I remember seeing Dee Dee Myers in a documentary-style episode of West Wing, and so I was not surprised to learn that she has said, “Never take it personally—and never lose your sense of humor.”
Dee Dee Myers’ career has melded communications skills with politics. After graduating from Santa Clara University, she jumped into the political fray and worked on Walter Mondale’s presidential campaign in 1984. She became a field representative for California state senator Art Torres and an assistant press secretary to Tom Bradley, mayor of Los Angeles. In 1986 she worked on Bradley’s campaign for governor. When Michael Dukakis ran for president, she was his spokesperson. After he lost, she was spokesperson for Dianne Feinstein’s 1990 attempt to become governor of California. Then she was campaign manager for Frank Jordan, when he ran for mayor of San Francisco.
Her extensive experience with campaigns led to her position as national press secretary for Bill Clinton’s campaign for president, even though she was only thirty years old. This time the presidential candidate she supported won! When Clinton entered the presidency she was named White House Press Secretary, the first woman and second youngest person to ever hold the job.
After leaving her position, she became a political analyst and commentator. She co-hosted “Equal Time,” serving as counterpoint to conservative Mary Matalin, and she served as a consultant to the seven-season drama The West Wing. She writes for The New York Times, Time, O, Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, Politico, and the Los Angeles Times and is also a contributing editor about political issues to Vanity Fair. Myers lectures on politics, the media and women’s issues, and is a managing director of The Glover Park Group, an independent communications company. In her spare time she wrote a best-seller, Why Women Should Rule the World.
And she does rule. In 1997 she was on Celebrity Jeopardy! with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Jesse Jackson, Jr. And She Won!
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Check her out on Twitter: @deemyers
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Dee Dee Myers argues that it is in our self-interest to include women in corporations and politics because, not only is it fair, but the world will be more profitable. Do you share this view?
