How I Landed White House Gig at 23 (Part II)

Anyone who has ever worked with George Stephanopoulos knows that he’s a bona fide “work horse” – a prerequisite for his many high-profile jobs over the years, from advising President Bill Clinton to hosting “This Week” at ABC News and anchoring “Good Morning America” (GMA).

As noted in the prior post (Part I), I had the privilege of working for George when I was a 20 year-old intern in Congress. Back then, he was the top legislative advisor and “Executive Floor Assistant” to Rep. Richard A. Gephardt in the Office of the House Majority Leader.

George was also a magnificent mentor to me.

• Pictured above: My parents and I with President Clinton in the Oval Office after a Saturday morning weekly radio address.

The Handoff

I recall a funny story which helps to exemplify George’s rock solid work ethic:

In addition to assisting him in the office, I would often see George in the cavernous corridors of the U.S. Capitol building around lunch time. He would briskly walk to and from the cafeteria, heading back to the office holding a tray of food. He didn’t have much time to eat due to his heavy workload and the House floor schedule.

The problem for George was that he was often stopped abruptly in the long hallways by staff of other offices seeking his counsel. Therefore, George would have to eat quickly while standing, as he simultaneously advised those who unexpectedly stopped him.

One day, as I witnessed this occurrence, George flagged me over. I beamed with anticipation thinking he probably had an important new assignment for me.

Well, not that time.

Rather, George simply handed me his tray of half finished food as he continued to engage in the serious business of the day. This was the life of an intern in a congressional leadership office.

The job could be both challenging and tedious.

As a mentor, George’s unparalleled work ethic and leadership made a strong impression on me. I learned many invaluable lessons from him at a young age which, in turn, helped to shape my career.

#ThankYouMentor

Cool & Collected

In addition to his admirable work ethic, George (pictured above) always set a great example as a mentor by being cool, calm and collected. He was the proverbial “rock in the storm” -- no matter how critical the crisis at hand.

One late afternoon, after a bruising legislative battle and subsequent victory on the House floor,  I was taken aback by what I observed...

Republican Congressman Newt Gingrich, an outspoken political nemesis, had sent George a bottle of champagne with a nice note attached. I wondered to myself:

Why would such an infamous political opponent, like Newt, bother singling out George with a personal gift?

After all, George helped lead the charge in defeating key parts of Newt’s Republican legislative and political agenda. But I soon learned that being an influential “work horse” (like George) even won over the sincere respect and admiration of the most partisan political enemies.

Please Spell That

Another monotonous duty of a congressional intern is helping to field the never-ending front office phone calls which light up the dashboard.

Interestingly enough, it turned out that an unexpected number of callers simply wanted to know how to spell and pronounce George’s last name, for purposes of correspondence, attribution, etc. This was another stark sign of his increasing influence.

But even back in 1990, few people knew that George’s long last name would soon become a public household name.

George’s success stemmed from his herculean work ethic, fierce discipline, high intelligence and profound professionalism – not to mention political and legislative genius, of course. He also happens to be an all around nice guy.

This first-hand experience with George made a world of difference in my own professional aspirations and career maturation.

Our paths would cross again during 1993-1994, when I received a political appointment in the Administration of President Bill Clinton and worked in the White House. George was a well known senior advisor and "Assistant to the President."

He was also a pseudo celebrity by then, as part of the public face of the Clinton Administration. Thus, when George walked outside the White House grounds, for instance, he would often be stopped by tourists asking to pose with him for photos. Being courteous and polite, George would always oblige.

His good manners and sense of humility also left a lasting impression.

Laughter = Best Medicine

Another important lesson I learned in those days was maintaining a good sense of humor in a highly stressful and demanding work environment.

In addition to assisting George, I was also privileged to work for another political genius: Paul Begala, one of the closest confidants to presidential campaign manager and advisor, James Carville.

