James P. Manley

Why He Matters

“I spin for a living.”Interview with WhoRunsGov 

That is Manley’s description of his job as senior communications adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.). The longtime political spokesman is a fierce partisan tasked with selling his party’s message to the press and public. He is also one of the most powerful staffers on Capitol Hill.

Manley cut his political teeth working for then-Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine.), but he left Mitchell’s office in 1993 to serve as a press secretary for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. He returned to Democratic Senate message-making in 2004.

Manley will be a crucial bridge to the Obama administration as it pushes its agenda on the Hill, including an economic stimulus package and fixing health care.

Path to Power

Manley, a Minnesota native, was born into a political family. His grandfather, Gerald Mullin, was a founder of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Laborer Party.

After earning his B.A. at University of St. Thomas, Manley wanted to head straight to the Hill, but it took him a year to find a job. In the meantime, he lobbied and worked at a law firm in St. Paul, experiences that would come in handy on the Senate floor.

Manley moved to Washington to work as a temporary aide before being hired full-time as press assistant to Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine.) in 1990. In that position, Manley spent long hours working with reporters and monitoring coverage. "I was the early morning guy doing the clips," Manley told Roll Call. "I stuck around at night because I was fascinated by the Senate and how it worked."Hocking, Bree, “Making Coffee, Copies Pays Off, Hill Vets Say,” Roll Call, Jan. 22, 2007

Manley moved to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s (D-Mass.) office in 1993 as a staffer on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. There, he said his most significant achievement was helping to pass the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensured disabled Americans equal access to work and home facilities.

Manley left his former position to accept a job as staff director for the Senate Democratic Communications Center under then-Minority Leader Reid in 2004. When the Democrats retook the majority in 2006, Manley returned to the office where he launched his Hill career, except that he now has one of the nicest desks with a direct view of the Washington Monument.Hocking, Bree, “Making Coffee, Copies Pays Off, Hill Vets Say,” Roll Call, Jan. 22, 2007 Manley is the message maker for Senate Democrats, selling the party’s agenda and going on the offense against Republicans.Almanac of the Unelected

In his spare time, Manley enjoys reading (his favorite author is Hunter S. Thompson) and golfing.Interview with WhoRunsGov

The Issues

Manley describes his job as putting a “Democratic stamp” on the Senate’s work. He is often seen standing in the shadows at Reid’s press events or chatting with reporters. He also helped pioneer the Democratic war room strategy, a rapid-response team comprised of staffers that swiftly handles press problems.Almanac of the Unelected

In the 111th Congress, Manley said his main goals will be helping Reid end the war in Iraq and repair the economy. One of his biggest challenges will be convincing Republicans and an increasingly skeptical American public that the massive spending bills to stimulate the economy currently being considered by Congress are necessary.

Manley has said that he and his staff botched their communications effort on the September 2008 $700 billion bailout.Interview with WhoRunsGov

The Network

Manley has worked for top Democratic senators for more than 20 years. His experiences have helped him develop a deep network of top lawmakers and prominent Hill staffers on both sides of the aisle.

He is particularly close with Don Stewart, who works with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.); Brendan Daly, a top staffer for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.); and Melissa Wagoner, who was a spokeswoman for Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) until the senator's death in 2009.  

He called Kennedy  his political role model “because of his passion and intensity.”Interview with WhoRunsGov  

Manley also said he admires former Sen. Bob Dole’s (R-Kan.) ability to remain fiercely partisan while making deals with his opponents.Interview with WhoRunsGov