About Glenn W. Smith
Glenn W. Smith has spent the past 30 years in journalism and politics, where he’s made a name for himself as a writer, campaign manager, activist, think tank analyst and, as Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas says, a “legendary political consultant and all-around good guy.” “There’s no one like him,” says author George Lakoff. CNN commentator Paul Begala says, “He has unmatched experience, a graceful pen (or pixel nowadays) and deep insight into the best and worst of us.” Novelist Sarah Bird speaks of his “lucid and lyrical” prose. And, she says, he’s fun. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says Glenn writes with “grace and abundant humor” and “uses his colorful experiences in Texas to enlighten us all.”
Smith led Ann Richards’ successful 1990 campaign for Governor of Texas. He worked for former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Earlier, Smith was a political reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Post. He’s coordinated national campaigns for groups such as MoveOn.org. In 2004, he authored the highly acclaimed book, The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction. He also wrote Unfit Commander, a book that detailed George W. Bush’s mysterious disappearance from military service.
In 2004, Smith was featured in the film, Bush’s Brain, a documentary about Karl Rove. Smith provided commentary on Rove’s role as then-President Bush’s senior advisor. He has made numerous media appearances with Chris Mathews on Hardball, Joe Scarborough, Brit Hume, and many others. He writes a regularly for top national web sites, including FireDogLake and Huffington Post.
As a senior fellow at George Lakoff’s prestigious Rockridge Institute in Berkeley he studied, wrote and taught on the power of metaphor and narrative in political communications. He also lectured on religion and politics at the Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley. As a sponsor and organizer, he has pulled together numerous national events with progressive religious leaders. He also organized a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King at Riverside Church in New York City as well as “Freedom and Faith” bus tours, which was a nationwide campaign for social justice and progressive values.
Smith’s play, Double Play, which explored American Western myths and legends, was held over to sold-out audiences. He’s even written and performed songs in the Americana tradition, such as his best-known song, “Helping Marty Robbins,” a tribute to his hometown, Houston.
Most recently, Smith is the creator of DogCanyon, a political and cultural web site covering state, national and global issues from a Texas perspective. DogCanyon is an exhilarating and unique site that gets the connections between politics and culture and explores both the personal side of politics and the ups, down, craziness and beauty of “life its ownself,” as humorist Dan Jenkins would say. DogCanyon offers heartfelt personal essays, hard-hitting political analysis, and, most importantly, laughs.
As Paul Begala said, Smith writes in “the finest, firmest, fearless tradition of Texas essayists like Molly Ivins.”
The White House today released the official Obama family portrait by Annie Leibovitz. In his new book of essays, Manhood for Amateurs, the writer Michael Chabon describes his reaction to seeing the Obama family in Grant Park on election night, after President Obama’s victory was announced. It is touching and powerful:
Awesome picture and narrative! Thanks Glenn for the post. And have a great weekend!!!
The Grant Park event was as portentious and historic as the I Have A Dream speech, or Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon.
The campaign had been such a long hard road against such daunting and divisive opposition, and suddenly Yes We Can came true.
We cried in front of the TV all right. We felt like the people had spoken bravely and clearly, and now that would mean something.
It’s heartbreaking how the opposition has turned ever more surly and destructive since then.
It’s an exquisite family portrait–the girls seem so comfortable and joyful in the simple physical proximity to their parents.
Flashback to election night. Sitting alone in front of my television (Republican husband went to bed in a huff!!) — with tears of joy streaming down my face as this family walked onto the stage — can’t think of many moments when I have been so proud of this nation! No matter how surly and obnoxious — maybe even noxious — the opposition becomes, our country did elect this man — and this First Family represents us ALL. It feels good.
Very well said. And it remains sad and unbelievable that any thoughtful person can identify with the mindless (and weak) thuggery that now dominates the GOP. You’re right to focus on the nation’s victory in 2008, a total repudiation of the contemporary right.
I was in Grant Park that night with my Mom. She hadn’t been to an Obama rally and I wanted her to experience an Obama crowd. It was awesome to be sitting in the grass, watching the election returns on CNN and surrounded by people of every shade, age and income level. The optimism was amazing, but relief and fear were also palpable.
Obama had also lost his Grandmother the night before, and the crowd also seemed to understand the tragedy of Barack losing her mere hours before he was elected President. One thing that makes the Obama family so attractive and human is our collective knowledge of both their triumphs and their losses.