#ThankYouMentor

Paul was a senior speechwriter and shrewd strategist for Congressman Gephardt and later a top political and policy advisor to President Clinton.
Paul also happens to be one of the most gregarious people in Washington.

He taught me the significance of not taking oneself too seriously all the time; in addition to having some fun at work, if and when possible.

Paul showed me, among other things, that laughter can indeed be the best medicine in stressful situations. This was especially helpful if I had a panic attack due to the magnitude of any given moment – like when a big work project was presented to me.

Jokes and Jabs

Paul’s vibrant personality and cunning wit helped cut through the prevalent pressure of working in Congress and the White House.

His impeccable timing with jokes and jabs made for a better workplace amid the incessant intensity. Paul made the office environment more enjoyable, which equated to higher employee engagement, productivity and morale – all of which are essential elements for any successful team effort.

Paul liked to joke that:

“Politics is show business for ugly people”'

 This may help to explain how I got these jobs in the first place.

Even in the White House, Paul would often tease me in his Texas twang with witty refrains such as:

• “Grinberg, what are YOU doing here? When did they let you out of Riker’s Island?” (he knew I was a native New Yorker).
• Or Paul might quip: “Grinberg, even YOU could be Vice President…You look good in a suit!”

Paul also taught me the intricate rules of speechwriting, political communication and media relations. He was (and still is) a master wordsmith and communicator. You’ve probably seen Paul (pictured above) as a featured political analyst and commentator on CNN or elsewhere on TV.

Had it not been for George, Paul and many others who helped me along the way, it’s doubtful I would have made it to the White House in my early 20s. That’s why I will always owe them an incalculable debt of gratitude.

Many Marvelous Mentors

As successful professionals know, it often takes many marvelous mentors to reach great heights at a young age.

Therefore, I would be remiss without naming and thanking some of the other folks whose advice, guidance and professional nurturing likewise proved invaluable for a young 20-something.

Some of these talented professionals might be lesser known in the public eye outside of Washington, but were nonetheless of critical importance to me.

They not only helped me to land these dream jobs, but also succeed in them.

These people included:

• Stan Greenberg and Celinda Lake: Leading Democratic pollsters and political advisors for whom I worked before and during the 1992 presidential campaign.
• David Dreyer: Former Director of Communications for Congressman Gephardt. He also served as Deputy White House Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to President Clinton.
• Steven Akey: Former head of the Public Affairs Search Team at the Presidential Transition Office and then in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel during the early days of the new Administration. Steven graciously took me under his wing as a confidential assistant.
• Pat Morgan: Head of correspondence at the Presidential Transition Office. She’s now an award-winning  author and national advocate for the homeless.
• Mike Wessel: Former senior advisor for trade policy to Congressman Gephardt. He is now an independent consultant with a global list of clients.
• Dan Turton and Matt Gelman: Former staff assistants and then top aides to the House Majority Leader and the Majority Whip of Congress. They followed in George’s footsteps. Dan also later worked as top legislative aide in the White House. Matt works for Microsoft.
• Maureen Beasley: Former Washington Post reporter, author and Professor Emerita of Journalism at the University of Maryland. Her guidance, support and wisdom were unmatched by any of my professors.
• William Galston: Former Dean for the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland and later a member of President Clinton’s Domestic Policy Council. He now works at the Brookings Institution.

Of course, there are other individuals who helped me along the way, to whom I likewise owe endless thanks.

But it’s a long list.

DBG

• Also check out: Many Mentors on Road to White House (Part I) August 9, 2015, featured on Pulse channel, "What Inspires Me."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I'm an independent writer and seasoned strategic communicator based in the Washington, D.C.-area with over 20 years of experience in communications, media relations, journalism, government and politics -- including in the White House and Congress. Join me on Twitter @DBGrinberg and connect on LinkedIn.

NOTE: All views and opinions are those of the author only and not official statements or endorsements of any public sector employer, private sector employer, organization or political entity.