Ben J. Wattenberg
Encyclopedia
Benjamin J. Wattenberg is an American
conservative commentator and writer.
, New York
, to Jewish parents, and went on to graduate from Hobart College
in 1955, majoring in English. From 1955 to 1957 he was in the U.S. Air Force, based in San Antonio. He was an aide and speechwriter
to President Lyndon B. Johnson
from 1966 to 1968, and served as an adviser to Hubert Humphrey
's 1970 Senate race and Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson
's contest for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination
, and Democratic Party presidential primaries of 1976, and served on the 1972
and 1976 Democratic National Convention
platform committees.
of The Real Majority
, the 1970 analysis believed to have provided the basis for the campaign strategies of the Nixon administration in the 1970 congressional elections and 1972 presidential election
.
He has been the host of a number of PBS
television specials, including Values Matter Most, The Grandchild Gap, America's Number One, What Next?, The Stockholder Society, A Third Choice (about the role of third parties
in American politics), "Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism
, The Democrats
, and The First Measured Century. He hosted the weekly PBS television program, Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg
, from 1994 to 2010, and previously hosted PBS series In Search of the Real America and Ben Wattenberg At Large.
Wattenberg is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
in Washington, D.C.
He has been appointed to various committees and commissions by Presidents Carter
, Reagan
, and Bush (senior)
, as well as by then-Speaker Tom Foley
.
. He has four children: Ruth, Daniel
, Sarah, and Rachel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conservative commentator and writer.
Early years
Wattenberg was born in The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, to Jewish parents, and went on to graduate from Hobart College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
in 1955, majoring in English. From 1955 to 1957 he was in the U.S. Air Force, based in San Antonio. He was an aide and speechwriter
Speechwriter
A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches that will be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are used by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors.-Skills and training:...
to President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
from 1966 to 1968, and served as an adviser to Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
's 1970 Senate race and Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson
Henry Jackson
Henry Jackson may refer to:* Henry Jackson , English classicist at Cambridge University* Henry Jackson , Massachusetts soldier in the American Revolutionary War* Henry Jackson Henry Jackson may refer to:* Henry Jackson (classicist) (1839–1921), English classicist at Cambridge University* Henry...
's contest for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
, and Democratic Party presidential primaries of 1976, and served on the 1972
1972 Democratic National Convention
The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
and 1976 Democratic National Convention
1976 Democratic National Convention
The 1976 Democratic National Convention met at Madison Square Garden in New York City, from July 12 to July 15, 1976. The assembled United States Democratic Party delegates at the convention nominated Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for President and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for Vice...
platform committees.
Career
Wattenberg came to national attention as co-author with Richard M. ScammonRichard M. Scammon
Richard M. Scammon was an author, political scientist and elections scholar. He served as Director of the U.S. Bureau of the Census from 1961 to 1965. Afterwards, he worked for decades directing election analysis for NBC News....
of The Real Majority
The Real Majority
The Real Majority: An Extraordinary Examination of the American Electorate was a 1970 bestselling analysis of United States politics by Ben Wattenberg and Richard M. Scammon...
, the 1970 analysis believed to have provided the basis for the campaign strategies of the Nixon administration in the 1970 congressional elections and 1972 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
.
He has been the host of a number of PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
television specials, including Values Matter Most, The Grandchild Gap, America's Number One, What Next?, The Stockholder Society, A Third Choice (about the role of third parties
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
in American politics), "Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism
Heaven on Earth: the Rise and Fall of Socialism
Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism is a 3 hour PBS documentary film hosted by Ben Wattenberg and narrated by Henry Strozier...
, The Democrats
The Democrats
The Democrats may refer to:*Democratic Party *The Democrats *The Democrats *The Democrats...
, and The First Measured Century. He hosted the weekly PBS television program, Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg
Think Tank (TV series)
Think Tank was a discussion program on Public Broadcasting Service Public television, hosted by Ben Wattenberg. It aired weekly from 1994 to 2010. Wattenberg has expressed a hope that the series will return to the air if and when the economy improves, making more funds available for...
, from 1994 to 2010, and previously hosted PBS series In Search of the Real America and Ben Wattenberg At Large.
Wattenberg is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He has been appointed to various committees and commissions by Presidents Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, and Bush (senior)
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, as well as by then-Speaker Tom Foley
Tom Foley
Thomas Stephen Foley was the 57th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1989 to 1995. He represented Washington's 5th congressional district for 30 years as a Democratic member from 1965 to 1995....
.
Personal life
Wattenberg is the son of real-estate attorney Judah Wattenberg and Rachel Gutman Wattenberg, and the younger brother of actress Rebecca SchullRebecca Schull
Rebecca Schull is an American film and television actress.Schull studied acting in the United States and in Dublin, Ireland...
. He has four children: Ruth, Daniel
Daniel Wattenberg
Daniel Eli Wattenberg is an American journalist and musician. He was raised in Bethesda, Maryland. His father is the pundit Ben Wattenberg and his aunt is the actress Rebecca Schull...
, Sarah, and Rachel.
External links
- Official PBS Think Tank Page
- Ben Wattenberg Archive of columns published on Jewish World ReviewJewish World ReviewJewish World Review is a free, online magazine updated Monday through Friday , which seeks to appeal to "people of faith and those interested in learning more about contemporary Judaism from Jews who take their religion seriously."It carries informational articles related to Judaism, dozens of...
. - American Enterprise Institute Bio Page
- NNDB Biographical Information
- Open to Greatness: We need immigrants
- Memo to Ben Wattenberg: The Good News Is The Bad News Is Wrong Critique of Wattenberg's fertility analysis.
- John Kerry Is Wrong: Vietnam vs. Iraq