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Jamal Simmons        

Democratic Strategist & Political Commentator

Jamal Simmons is joining CNN as an on-air political commentator, the network announced today. Simmons joins CNN after most recently serving as Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and Communications Director to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Simmons has been at the nexus of politics and media for three decades. Prior to serving in the Biden-Harris White House, he was a political contributor for CBS News and NPR. Prior to CBS, he hosted digital interviews for Hill TV with political leaders and celebrities. Simmons joined Hill TV from the Raben Group, where he advised corporate, political and foundation leaders for nearly a decade. During the 2008 presidential primaries Simmons was a prominent Obama campaign surrogate and senior advisor to the Democratic National Committee. Before that, he was a press secretary for two presidential primary campaigns, communications director for a U.S. Senate race and managed the national state media operation for Gore/Lieberman 2000. He also served as a Gore spokesman in W. Palm Beach during the Florida recount.

Simmons got his start on Bill Clinton’s 1992 traveling campaign staff and set up events around the world for the Clinton White House. He was also an assistant to U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor. In those roles, he represented the U.S. government in 15 countries including Bosnia, Ukraine, Haiti, and China.

Simmons has written opinion pieces for Democracy: A Journal of Ideas and The New York Times. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation Board (honorary). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and a Master in Public Policy degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School.

Speech Topics

IDEAL DEBATE PARTNERS

Pair Jamal Simmons with another political analyst to create a dynamic and engaging discussion, representing both political ideologies on the hot political topics of the day. For a point-counterpoint discussion, pair Simmons with CNN political analyst Amy Holmes to create a lively and informative debate that answers important questions and provides multiple points of view on the issues on your audience's minds. Simmons can also team up with other terrific political thought leaders, like Dan Bartlett and Ed Gillespie.

Obama, America, and the New Politics

As a strong supporter of Barack Obama during the 2008 election, Jamal Simmons has been following the President's policies, stances, and opinions since the campaign trail. With experience in political campaigns, Congress, and traveling across the globe for the White House and the press, he brings several perspectives and entertaining stories to his political analysis, including an in-depth look at the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress. With some of the most important policy issues on the docket in Washington, Jamal Simmons provides entertaining and informative analysis to everything from healthcare and education to foreign policy and the economy.

News

Face The Nation: Jamal Simmons, Jonah Goldberg, Jamelle Bouie ...
Missed the second half of the show? The latest on the Mueller report, the justice department and the 2020 campaign.

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