John Heilemann & Mark McKinnon

Speaker Series sponsored by Eileen and Jon Otto.

John Heilemann (Co-Host, Creator, and Executive Producer of Showtime's The Circus; National Affairs Analyst for NBC News and MSNBC; Executive Editor and Co-Founder of The Recount; New York Times No. 1 Best Selling Author of Game Change and Double Down) and Mark McKinnon (Political Advisor and Television Producer; Co-Host and creator of Showtime's The Circus).

About John Heilemann
John Heilemann has covered politics, business, and their intersection for nearly three decades in the United States and abroad, earning a place as one of America’s most prominent and vital voices at a moment when politics and public policy have rarely been more riveting or consequential.

Heilemann is a host, executive producer, and creator of Showtime’s THE CIRCUS, the heralded weekly political documentary series. He is also national affairs analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, where he appears regularly on Morning Joe, The Last Word, Deadline: White House, and The 11th Hour, and other programs.

In addition to his work on television, Heilemann is an acclaimed writer who has co-authored two of the most successful and influential books in history on presidential politics: The New York Times No. 1 best sellers Game Change and Double Down, which are widely seen as the definitive accounts of the 2008 and 2012 elections, respectively. A runaway worldwide sensation, reprinted in nine languages, Game Change was adapted by HBO Films into a movie of the same name, which debuted in 2012 and went on to win five Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Peabody Award.

About Mark McKinnon
Mark McKinnon is a political advisor, reform advocate, columnist, and television producer. He was the creator and co-host of Showtime's Emmy-nominated hit documentary series "The Circus" — the longestrunning, most-watched unscripted show in the history of the network which ran for eight seasons.

McKinnon has worked for many causes, companies, and candidates, including President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, late Governor Ann Richards, and Bono. He was the chief media advisor for five winning presidential primary and general election campaigns. Dedicated to bipartisanship, McKinnon helped start No Labels, an organization dedicated to bringing our parties together to problem solve and heal the partisan divide in our country.