Mary Beth Cahill
Encyclopedia
Mary Beth Cahill is an American
political figure, who served as the campaign manager
of Senator
John Kerry
's campaign for the Democratic nomination for President
. She was Kerry's second campaign manager; she replaced Jim Jordan
in November 2003, after Jordan was fired by Kerry.
She was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts
and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts
by a large, politically active, Irish-Catholic family. Cahill graduated from Emmanuel College, Boston
, a small local Catholic liberal arts school with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
.
Her first political job began when she worked for Congressman Robert Drinan
, a Jesuit
priest. She worked as his receptionist and caseworker, and then for Representative Barney Frank
. In 1986 she was the campaign manager for Senator Patrick Leahy
(D-VT). She was also an Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison in Bill Clinton
’s White House and chief of staff to Senator Ted Kennedy
(D-MA).
Following the Kerry campaign, Cahill was a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics
at Harvard University
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
in the spring of 2005. She led a study group for undergraduates entitled "Campaigns 101."
Cahill last worked to raise funds for Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick
, who defeated Attorney General Tom Reilly
and businessman Chris Gabrieli
in the 2006 primary
and Kerry Healey
in the general election.
Cahill is seen as an expert on women and politics. She was the Executive Director of EMILY's List
for five years and has trained women on how to run for political office all around the world, including Russia
, Macedonia
, and Ireland
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political figure, who served as the campaign manager
Campaign 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...
of Senator
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...
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...
's campaign for the Democratic nomination for 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....
. She was Kerry's second campaign manager; she replaced Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan (United States politics)
James Jordan is an American political consultant based in Peru, Vermont. He has worked in Democratic politics in various capacities at the national, statewide, congressional and local levels since 1996...
in November 2003, after Jordan was fired by Kerry.
She was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
by a large, politically active, Irish-Catholic family. Cahill graduated from Emmanuel College, Boston
Emmanuel College, Boston
Emmanuel College is a coeducational Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded as a women's college by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1919 , Emmanuel became coeducational in 2001....
, a small local Catholic liberal arts school with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Her first political job began when she worked for Congressman Robert Drinan
Robert Drinan
Robert Frederick Drinan, S.J. was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, lawyer, human rights activist, and Democratic U.S. Representative from Massachusetts...
, a Jesuit
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...
priest. She worked as his receptionist and caseworker, and then for Representative Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
. In 1986 she was the campaign manager for Senator Patrick Leahy
Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph Leahy is the senior United States Senator from Vermont and member of the Democratic Party. He is the first and only elected Democratic United States Senator in Vermont's history. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy is the second most senior U.S. Senator,...
(D-VT). She was also an Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison in Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
’s White House and chief of staff to Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
(D-MA).
Following the Kerry campaign, Cahill was a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics
Harvard Institute of Politics
Harvard Institute of Politics was created to serve as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy and inspire Harvard students into careers in politics and public service, much as President Kennedy was inspired during his days as a student at Harvard. The IOP also brings together the academic...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
in the spring of 2005. She led a study group for undergraduates entitled "Campaigns 101."
Cahill last worked to raise funds for Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, who defeated Attorney General Tom Reilly
Thomas Reilly
Thomas F. Reilly is an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Massachusetts Attorney General. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents....
and businessman Chris Gabrieli
Chris Gabrieli
Chris Gabrieli is an American businessman and a leading national education reformer. He is currently driving the movement to reform the school calendar.-Biography:...
in the 2006 primary
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2006
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Former US Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American governor in the United...
and Kerry Healey
Kerry Healey
Kerry Murphy Healey was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. She served from 2003 to 2007 with Governor Mitt Romney. She was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, losing to Democrat Deval Patrick in November 2006...
in the general election.
Cahill is seen as an expert on women and politics. She was the Executive Director of EMILY's List
EMILY's List
EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
for five years and has trained women on how to run for political office all around the world, including Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Further reading
- Garance Franke-Ruta, "Kerry's Women," The American ProspectThe American ProspectThe American Prospect is a monthly American political magazine dedicated to American liberalism. Based in Washington, DC, The American Prospect is a journal "of liberal ideas, committed to a just society, an enriched democracy, and effective liberal politics" which focuses on United States politics...
, April 1, 2004.