt took over much of Senator John McCain's presidential campaign activities in 2008 when the candidate was deemed no longer viable, and he was eventually credited with converting McCain "from corpse to contender." Schmidt was subsequently portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the award-winning film Game Change, which was based on the 2008 presidential campaign. Schmidt was the campaign manager for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election victory in 2006. According to polling data, Schmidt helped restore Californians' trust in the direction of their state by leading the campaign from a 6-point deficit to a 17-point victory. The American Association of Political Consultants named him "Campaign Manager of the Year" for his efforts. Schmidt was a senior consultant to C-suite decision-makers of multinational businesses, professional sports franchises, high-profile non-profit organizations, and academic institutions at Edelman, where he served as Vice Chairman. During President George W. Bush's administration, he worked as Deputy Assistant to the President, where he played a key role in the confirmations of two US Supreme Court Justices, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justice Samuel Alito. Schmidt was also asked by the United States Ambassador to Iraq in 2005 to examine and enhance communications in the country's combat zone. Prior to that, he worked as a senior strategist for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004. Schmidt is a well-known and recognized commentator on global issues and trends, as well as the Trump presidency and American politics, and he appears frequently on national news shows, such as those on MSNBC. He is a regular speaker at colleges and universities and was a resident fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. He was a political commentator for MSNBC in the past. He is a founding fellow of the Center for Political Communication at the University of Delaware, which he attended, along with Obama campaign manager David Plouffe. Schmidt is a member of the JUST Capital Board of Directors and the Pac Pro Football League's Advisory Board.

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