Bios - Panel 3: Democrats 2004
Steve Elmendorf, Chief of Staff to Rep. Dick Gephardt
Steve Elmendorf is chief of staff to House Democratic Leader Richard A. Gephardt. As chief of staff he is responsible for developing the long-term political and policy strategy for Gephardt and the House Democrats. He became chief of staff in January of 1997. Prior to that, Mr. Elmendorf was deputy chief of staff to Gephardt from July, 1992.
Before working for Gephardt, Mr. Elmendorf was chief of staff to Rep. Dennis Eckart (D-OH), deputy chief of staff to Sen. Brock Adams (D-WA) and a member of the national field staff of the “Mondale for President” campaign. He is a 1982 graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and a native of Madison, New Jersey.
Steven J. Jarding, New American Optimists, representing Sen. John Edwards
Steven J. Jarding has an undergraduate degree in political science and communications from the University of South Dakota and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Oklahoma. At South Dakota, he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and in 1978 received the University’s Kimmel Award for Excellence in Political Reporting. Mr. Jarding worked in the state senate of South Dakota and published several papers for the Legislative Research Bureau at the University of South Dakota before coming to the Carl Albert Center. In the fall of 1986, he served as executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party during then-Rep. Tom Daschle’s successful run for the U.S. Senate and current U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson’s first run for Congress. Mr. Jarding’s get out the vote effort in those elections attracted national attention. At the University of Oklahoma, he was named Outstanding Political Science Graduate Student in 1987.
After completing his master’s degree, Mr. Jarding served Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) in a variety of capacities including deputy chief of staff and spokesperson. During Kerrey’s 1992 presidential campaign, he served as national press secretary for the campaign. He held a similar position in Kerrey’s 1988 and 1994 U.S. Senate campaigns. Mr. Jarding was communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, D.C. from 1995-1996.
Citing his work at the DSCC, Roll Call magazine named Steve Jarding one of the “50 most influential” political people in Washington in September 1996. In 1997, he served as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, helping him set up his Senate operation. In 1998 with Sen. Kerrey, Mr. Jarding helped create BACKPAC, Building America’s Conscience and Kids PAC, designed to assist candidates for office whose priority is creating opportunities for and building wealth in children.
Mr. Jarding recently served as campaign manager for Virginia Governor Mark Warner in a winning effort against Republican Mark Earley. Mr. Jarding is currently with New American Optimists, the political action committee of Sen. John Edwards (D-NC). In addition to his work in the political arena, Mr. Jarding has taught government and politics at the University of Oklahoma, George Mason University, and American University.
Joel P. Johnson, The Harbour Group, representing Sen. Tom Daschle
Joel Johnson is co-founder and managing director of The Harbour Group, LLC. In this role, he leads a staff of professionals in crafting and implementing legislative strategy, developing communications messages and campaigns, and delivering crisis management solutions for both political and corporate clients worldwide. Mr. Johnson brings a distinguished career in government, politics and strategic communications to The Harbour Group.
Prior to founding The Harbour Group, Mr. Johnson completed his appointment as President Clinton’s senior advisor for policy and communications. In this capacity, he was charged with coordinating the message and communications strategies designed to promote the administration’s legislative and policy goals. As a member of the President’s team of core advisors, Johnson’s responsibilities required an intricate working knowledge of government and the media at the highest levels.
Mr. Johnson also has a depth of experience in public policy and strategic communications on Capitol Hill. When Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle was elected Minority Leader in 1994, Mr. Johnson was appointed the staff director for the Senate Democratic Leadership, serving as Daschle’s chief legislative and communications advisor for five years. Previously, he served the House Democratic Leadership as executive director of the Democratic Study Group, held senior staff positions on the Senate Labor and Human Resources and Judiciary Committees, and was chief of staff to Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum of Ohio.
Jim Jordan, representing Sen. John Kerry
Jim Jordan recently stepped down as executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a national party committee created by Democratic U.S. senators to support Democratic nominees to the U.S. Senate. He now serves as a strategic consultant to Sen. John Kerry in his 2004 presidential campaign. In the past, Mr. Jordan has served as communications director for the DSCC, the House Judiciary Committee Democrats, the Senate Governmental Affairs Democrats, Sen. John Kerry and former Sen. Robert Toricelli, and the campaign of Sen. Tim Johnson.
Steve McMahon, Trippi, McMahon & Squier, representing Gov. Howard Dean
Steve McMahon is an attorney and a partner at the Democratic media firm of Trippi, McMahon & Squier. McMahon got his start in politics on the Senate and political staff of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, where he served as assistant press secretary and later, as deputy director of Kennedy’s PAC, the Fund for a Democratic Majority.
