Career Highlights

• Graduated from Carleton College and Yale Law School
• Worked as a senate page and as an intern for a Supreme Court judge
• Was with Vice President Cheney on September 11th when the World Trade Center was attacked
• Worked as a speechwriter for President Bush and as the chief speechwriter for Vice President Cheney during their administration

Career Overview

John McConnell, speechwriter for former President Bush and chief speechwriter for former Vice President Cheney, developed an early interested in politics. At the age of 16 he was appointed as a U.S. senate page and when he attended Carleton College all of his friends and professors knew of his deep passion for politics. After graduating from Carleton with a bachelor’s degree in economics, McConnell went on to graduate from Yale Law School.

His original career plan was to return to the midwest and eventually run for office but upon graduation he found an internship for a judge in the Supreme Court and was subsequently hired by Vice President Dan Quayle. Years later the opportunity arose to work on the national campaign staff of George W. Bush in Austin, Texas after which he went to work on Bush’s team in the White House. McConnell served as speechwriter for President Bush and as the chief speechwriter for Vice President Cheney during the entire eight years of their administration.

Our Interview

John McConnell sat down with ThinkTalk host Zack Sherwood to share his advice for up and coming politicians.