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Madeleine Grunwald (born October 5, 1957) is an American professional
political consultant Political consulting is a form of consulting that consists primarily of advising and assisting political campaigns. Although the most important role of political consultants is arguably the development and production of mass media (largely televi ...
and
media advisor A media consultant is a marketing agent or public relations executive that is hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage. Media consultants usually draft press releases to highlight positive achievements of a ...
for the Democratic Party. Grunwald is one of the few women at the top of the field, having helped elect numerous senators and governors, and is the only woman in history to run the advertising for a successful presidential campaign (Bill Clinton’s).


Early life and education

Grunwald was born in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. She is the daughter of Henry Grunwald, editor-in-chief of ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine from 1979 to 1987 and U.S. Ambassador to Austria from 1988 to 1990, and Beverly Suser Grunwald, a journalist who was a columnist at ''
Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...
''. She is the sister of author
Lisa Grunwald Lisa Grunwald Adler (born 1959) is an American author. Biography She is the author of seven novels and one children's book. With her husband, former Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler, she has edited three anthologies: ''The Marriage B ...
and movie producer Peter Grunwald. Grunwald's father was born in a non-practicing Jewish family. She grew up on the
Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded approximately by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the e ...
of
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
and on
Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, lying just south of Cape Cod. It is known for being a popular, affluent summer colony, and includes the smaller peninsula Chappaquiddick Isla ...
. Grunwald graduated from the
Nightingale-Bamford School The Nightingale-Bamford School is an independent all-female university-preparatory school founded in 1920 by Frances Nicolau Nightingale and Maya Stevens Bamford. Located in Manhattan on the Upper East Side, Nightingale-Bamford is a member ...
in New York City. In 1979, she received a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
''
magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...
'' from
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
.


