Political columnist and commentator Tony Blankley was interviewed by FORA.tv CEO Brian Gruber at the Republican National Convention. Blankley talked about the upcoming general election campaign, the vice-presidential debate, and the habits of the press at political conventions.
Bio
Tony Blankley
For seven years, Tony Blankley served as press secretary to then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. In that role, he not only helped create messages which shook the country, he also helped create policy. Blankley’s knack for appetizing soundbites (which he calls his "poor-man’s poetry") and sound political strategy made him one of Washington’s premiere sources of ideas and insights.
Working for the most renowned Speaker in decades, Blankley became one of the leading spokesmen for the Contract with America. Prior to his career on Capitol Hill, Blankley served President Reagan as a speechwriter and senior policy analyst.
After leaving Gingrich’s office in February 1997, Blankley joined the staff of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s George magazine. As a contributing editor, Blankley’s monthly column "Between the Lines" featured his inside-the-beltway insights. Blankley also appears regularly on CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, as well as CNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, Rivera Live, The News with Brian Williams and MSNBC. In June 1999, Blankley joined The Washington Times as a weekly political columnist. In June 2002, he was named editorial page editor.
The same depth of knowledge and sharp wit that kept reporters turning to him during his time on Capitol Hill have made Blankley one of today’s leading media commentators. His opinions and analysis of political events have been featured on the front pages of The New York Times, USA Today, and other major publications, and he was a syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.
Blankley has quickly become a favorite speaker of corporate and association audiences around the country. He uses his background in both the executive and congressional branches to design speeches which provide insight into today’s headlines, and the issues that will fill tomorrow’s.
In addition to being a popular speaker, Blankley is an accomplished debater. Clients have paired him with the likes of Bill Press and Bob Beckel, among other noted Democratic pundits, to create a uniquely informative and provocative program. Whether delivering a keynote or debating, Blankley gives his audience more than just analysis. Focusing on the personalities and stories which make politics interesting, he helps audiences remember the information long after they leave the event.
Brian Gruber
Brian Gruber is Founder and Executive Chairman of FORA.tv.
Gruber has twenty years experience successfully building and marketing media enterprises. As the senior marketing officer for a range of respected media institutions, he has managed billion dollar revenue budgets and large and small marketing teams.
As the first marketing director for C-SPAN, he built its affiliate sales and marketing organization, launching C-SPAN II with the largest subscriber base ever for a cable network at launch. As director of marketing for News Corp's FOXTEL, he helped build the cable television brand in Australia, going from number three to number one in cable subscriptions, brand equity and consumer awareness.
As the head of marketing of the largest urban divisions of 3 top ten cable companies (MSO's), he turned flat or negative subscriber growth into substantial gains. And as president of g/media and Principals.com, he has helped more than twenty new media companies develop brands, marketing strategies, and consumer products.
He also acted as the media adviser and new media producer for the World Affairs Council of Northern California, the nation's most prolific presenter of quality world affairs events.
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