McMahon began working as a political strategist and media consultant in 1987, when he became vice-president of Doak, Shrum and Associates, a Democratic media firm. While at DSA, McMahon worked on presidential, senate, gubernatorial and mayoral campaigns across the country, including Richard Gephardt’s 1988 presidential campaign, David Dinkins’s 1989 campaign for mayor of New York City, the re-election campaigns of Senators Paul Simon (IL) and Howard Metzenbaum (OH), and David Walters’s successful campaign for governor of Oklahoma in 1990.
In 1991, Mr. McMahon co-founded Trippi, McMahon & Squier (along with co-partners Joe Trippi and Mark Squier). Since then, Mr. McMahon and his partners have developed the strategy and media for the successful campaigns of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreaou (Greece); Senators Ron Wyden (OR) and Carol Moseley Braun (IL); Governor John Kitzhaber (OR); Governor Howard Dean (VT); Los Angeles District Attorney Gil Garcetti; New York Public Advocate and 2001 Mayoral candidate Mark Green, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (CA); Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY); Congressman Jim Moran (VA); Congressman Sam Gibbons (FL); Congressman John LaFalce (NY); Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (OR); Congressman Bart Stupak (MI); Congressman Frank Mascara (PA), Congressman Bob Weygand (RI), and for Attorneys General Chris Gorman of Kentucky, Winston Bryant of Arkansas, and Joe Mazurek of Montana. The firm has also done a significant amount of issue advertising for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and for Democratic Advocacy groups such as Emily’s List and People for the American Way.
Mr. McMahon also co-founded and currently serves as CEO of Issue & Image, an affiliate of TMS which designs and executes image, issue and advocacy advertising campaigns for corporations, industry and non-profit groups, and trade associations.
Steve McMahon appears regularly as a political commentator on CNN, the Fox News Channel, and MSNBC, and has appeared on the cover of Campaigns & Elections magazine, which in 1996 named him “A Rising Star” in politics. Mr. McMahon is married to Cynthia Alksne, a former federal prosecutor and MSNBC legal analyst, and the couple has four daughters.
Craig T. Smith, mCapitol Management, representing Sen. Joe Lieberman
Craig T. Smith joins mCapitol Management with more than 20 years of political strategy development experience at the national, state and local level. In his capacity as senior vice president, Mr. Smith will play a pivotal role in further expanding our national network.
Before joining mCapitol Management, Mr. Smith served as President of Chief Advantages. At Chief Advantages, Mr. Smith represented corporations, foreign governments, individuals and organizations that wanted to minimize risk and maximize opportunities at the state and national level.
Prior to Chief Advantages, Mr. Smith served as assistant to President Bill Clinton and political director of the White House. In this role, Mr. Smith coordinated the political activities of the President and the First Lady.
Additionally, Smith has served as campaign manager for Gore 2000, vice president of Voter.com, deputy director of White House personnel, co-executive director of the 53rd Presidential Inaugural, deputy campaign manager of Clinton/Gore ‘96, political director of the Democratic National Committee, field director of the Clinton/Gore ‘92 Campaign. Mr. Smith received his degree in public administration and a juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas.
Chuck Todd, The Hotline
Chuck Todd is editor-in-chief of The Hotline, Washington’s premier daily briefing on American politics. In his ten-plus years working at The Hotline or one of its affiliates, Mr. Todd has become one of Washington’s foremost experts on political campaigns of all levels.
In March, 2001, George magazine named Mr. Todd one of the 50 most influential people in politics. Mr. Todd writes two weekly columns for National Journal affiliates. The one for NationalJournal.com focuses on the big picture battles for the White House, control of the Senate and control of the House. Another, for CongressDaily, focuses exclusively on the constant battle for control of the House. Mr. Todd frequently appears on television to offer analysis of campaigns and of political events of the day.
Since joining The Hotline in 1992, Mr. Todd has help grow the publication beyond just a single daily political briefing. From Hotline Weekly to House Race Hotline to the various morning and afternoon updates, Mr. Todd has helped make The Hotline the epicenter of politics.
In between stints with The Hotline, Mr. Todd was on the cutting edge of publication creations, including The Sports Business Daily. Founded in ‘94, The Sports Business Daily has done for the sports world what The Hotline has done for politics. In ‘95, he was on the forefront of making political news accessible on the web, as a member of the team that created the award-winning political web site, PoliticsNow.
Before coming to the world of political reporting and analysis, Mr. Todd earned practical political experience on initiative campaigns in Florida and various national campaigns based in Washington. Mr. Todd, a native of Miami, Fla., majored in political science and music performance at The George Washington University. He and his wife, Kristian, reside in Arlington, Va.
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