Career

Upon graduation she worked at the Sawyer-Miller Group in New York. Gaining prominence through her work on the successful 1992 Bill Clinton presidential campaign, in which she was director of advertising, Grunwald made television appearances defending Bill Clinton, and helped produce ''The Man From Hope'', the biographical film that was the centerpiece of the
1992 Democratic National Convention The 1992 Democratic National Convention nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for president and Senator Al Gore from Tennessee for vice president; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison ...
. Mandy Grunwald subsequently founded and became president of Grunwald Communications in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, she served as
media consultant A media consultant is a marketing agent or public relations executive that is hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage. Media consultants usually draft press releases to highlight positive achievements of a ...
for three successful Senate campaigns for
Daniel Patrick Moynihan Daniel Patrick Moynihan (; March 16, 1927 – March 26, 2003) was an American politician, diplomat and social scientist. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he represented New York (state), New York in the ...
(presumably 1982, 1988, and 1994), as well as for the
Ruth Messinger Ruth Wyler Messinger (born November 6, 1940) is a former American political leader in New York City and a member of the Democratic Party. She was the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City in 1997, losing to incumbent mayor Rudy Giulian ...
's losing effort in the 1997 New York City mayoral election. In 1999 she served as a broker across the frosty relations between the retiring Moynihan and Hillary Clinton. The latter would later successfully gain the former's seat in the 2000 New York senatorial election. In 2004, Grunwald worked for the senatorial campaign of
Ken Salazar Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as United States ambassador to Mexico from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administ ...
in
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
and gubernatorial effort of John Lynch in
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, both of whom won. She also worked for
Gifford Miller Alan Gifford Miller (born November 6, 1969) is the former Speaker of the New York City Council who represented the 5th district. Barred from seeking reelection due to term limits, the Democrat ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary fo ...
's Democratic primary campaign in New York City's 2005 mayoral race, who ultimately lost. The ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' identified her as one of the key members of "
Hillaryland Hillaryland was the self-designated name of a group of core advisors to Hillary Clinton, when she was First Lady of the United States and again when, as United States Senator, she was one of the Democratic Party candidates for president in the 20 ...
",
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
's closest advisors beginning with her First Lady days. Grunwald's position as a White House advisor reportedly faded after 1995, when she and others were supplanted by
Dick Morris Richard Samuel Morris (born November 28, 1948) is an American author, commentator, and former political consultant. A friend and advisor to Bill Clinton during his time as Governor of Arkansas and since his 1978 run, Morris became a political ...
according to the New York Times. However, in addition to acting as an important intermediary between the then Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan Daniel Patrick Moynihan (; March 16, 1927 – March 26, 2003) was an American politician, diplomat and social scientist. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he represented New York (state), New York in the ...
and
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
for the 2000 New York senatorial election, Grunwald was appointed the head of campaign media relations for the
Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign Hillary Rodham Clinton, then junior United States senator from New York, announced her campaign for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries on her website on January 20, 2007. Clinton was previously the first lady of the United State ...
. For her role in Clinton's successful 2006 senate run, Grunwald received more than $930,000. In 2008, Grunwald worked to elect
Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American politician and former educator serving since 2009 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Hampshire. A ...
and
Al Franken Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, and actor who served from 2009 to 2018 as a United States senator from Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he worked as an ...
to the Senate, the latter of whom ultimately won his race by 312 votes. In 2010, Grunwald worked for
David Cicilline David Nicola Cicilline ( ; born July 15, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 36th mayor of Providence from 2003 to 2011, the fi ...
's campaign for
U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
of
Rhode Island's 1st congressional district Rhode Island's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It includes all of Bristol County, Rhode Island, Bristol and Newport County, Rhode Island, Newport counties, along with parts of Providence ...
, who at the time was the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital. Additionally, Grunwald worked for
Richard Blumenthal Richard Blumenthal ( ; born February 13, 1946) is an American politician, lawyer, and United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps veteran serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from ...
's successful Senate campaign. In the 2012 election, Grunwald worked on the successful election campaigns for Senator
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...
and Senator
Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party (United Stat ...
, two of the toughest Senate races in the country. Baldwin defeated Tommy Thompson, a four time Governor of Wisconsin, who was favored in the Senate race and Warren defeated Scott Brown, who was the only incumbent Senator to lose his seat in the November 2012 election. In 2016, Grunwald joined Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign as a Senior Communications Advisor. In 2018, Grunwald again worked for Senator
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...
and Senator
Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party (United Stat ...
, as well as Senator
Amy Klobuchar Amy Jean Klobuchar ( ; born May 25, 1960) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Minnesota, a seat she has held since 2007. A member o ...
. She also worked for Molly Kelly’s gubernatorial campaign in New Hampshire and Kevin Lembo’s Comptroller campaign in Connecticut.   In 2020, Grunwald helped Senator
John Hickenlooper John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. ( ; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician, geologist, and businessman serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A mem ...
defeat
Cory Gardner Cory Scott Gardner (born August 22, 1974) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Colorado from 2015 to 2021. A Republican, he was the U.S. representative for Colorado's 4th congressional district from ...
and worked for Senator
Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American politician and former educator serving since 2009 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Hampshire. A ...
, who was re-elected by her widest margin ever. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' has described Grunwald as "smart, tough, gruff, intensely loyal to her candidates, with an air of superiority and great certainty." The ''Times'' also wrote, "As her sister, Lisa, a novelist, wrote in '' Glamour'' magazine four years ago: 'She was older. Braver. Taller. Meaner. Stronger.'" Grunwald is believed to have been the inspiration for the character "Daisy Green" in the ''
roman à clef A ''roman à clef'' ( ; ; ) is a novel about real-life events that is overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people and the "key" is the relationship between the non-fiction and the fiction. This m ...
'' of the 1992 presidential campaign, ''
Primary Colors Primary colors are colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a broad range of colors in, e.g., electronic displays, color printin ...
'', published by "
Anonymous Anonymous may refer to: * Anonymity, the state of an individual's identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown ** Anonymous work, a work of art or literature that has an unnamed or unknown creator or author * Anonym ...
" in 1996. Moreover, before
Joe Klein Joe Klein (born September 7, 1946) is an American political commentator and author. He is best known for his work as a columnist for ''Time'' magazine and his novel '' Primary Colors'', an anonymously written roman à clef portraying Bill Clinton ...
was revealed to be the creator, Mandy Grunwald and her novelist sister
Lisa Grunwald Lisa Grunwald Adler (born 1959) is an American author. Biography She is the author of seven novels and one children's book. With her husband, former Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler, she has edited three anthologies: ''The Marriage B ...
were among the authorial suspects. In the 1998 film ''
Primary Colors Primary colors are colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a broad range of colors in, e.g., electronic displays, color printin ...
'', the character based on her was portrayed by Maura Tierney. She is also partially the inspiration for ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
'' character
Mandy Hampton Madeline "Mandy" Hampton is a fictional character from the American serial drama ''The West Wing'', portrayed by Moira Kelly. She is the White House media director during the first season of the show and the former girlfriend of Deputy White Hous ...
. During the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The first American case was reported on January 20, and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services Secreta ...
the CDC Director Rochelle Walensky turned to Mandy Grunwald for advice after communication missteps.Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak
''CDC director turns to media consultant as Covid-19 messaging frustrations mount''
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
01/07/2022.


Personal life

In 1997, Grunwald married journalist Matthew Cooper. They separated in late 2007. They have a son, born in 1998.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grunwald, Mandy 1957 births American people of Austrian-Jewish descent American political consultants Harvard College alumni Living people New York (state) Democrats People from Martha's Vineyard People from the Upper East Side Nightingale-Bamford School alumni