John Avlon

John Phillips Avlon is an American journalist and political commentator who is the editor in chief of The Daily Beast and a CNN political analyst. He is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics, which critically appraises both traditional American centrism and the more recent radical centrism. He is also the author of Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America. Former President Bill Clinton said that the book Wingnuts "offers a clear and comprehensive review of the forces on the outer edges of the political spectrum that shape and distort our political debate. Shedding more heat than light they drive frustrated alienated citizens away from the reasoned discourse that can produce real solutions to our problems." Avlon has also been a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun and worked as chief speechwriter for former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Early life and education

Avlon is the son of Dianne Alexander (Phillips) and John Jeffrey Avlon, a lawyer, of South Carolina. He is of Greek descent. He was educated at Milton Academy (also known as Milton), a coeducational, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts, and received his bachelor's degree from Yale University and an MBA from Columbia University. Avlon was the youngest and longest-serving speechwriter in the Giuliani Administration as well as Deputy Communications Director. His work included helping prepare the Mayor's State of the City Addresses for 1999 through 2001.