Robert Kuttner

Robert Kuttner is the co-founder and current editor-in-chief of "The American Prospect", which was created in 1990 as "an authoritative magazine of liberal ideas," according to its mission statement.

He is also one of five co-founders of the Economic Policy Institute, and currently serves on its board of directors. In 2007, Kuttner joined the non-partisan public policy center Demos [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demos_%28US_think_tank%29] as a Distinguished Senior Fellow.

Education/Academe

Robert Kuttner attended Oberlin College, the University of California, Berkeley, and the London School of Economics.

At different times throughout his career he has taught at Brandeis, Boston University, UMass, and Harvard's Institute of Politics. He has also been a John F. Kennedy Fellow at Harvard University, a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at UC-Berkeley, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Radcliffe Public Policy Fellow.

He holds an honorary degree from Swarthmore College.

Writer and editor

Kuttner has had an extensive career as a writer and editor at various national publications.

In addition to his early work at Pacifica Radio, including a stint as general manager of WBAI-FM in New York, he has served as Washington Editor of the "Village Voice", economics editor at "The New Republic", and was a member of the national staff at the "Washington Post". He is also currently one of five columnists for the "Economic Viewpoint" section of "BusinessWeek".

His nationally syndicated column is carried in over a dozen large dailies, in addition to appearing on "The American Prospect" website every Thursday.

Writings

Robert Kuttner is author of several books dealing with economic and labor theory, as well as his political support for the revival of a robust labor-left agenda, including "Everything For Sale: The Virtues and Limits of Markets", "The End of Laissez-Faire", "The Life of the Party", and "The Squandering of America: How the Failure of Our Politics Undermines Our Prosperity" (Knopf, 2007).

His most recent book, "Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency", presents a vision of Barack Obama's opportunity to transform American politics. [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/hendrikhertzberg/2008/08/obamas-challeng.html]

Commentator

Kuttner has appeared as a commentator-usually offering a liberal counterpoint-in numerous capacities, including as a periodic commentator on National Public Radio, "The Newshour with Jim Lehrer", "Firing Line", "Debates-Debates", "Crossfire", and numerous other public affairs and/or debate programs.

Government Service

In addition to being a pundit, Kuttner has served in several capacities within the federal government, including as an investigator for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, as well as serving as Executive Director of former President Carter's National Commission on Neighborhoods.

Recognition

Robert Kuttner has been recognized by various organizations for his career as a journalist. These honors include the 1996 Sidney Hillman Award, which he won for his book "Everything For Sale."

He has also been the recipient of the Paul Hoffman Award for Human Development of the United Nations, the Jack London Award for labor journalism, and the John Hancock Award "for excellence in business and financial journalism."

Family

Robert's wife, Joan Fitzgerald, is the Director of the Law, Policy and Society Program at Northeastern University. His daughter Jessica, is a social worker currently living in Western Massachusetts.

Fox News interview

Kuttner was involved in a heated exchange with Sean Hannity during an appearance on the Fox News program "Hannity and Colmes" on September 10, 2008. Hannity said that Kuttner was "spewing garbage" to which Kuttner replied "No name calling, yet." After Hannity claimed that Barack Obama is not who he claims to be based on his associations with William Ayers and Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Kuttner accused Hannity of using RNC talking points. Hannity then mocked that Kuttner was spewing DNC talking points, to which Kuttner exclaimed "I don't spew any goddamn lines." Kuttner then said "Stop insulting me or I am walking off the set", which Hannity supported.

Next, Hannity said Kuttner was portraying the economy as being in "dire straits". Kuttner said in response, "Do you want to deny [that the economy is in bad shape] , you fool?". Hannity then mocked Kuttner's language by saying "you fool, you idiot." After Hannity tried to talk over Kuttner by exlaiming "Sir, sir," Kuttner replied "Sir, sir my butt." [ [http://www.newshounds.us/2008/09/11/hannity_has_a_bullyboy_meltdown_at_suggestion_economy_is_in_trouble.php Hannity Has A Bullyboy Meltdown At Suggestion Economy Is In Trouble] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.prospect.org/cs/about_tap/about_the_editors#kuttner American Prospect Biography]
* [http://www.squanderingofamerica.com SquanderingofAmerica.com] Robert Kuttner's official website
* [http://www.squanderingofamerica.com/books.cfm Books and selected articles] by Robert Kuttner
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5327536657084520483&q=Robert+Kuttner&hl=en American Foreign Policy as Political Failure] Speech delivered before the New America Foundation.
* [http://www.prospect.org/columns/kuttner/ TAP Robert Kuttner Column Archive]
* [http://www.cato.org/special/symposium/debate.html Globalization and World Capitalism] Epistolary debate between Kuttner and Johann Norberg, overseen by the Cato Institute
* [http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/010949.php Somebody Feed 'Em Some Cat Food] Criticism of Kuttner's handling of the Valerie Plame scandal.
* [http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/25/067.html What sank Asia? Money sloshing around the world]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A98PubYANkQ Debate between Kuttner and William Kristol]