Monica Crowley is perhaps best known for her on-air political commentary on cable news, but the 49-year-old is also a best-selling author, radio host, and consultant who got her start through sheer ambition as a foreign policy assistant to former President Richard Nixon.
She’s written a column for the New York Post, earned a PhD in international relations from Columbia University, worked as an online opinion editor for The Washington Times, and served as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, among her many accomplishments.
Here, Newsmax goes behind-the-scenes with Crowley to talk Trump, working with presidents, and her advice to young people trying to break into the media business.
Newsmax: When you were a junior in college, you wrote a letter to former President Richard Nixon and actually scored a job with him as a foreign policy assistant. What do you think set you apart from the hundreds of others who wrote to him?
Monica Crowley: I had just taken a course on national security and fell in love with the material. As a result, I told the professor that I thought I might like to forge a career in the national security and foreign policy field. He lent me several books to read over the summer, one of which was “1999: Victory Without War,” Nixon’s most recent foreign book at the time. It had such a tremendous impact on the way I thought about the world and America’s place in it that I wrote him a substantive letter that dealt with the issues he raised in the book. Off it went into the mail, but I never expected a response. I just felt compelled to let that particular author know that he had educated and inspired me in truly profound ways.
About a month later, I went to my mailbox and retrieved a handwritten note from the former president, telling me how impressed he was by my command of the issues and extending an invitation to meet him at his office in New Jersey. That initial meeting led to an extraordinary job as foreign policy assistant to the former President of the United States.
Once I had been working with him for a while and saw the hundreds of letters he received each week, I asked him what it was about my letter that spurred his response. He said he considered it remarkable that someone so young “knew how the real world worked.” He was also fascinated that a young woman had emerged from the academy with her conservatism — and admiration of Richard Nixon — intact!
NM: What is the single most important thing he taught you?
MC: President Nixon was profoundly wise and a true visionary, and it was the most magnificent honor to have him as a mentor and friend for four years. Of the many lessons he imparted, the importance of resilience was perhaps the most important. He had experienced many exhilarating peaks and dark valleys over the course of his career, yet he never failed to summon the strength and will to come back, stronger and tougher than before. Never give up. Never give in. Never surrender. His Churchillian fortitude, tenacity, and defiance stuck with me and continue to inspire me.
NM: Is the media really “the enemy of the people” as President Donald Trump has said?
MC: A healthy, strong republic needs an honest press interested in facts and the truth. With some notable exceptions, we currently do not have this kind of press corps. The media has long been biased to the left, but what is different in the Trump era is the level of open activism, advocacy, and extremism they display on a daily basis. They hate the president and everything he represents: his politics and policies, his personal wealth, his personality, his family, his style, his tweets. Most importantly, they fear the existential threat he poses to the elite ruling class, the center of which sits the mainstream media. They know that if he succeeds, it’s over for them: their power, status, influence, money . . . the whole corrupt gravy train will end. Therefore, Trump must be destroyed at all costs. And the ever-powerful media is perhaps the fiercest force in the fight to decimate the man and his presidency. This ongoing media war against the duly elected sitting president is exceedingly corrupt, unjust, and dangerous.
NM: How would you grade Trump’s performance as president when it comes to foreign relations?
MC: Solid A-. He is doing three strategically vital things. First, he’s delivering a booming economy, which is critical to our national security. You cannot have a strong foreign and defense policy without a strong U.S. economy. Second, he’s rebuilding the military, which had been largely decimated after years of Obama and sequestration budget cuts. And third, he’s demonstrating fearlessness in confronting adversaries such as Iran, China, North Korea, Russia, and ISIS, demanding greater material contributions from our allies while strengthening those ties, renegotiating bad trade deals with foreign partners, and enforcing our borders and immigration laws. He says what he means, means what he says, and is unafraid to act in tough, unorthodox, and creative ways to defend America’s interests first. It’s peace through strength, 21st century Trump-style.
NM: Who is the most interesting foreign official or leader you have met over the course of your career and what made them so memorable?
MC: I’ve been very fortunate to meet many foreign leaders, all of whom have been incredibly interesting. The three who truly dazzled me were Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady who wrenched Great Britain out of socialism and helped to end the Cold War and who remains my greatest political heroine; Benjamin Netanyahu, who has tirelessly, daringly, and dauntlessly led Israel in the face of evolving existential threats; and Lech Walesa, who played an indispensable role in bringing down the Soviet empire with unparalleled courage, strength, vision, and grace. I’m rarely speechless, but meeting [former] President [of Poland] Walesa rendered me nearly so.
NM: Do you have any plans to run for elected office in the future?
MC: No current plans, but you know what they say: If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him what your plans are for the day.
NM: What advice do you have for young people embarking on careers in political media?
MC: Given that my career began with sending an unsolicited letter to a former president, I encourage all young people to write that letter! A little initiative can go a long way. And if you don’t get a response, it’s not the end of the world. Keep going. Remain persistent. No one is sitting around thinking they simply must offer you your dream job. You have to make them think of you by seeking them out, following up, and impressing them with your experience and/or willingness to take on responsibilities big and small. Forge connections; show up on time; display authenticity, eagerness, and positivity; respect the rules; be a productive and supportive colleague; and always be kind. A sense of humor and healthy humility help too.
NM: What’s a must-watch television show you’re loving right now?
MC: “Breaking Bad” was the greatest TV drama ever made. I was a “Breaking Bad” fanatic. I am currently obsessed with its prequel, “Better Call Saul.” The creator of both, Vince Gilligan, is a genius. I recently met him and fan-girled out.
NM: What is your favorite vacation destination and why?
MC: I’ll take any beach, anywhere — Long Island, Florida, Caribbean. This year, I’ve also been back to Israel and Italy. I could walk through ruins of lost empires for days.
NM: What do you like to do in your free time?
MC: My guilty pleasure: binge-watching some fantastic shows. My non-guilty pleasure: working with Operation Restored Warrior, an incredible group saving our most at-risk military veterans through faith. They are literally doing God’s work in rescuing and restoring vets whose lives and spirits have been broken. I’m honored to serve on their board.
NM: If you had to choose a last meal, what would it be?
MC: Here’s a version of my ideal meal: A Kir Royale cocktail, followed by poached lobster in butter, rigatoni con salsiccia e tartufi from Hostaria Costanza in Rome, freshly baked bread and butter, and creamed spinach with smoked bacon, topped off with homemade chocolate mousse and whipped cream. It would be a carnival of carbs and sugar. No regrets!
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