Bill Kristol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Kristol
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Kristol in 2011
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| Chief of Staff to the Vice President | |
| In office January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
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| Vice President | Dan Quayle |
| Preceded by | Craig Fuller |
| Succeeded by | Roy Neel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Kristol
December 23, 1952 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Unaffiliated (2021–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (1980–2020) |
| Spouse |
Susan Scheinberg
(m. 1975) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Matthew Continetti (son-in-law) |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, PhD) |
William Kristol (born December 23, 1952) is an American writer and political expert. He is known for his conservative views. He often shares his opinions on TV news channels like CNN.
Kristol started and was a main editor for The Weekly Standard, a political magazine. Now, he is a main editor for The Bulwark, which is a center-right publication. Since 2014, he has hosted an online interview show called Conversations with Bill Kristol.
He played a big part in stopping the Clinton health care plan of 1993 in the 1990s. He also strongly supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Kristol has worked with many conservative groups called think tanks. These groups research and suggest ideas for public policy.
Kristol does not support former president Donald Trump. He is part of the Never Trump movement. He also helped start Defending Democracy Together. This group works on projects like Republicans for the Rule of Law.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Kristol was born in New York City on December 23, 1952. His family was Jewish. His father, Irving Kristol, was an editor and publisher. He was known as a "godfather of neoconservatism". This is a political idea that supports using American power to spread democracy.
His mother, Gertrude Himmelfarb, was a well-known historian. She studied the history of ideas in the U.S. and Great Britain. Kristol went to Collegiate School for Boys in Manhattan. He later studied at Harvard University. He earned a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. in political science there.
Kristol's Career in Politics
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In 1970, Kristol worked as an intern at the White House. Later, he worked on political campaigns. In 1988, he managed Alan Keyes's campaign for Senator in Maryland.
After teaching political ideas at universities, Kristol started working in government. From 1985, he was the chief of staff for the Secretary of Education, William Bennett. This was during Ronald Reagan's time as president. Later, he became chief of staff for Vice President Dan Quayle. This was during the George H. W. Bush's presidency.
From 1993 to 1994, Kristol led the Project for the Republican Future. In 1993, he strongly opposed President Bill Clinton's plan for health care. In 2003, Kristol wrote a book called The War Over Iraq. In this book, he supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also advised Senator John McCain during his 2008 presidential campaign.
Kristol as a Media Commentator
After Republicans won many seats in Congress in 1994, Kristol helped start The Weekly Standard. This was a conservative news magazine. From 1996, Kristol was a regular guest on the ABC news show This Week.
In 2007, Kristol wrote columns for Time magazine. The next year, he became a columnist for The New York Times. He wrote weekly opinion pieces for the Times from 2008 to 2009.
For ten years, Kristol was a regular guest on Fox News Sunday. He also often appeared on Special Report with Bret Baier. In 2013, his contract with Fox News ended. He then became a popular commentator on many other news channels. In 2014, he became a contributor for ABC News.
His Online Interview Show
Since 2014, Kristol has hosted an online interview show. It is called Conversations with Bill Kristol. He talks with important people from academics and public life. The show has deep discussions on topics like politics, history, and foreign policy.
The show started in 2014. It is part of the Foundation for Constitutional Government. This group helps promote the study of politics. Bill Kristol is known for his role in American politics. He was a founder of The Weekly Standard. He also helped start Defending Democracy Together.
Each episode of the show is an interview. They are often longer than an hour. This allows guests to share their knowledge and experiences. The show has featured many different guests. These include scholars, journalists, and political experts. Some guests include Garry Kasparov and Anne Applebaum. New episodes are released every two weeks.
Kristol's Political Views
Kristol was very important in stopping the Clinton health care plan in 1993. He wrote memos for Republican leaders. He said the party should "kill" the plan, not try to change it. He also used the phrase "There is no health care crisis." This phrase was later used by Senator Bob Dole.
Kristol strongly supported the Iraq War. In 1998, he and other experts wrote a letter to President Clinton. They urged a stronger approach against Iraq. Kristol believed that Saddam Hussein was a big threat to the U.S. He said that military action was needed. He also said that removing Saddam Hussein from power should be the goal.
In the 2000 election, Kristol supported John McCain. After the Bush administration responded to the September 11, 2001 attacks, Kristol said it was a new American foreign policy. He strongly supported the decision to go to war with Iraq. In 2003, he wrote a book explaining why Saddam should be removed. He predicted the war would be short.
As the situation in Iraq got worse in 2004, Kristol called for more U.S. troops. He also criticized the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. He said Rumsfeld avoided responsibility for mistakes in the war. In 2006, he and Rich Lowry wrote that more American troops were needed in Baghdad. This idea later led to the Iraq War troop surge of 2007.
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Kristol was one of many conservatives who opposed President Bush's choice for the U.S. Supreme Court, Harriet Miers. He said he was "disappointed" and that the choice showed "cronyism." He also supported the 2006 Lebanon War. He said it was "our war too," meaning the United States should care about it. Kristol was a strong supporter of Sarah Palin for Vice President in 2008. However, he later said she would not have been a good vice president.
Kristol has supported strong sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear program. In 2006, he suggested a military strike against Iran's nuclear sites. In 2010, he criticized the Obama administration's approach to Iran. He said it was time to have a serious discussion about attacking Iran's nuclear program.
In 2010, when U.S. diplomatic cables were leaked, Kristol spoke against the organization that leaked them. He suggested using "assets to harass, snatch, or neutralize Julian Assange and his collaborators." In 2011, he wrote that U.S. military actions in Muslim countries should be called "liberations," not "invasions." Kristol supported President Barack Obama's decision to get involved in the Libyan Civil War in 2011. He urged other conservatives to support it.
Opposition to Donald Trump
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Kristol strongly opposed Donald Trump becoming the Republican candidate for president in 2016. He has continued to dislike Trump's policies. He is also upset with other Republicans who have supported the Trump administration.
In January 2019, Kristol criticized President Trump's plan to remove U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan. In December, Kristol and a group called Republicans for the Rule of Law released an ad. It asked people to call their Senators. They wanted top Trump officials to testify in his impeachment trial.
In March 2020, Kristol supported Joe Biden for President of the United States. Kristol is a founding director of Republican Voters Against Trump. This project started in May 2020. On October 15, Kristol voted for the Democratic candidates. He said he had "no regrets at all" about his vote.
In 2021, Kristol said he identifies more as a former Republican. In January 2024, his group Defending Democracy Together spent a lot of money. They supported Nikki Haley and ran ads against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary. After Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, Kristol endorsed her on The Bulwark.
Personal Life
Since 1975, Kristol has been married to Susan Scheinberg. They met while studying at Harvard. Susan Scheinberg has a Ph.D. in classics. They have three children. Their daughter, Anne, is married to writer Matthew Continetti. He is the editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon website.
Their son, Joseph, served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan. He later worked for a company called McKinsey & Company. In 2018, he started working for Senator Tom Cotton. Kristol lives in McLean, Virginia.
Published Works
- The Weekly Standard: A Reader: 1995–2005 (Harper Perennial, 2006). ISBN: 0-06-088285-9
- War Over Iraq: Saddam's Tyranny And America's Mission (Co-author Lawrence F. Kaplan) (Encounter Books, 2003). ISBN: 1-893554-69-4
- Bush v. Gore: The Court Cases and the Commentary (Co-editor E. J. Dionne) (Brookings Institution Press, 2001). ISBN: 0-8157-0107-1
- Homosexuality and American Public Life (Introduction by Kristol, Editor Christopher Wolfe) (Spence Publishing Company, 1999). ISBN: 978-1-890626-23-5
