John P. McCormick
Encyclopedia
John Patrick McCormick known professionally as John P. McCormick, is a former correspondent for Newsweek
and the current deputy editorial page editor for the Chicago Tribune
. Before joining the Tribune, he was Newsweek
's Midwest correspondent for 18 years. He was the recipient of the American Society of Newspaper Editors
' 2002 Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing, for his editorials on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Afghanistan War, the "Renaissance of Black Chicago", and efforts to sell naming rights for the Soldier Field
. In December 2008, he also drew considerable attention for his role in the Rod Blagojevich scandal.
, McCormick earned a bachelor's degree in 1972 from Northwestern University
, majoring in political science and journalism.
. He has joked that his "most noble responsibility at the Daily News was to fetch cheeseburgers for columnist Mike Royko
." He began his career as a reporter and columnist at the Dubuque, Iowa
Telegraph Herald
.
as its Midwest correspondent, where he would work for the next 18 years.
For his final 13 years at Newsweek, McCormick served as the newsweekly's Chicago bureau chief. While at Newsweek, McCormick covered a variety of Midwest and national stories, including Chicago's Gangster Disciples
street gang, the Tribune Company
's purchase of Times Mirror Corporation, a hazing incident at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, and public housing in Chicago.
McCormick is not to be confused with another Chicago Tribune editorial employee, reporter John D. McCormick
, who covered the campaign of Barack Obama
.
and his chief of staff, John Harris, allegedly discussed threats to withhold $100 million or more in state money for renovations to the Chicago Cubs
' Wrigley Field
baseball stadium, which is owned by Chicago Tribune
parent Tribune Company
, unless McCormick was fired by the Chicago Tribune.
In a first-person essay titled "Life on Blago's enemies list", McCormick expressed his bafflement at being singled out by Blagojevich. He wrote, "If somebody did try for more than a month to extort or otherwise muscle the Chicago Tribune—a newspaper I sold as a child—it did not work. I did not know about it. My boss did not know about it. His boss did not know about it. I hope you fathom how gratifying that is." McCormick also noted that he "never had a personal tiff" with Blagojevich, who had always been cordial when he visited the Tribune for editorial board meetings. McCormick further said that he did write many editorials strongly critical of Blagovich, who he described as "the governor who cannot govern."
.
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
and the current deputy editorial page editor for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
. Before joining the Tribune, he was Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's Midwest correspondent for 18 years. He was the recipient of the American Society of Newspaper Editors
American Society of Newspaper Editors
The American Society of News Editors is a membership organization for editors, producers or directors in charge of journalistic organizations or departments, deans or faculty at university journalism schools, and leaders and faculty of media-related foundations and training organizations...
' 2002 Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing, for his editorials on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Afghanistan War, the "Renaissance of Black Chicago", and efforts to sell naming rights for the Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. In December 2008, he also drew considerable attention for his role in the Rod Blagojevich scandal.
Early life and education
A native of Manchester, IowaManchester, Iowa
Manchester is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,257 at the 2000 census. As of the 2005 population estimates, Manchester's population was 5,052...
, McCormick earned a bachelor's degree in 1972 from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, majoring in political science and journalism.
Professional career
During college, McCormick worked as a night copy boy for the Chicago Daily NewsChicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
. He has joked that his "most noble responsibility at the Daily News was to fetch cheeseburgers for columnist Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
." He began his career as a reporter and columnist at the Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
Telegraph Herald
Telegraph Herald
The Telegraph Herald, locally referred to as the TH, is a daily newspaper published in Dubuque, Iowa for the population of Dubuque and surrounding areas in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin...
.
Work at Newsweek
Around 1982, McCormick joined NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as its Midwest correspondent, where he would work for the next 18 years.
For his final 13 years at Newsweek, McCormick served as the newsweekly's Chicago bureau chief. While at Newsweek, McCormick covered a variety of Midwest and national stories, including Chicago's Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples
The Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
street gang, the Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
's purchase of Times Mirror Corporation, a hazing incident at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, and public housing in Chicago.
Career at the Chicago Tribune
In 2000, McCormick joined the Chicago Tribune.McCormick is not to be confused with another Chicago Tribune editorial employee, reporter John D. McCormick
John D. McCormick
John McCormick is a Bloomberg News reporter based in Chicago who covers national politics and government. He followed Barack Obama's presidential bid from its start in February 2007 and traveled with the candidate to nearly 40 states while working for the Chicago Tribune.Obama and McCormick...
, who covered the campaign of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Awards for Editorial Writing
McCormick received the American Society of Newspaper Editors 2002 Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing, for his editorials on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Afghanistan War, the "Renaissance of Black Chicago", and plans for a new football stadium in Chicago. And in 2003, he received the Scripps Howard Foundation's Walker Stone Award for a series entitled "Homicide: The Chicago Crime' Also in 2003, McCormick was also featured by Poynter Online in its series on "Best Newspaper Writing".Rod Blagojevich scandal
In tape-recorded conversations in November and December 2008, Illinois Gov. Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
and his chief of staff, John Harris, allegedly discussed threats to withhold $100 million or more in state money for renovations to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
' Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
baseball stadium, which is owned by Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
parent Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
, unless McCormick was fired by the Chicago Tribune.
In a first-person essay titled "Life on Blago's enemies list", McCormick expressed his bafflement at being singled out by Blagojevich. He wrote, "If somebody did try for more than a month to extort or otherwise muscle the Chicago Tribune—a newspaper I sold as a child—it did not work. I did not know about it. My boss did not know about it. His boss did not know about it. I hope you fathom how gratifying that is." McCormick also noted that he "never had a personal tiff" with Blagojevich, who had always been cordial when he visited the Tribune for editorial board meetings. McCormick further said that he did write many editorials strongly critical of Blagovich, who he described as "the governor who cannot govern."
Personal
McCormick and his wife, Dawn, have two sons, Michael and Conor, and live in La Grange Park, IllinoisLa Grange Park, Illinois
La Grange Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village, which is a suburb of Chicago, population was 13,295.-Geography:La Grange Park is located at ....
.