John McLaughlin (host)
Encyclopedia
John McLaughlin is an American television personality and political commentator. He created, produces and hosts the long-running political commentary series The McLaughlin Group
as well as John McLaughlin's One On One
.
s (philosophy and English literature) from Boston College
, and a Ph.D.
(philosophy) from Columbia University
. Upon entering the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church
and being ordained a priest
, McLaughlin spent years as a high school teacher at Fairfield College Preparatory School
, a Jesuit prep school
in Connecticut
, where his arrogant mannerisms earned him the nickname "Father God." A Republican
, he originally opposed the Vietnam War
and, in 1970, sought permission from his order to run for a seat in the United States Senate
, representing Rhode Island
. His superiors denied him this. McLaughlin defied his superiors and ran anyway, losing to the incumbent four-term Senator John O. Pastore
.
Through a friendship with Pat Buchanan
, McLaughlin became a war supporter and a speech writer and advisor to U.S. President
Richard Nixon
. Because priests are not allowed to take on political jobs, he was ordered by his Jesuit superiors to return to Boston and, rather than obey, he left the Society of Jesus
.
Prior to entering broadcasting, he was associate editor of America
, a weekly opinion journal published by American Jesuits. From 1981 to 1989, McLaughlin was Washington editor and author of the monthly political column, "From Washington Straight," for National Review
.
premiered in 1982. The show features four political commentators, usually two conservatives and two liberals, with McLaughlin seated in the middle. The McLaughlin Group is most widely seen on CBS
affiliates, and is taped at the studios of WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.
The McLaughlin Group is seen in the United Kingdom
and other parts of Europe and worldwide on American Forces Network and on the WORLDNET satellite service.
The McLaughlin Group is available in low-resolution video podcast form on the show's web site and on iTunes
. Although the show is broadcast on PBS with no commercials, the podcast edition has commercial messages from the broadcast Sunday mornings on WUSA-TV.
McLaughlin is fond of making witty predictions based on current events, and of asking questions in interesting ways. One of the phrases he often uses is: His loud and forceful style of presentation has been parodied by comedian
s and other commentators, most notably Dana Carvey
of Saturday Night Live
. McLaughlin himself appeared as the Grim Reaper in an SNL sketch that parodied his show.
McLaughlin also hosts John McLaughlin's One On One
, first telecast in 1984, and from 1989 through 1994, produced and hosted McLaughlin, a one-hour nightly talk show on CNBC
.
. She served as Secretary of Labor
under Ronald Reagan
from 1987 until 1989. The couple divorced in 1992.
On June 22, 1997, McLaughlin married Cristina Clara Vidal McLaughlin. They said at the time they met in a bookstore in 1990. The marriage ended in divorce in 2010.
McLaughlin is a lifetime Republican. However, leading up to the 2004 presidential election
, McLaughlin announced that he would be voting for Democratic Party
candidate John Kerry
. His political views in general are diversified and often differ from Republican Party positions depending on the issue in question.
, Mission Impossible, Independence Day
and War, Inc.
In the 2009 movie Watchmen
, he is portrayed by Gary Houston in an early scene interviewing Pat Buchanan
(played by James M. Connor
) and Eleanor Clift
(played by Mary Ann Burger) about the possibility of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. McLaughlin also hosted a special celebration for the 200th episode of the TV sitcom Cheers
.
The McLaughlin Group
The McLaughlin Group is a syndicated half-hour weekly public affairs television program in the United States, where a group of five pundits discuss current political issues in a round table format. It has been broadcast since 1982, and is currently sponsored by MetLife...
as well as John McLaughlin's One On One
John McLaughlin's One On One
John McLaughlin's One on One is a TV series that airs on PBS. It is hosted by John McLaughlin, also the host of The McLaughlin Group....
.
Education and early career
Born in Rhode Island, McLaughlin earned two master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s (philosophy and English literature) from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(philosophy) from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Upon entering the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and being ordained a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, McLaughlin spent years as a high school teacher at Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all male school of about 900 students, first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942...
