Mary Beth Cahill
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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 of 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 and 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 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 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.
[edit] Further reading
- Garance Franke-Ruta, "Kerry's Women," The American Prospect, April 1, 2004.
