# Craig Crawford
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{{Short description|American political commentator}}
{{for|the Australian politician|Craig Crawford (politician)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Craig Crawford
| image = Craig Crawford.jpg
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1956}}
| birth_place = [Owensboro, Kentucky](/source/Owensboro%2C_Kentucky), U.S.
| occupation = Lawyer, Writer
| spouse =
| education = [Stetson University](/source/Stetson_University) (BA, JD)
| political_party = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
}}
'''Craig Crawford''' (born 1956)[{{cite book |last=Crawford |first=Craig |date=September 2007 |title=Attack the Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against the Media (American Political Challenges) |location=[Lanham, Maryland](/source/Lanham%2C_Maryland) |publisher=[Rowman & Littlefield](/source/Rowman_%26_Littlefield) |isbn=9780742538160}}] is an American writer and [television](/source/television) [political commentator](/source/political_commentator) based in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) Publisher of the news commenting forum, Trail Mix, Crawford was a columnist for ''[Congressional Quarterly](/source/Congressional_Quarterly)'', Editor-in-Chief of National Journal's ''[The Hotline](/source/The_Hotline)'', and Washington Bureau Chief for ''[The Orlando Sentinel](/source/The_Orlando_Sentinel)'', and the author of ''Listen Up Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do'', ''The Politics of Life: 25 Rules for Survival in a Brutal and Manipulative World'', and ''Attack the Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against the Media''.
==Early years==
Craig Crawford was born in [Owensboro, Kentucky](/source/Owensboro%2C_Kentucky).[{{cite web |url=http://www.goodmanspeakersbureau.com/biographies/crawford_craig.htm |title=Craig Crawford goodmanspeakersbureau.com |access-date=2007-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814034119/http://www.goodmanspeakersbureau.com/biographies/crawford_craig.htm |archive-date=2007-08-14 |url-status=dead }}] During his childhood, Crawford moved with his family to [Orlando, Florida](/source/Orlando%2C_Florida), where he attended Pineloch Elementary School and [Oak Ridge High School](/source/Oak_Ridge_High_School_(Orlando%2C_Florida)).[{{cite news|author=Dickinson, Joy Wallace| publisher=Orlando Sentinel|date=February 14, 2010|title=Meet Washington correspondents Helen Thomas and Craig Crawford|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2010/02/14/meet-washington-correspondents-helen-thomas-and-craig-crawford/|access-date=2010-02-14}}] His parents, Tabitha and Bill Crawford, encouraged his interest in public affairs.[{{cite web|url=http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/Crawford_OrlandoMagazine.pdf|title=Progressive Redneck|publisher=Orlando Magazine}}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}] When he was nine years old, Crawford had the opportunity to meet President [Lyndon B. Johnson](/source/Lyndon_B._Johnson).[[http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/about.html About Craig Crawford (CQ Politics)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221003958/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/about.html |date=2009-02-21 }}]
==Career==
While beginning his law practice, Crawford worked for Democratic candidates [John Glenn](/source/John_Glenn) and [Walter Mondale](/source/Walter_Mondale). In 1982, he was an unsuccessful candidate for [Florida's state legislature](/source/Florida_House_of_Representatives) as a Democrat. Crawford joined the staff of the ''[Orlando Sentinel](/source/Orlando_Sentinel)'' in 1985 as a legal affairs and politics reporter.[{{cite web|url=http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2010/03/a-point-of-personal-privilege.html|title=A Point of Personal Privilege|author=Crawford, Craig|date=March 5, 2010|publisher=CQ Politics|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308050049/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2010/03/a-point-of-personal-privilege.html|archive-date=March 8, 2010}}]
Crawford was a regular contributor to the [John Batchelor](/source/John_Batchelor) and Paul Alexander radio show, broadcast from WABC - AM, New York.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} He also appeared on the CBS Early Show as a political contributor. Crawford was also a frequent guest on the [Imus](/source/Don_Imus) in the Morning radio/TV simulcast.
In 2005, Crawford released the book "Attack The Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against The Media" which talks about "the role of politicians in taking advantage of that public distrust of the media."[{{cite news| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/attack-the-messenger/ | work=CBS News | title=Attack The Messenger | date=October 18, 2005}}]
In the [2008 Presidential campaign](/source/2008_United_States_presidential_election), Crawford defended [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton) and [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton) following President Clinton's response to a press question about why it "takes two of you" to beat [Barack Obama](/source/Barack_Obama).[President Bill Clinton's press remarks, as broadcast on MSNBC on January 26, 2008.] On January 26, 2008 Crawford appeared on the MSNBC program ''[Morning Joe](/source/Morning_Joe)'' defending his position toward the Clintons.[''Morning Joe'', MSNBC. January 26, 2008.] and Crawford appeared again on ''[Morning Joe](/source/Morning_Joe)'' on January 29, 2008 to further defend his statements.[''Morning Joe'', MSNBC. January 29, 2008.]
In 2015 Crawford was hired to serve as Communications Director for the presidential campaign of former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA).[{{cite web|title=Webb Hires Crawford|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/jim-webb-craig-crawford-communication-director-113943|website=Politico|access-date=2 January 2015}}] Following the campaign, Crawford resumed his work as publisher of the political commentary site TrailMix.cc, which he has operated since 2005.[{{cite web |title=Our Mission |url=https://trailmix.cc/home/ |website=TrailMix.cc |access-date=11 May 2026}}]
==Personal life==
Crawford is openly gay.[{{Cite web |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/23/Worldandnation/Roles_of_gay_staffers.shtml |title=Worldandnation: Roles of gay staffers raise suspicions in Foley scandal |access-date=2010-03-06 |archive-date=2011-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604151141/http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/23/Worldandnation/Roles_of_gay_staffers.shtml |url-status=dead }}] He married David Blank in the District of Columbia in 2013.[{{cite news |last=Mortman |first=Howard |date=8 April 2013 |title=Oh, The Crawford-Blank Wedding Food Review; Oh, the Late '90s Hotline Style |url=https://www.famousdc.com/2013/04/08/oh-the-crawford-blank-wedding-food-review-oh-the-late-90s-hotline-style/ |work=Famous DC |access-date=11 May 2026}}]
==Works==
*''Listen Up Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do.'' (with co-author [Helen Thomas](/source/Helen_Thomas)) ([Charles Scribner's Sons](/source/Charles_Scribner's_Sons), 2009) {{ISBN|1-4391-4815-5}}
*''The Politics of Life: 25 Rules for Survival in a Brutal and Manipulative World'' ([Rowman & Littlefield](/source/Rowman_%26_Littlefield), 2007) {{ISBN|0-7425-5250-0}} - a kind of updated Machiavelli.