, a Jesuit prep school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, where his arrogant mannerisms earned him the nickname "Father God." A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, he originally opposed the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and, in 1970, sought permission from his order to run for a seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, representing Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. His superiors denied him this. McLaughlin defied his superiors and ran anyway, losing to the incumbent four-term Senator John O. Pastore
John O. Pastore
John Orlando Pastore was a Rhode Island Democratic Party politician who was a United States Senator from Rhode Island and the 61st Governor of Rhode Island , and was the first Italian American to hold either position.-Early life and career:Born in Providence on March 17, 1907, he attended...
.
Through a friendship with Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
, McLaughlin became a war supporter and a speech writer and advisor to U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Because priests are not allowed to take on political jobs, he was ordered by his Jesuit superiors to return to Boston and, rather than obey, he left the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
Prior to entering broadcasting, he was associate editor of America
America (magazine)
America is a national weekly magazine published by the American Jesuits that contains news and opinion about Catholicism and how it relates to American politics and cultural life....
, a weekly opinion journal published by American Jesuits. From 1981 to 1989, McLaughlin was Washington editor and author of the monthly political column, "From Washington Straight," for National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
.
Broadcast career
The McLaughlin GroupThe McLaughlin Group
The McLaughlin Group is a syndicated half-hour weekly public affairs television program in the United States, where a group of five pundits discuss current political issues in a round table format. It has been broadcast since 1982, and is currently sponsored by MetLife...
premiered in 1982. The show features four political commentators, usually two conservatives and two liberals, with McLaughlin seated in the middle. The McLaughlin Group is most widely seen on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliates, and is taped at the studios of WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.
The McLaughlin Group is seen in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and other parts of Europe and worldwide on American Forces Network and on the WORLDNET satellite service.
The McLaughlin Group is available in low-resolution video podcast form on the show's web site and on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. Although the show is broadcast on PBS with no commercials, the podcast edition has commercial messages from the broadcast Sunday mornings on WUSA-TV.
McLaughlin is fond of making witty predictions based on current events, and of asking questions in interesting ways. One of the phrases he often uses is: His loud and forceful style of presentation has been parodied by comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
s and other commentators, most notably Dana Carvey
Dana Carvey
Dana Thomas Carvey is an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for playing the role of Garth in the Wayne's World movies.-Early life:...
of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. McLaughlin himself appeared as the Grim Reaper in an SNL sketch that parodied his show.
McLaughlin also hosts John McLaughlin's One On One
John McLaughlin's One On One
John McLaughlin's One on One is a TV series that airs on PBS. It is hosted by John McLaughlin, also the host of The McLaughlin Group....
, first telecast in 1984, and from 1989 through 1994, produced and hosted McLaughlin, a one-hour nightly talk show on CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
.
Personal life and views
On August 23, 1975, McLaughlin married Ann Dore, his former campaign managerCampaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
. She served as Secretary of Labor
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is the head of the Department of Labor who exercises control over the department and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies....
under Ronald 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....
from 1987 until 1989. The couple divorced in 1992.
On June 22, 1997, McLaughlin married Cristina Clara Vidal McLaughlin. They said at the time they met in a bookstore in 1990. The marriage ended in divorce in 2010.
McLaughlin is a lifetime Republican. However, leading up to the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, McLaughlin announced that he would be voting for Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. His political views in general are diversified and often differ from Republican Party positions depending on the issue in question.
In popular culture
McLaughlin has appeared in several films, including DaveDave (film)
Dave is a 1993 comedy-drama film written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Co-stars include Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, and Ben Kingsley. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay...
, Mission Impossible, Independence Day
Independence Day (film)
Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
and War, Inc.
War, Inc.
War, Inc. is a 2008 American political satire film starring John Cusack and directed by Joshua Seftel. Cusack also co-wrote and produced the film.- Plot :...
In the 2009 movie Watchmen
Watchmen (film)
Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
, he is portrayed by Gary Houston in an early scene interviewing Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
(played by James M. Connor
James M. Connor
James Michael Connor is an American actor who, making his film debut as a supporting character in the 1976 science fiction film Futureworld, has played recurring characters on several television series including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and King of Queens as well as guest appearances on The...
) and Eleanor Clift
Eleanor Clift
Eleanor Clift is a political reporter, television pundit and author. She is currently a contributing editor for Newsweek magazine. Her column, "Capitol Letter" is posted each week on the Newsweek and MSNBC websites...
(played by Mary Ann Burger) about the possibility of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. McLaughlin also hosted a special celebration for the 200th episode of the TV sitcom Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
.