Background
Earnest was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Jeanne M., a psychologist, and Donald H. Earnest, an athletic director
Earnest was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Jeanne M., a psychologist, and Donald H. Earnest, an athletic director
He attended The Barstow School, a private secondary school, on a scholarship. Earnest graduated from Rice University in 1997 with a degree in political science and policy studies.
On May 30, 2014 President Obama announced that Earnest would replace Jay Carney as the White House Press Secretary. He also played baseball and basketball. Immediately following college, he worked in the 1997 Houston Mayoral Election for Lee Brown.
Earnest served as a congressional aide to United States. Congressman Marion Berry from 2002-2003 after working on Michael Bloomberg"s first campaign for mayor of New York City.
After working on Capitol Hill, Earnest worked for the Democratic National Committee from 2003-2006 under both Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Chairman Howard Dean. Earnest was Communications Director on Jim Davis" campaign for Governor of Florida in 2006.
Earnest moved to Iowa in December 2006 to serve as National Communications Director for then-Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack"s presidential campaign. He then joined Senator Obama"s presidential campaign in March 2007 as Obama"s Iowa Communications Director.
After Obama"s Iowa caucus victory, Earnest worked as a top communications aide in several primary contests including South Carolina, Texas and Pennsylvania.
During the 2008 general election, Earnest served as the campaign"s Deputy Communication Director. After Obama was elected President, Earnest moved to Washington, District of Columbia and served as the Communications Director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Earnest started at the White House on President Obama"s first full day in office, January 21, 2009 as Deputy Press Secretary under Robert Gibbs.
Earnest is the voice of West Wing Week, an online video series produced by the White House that chronicles the President"s activities each week.
Earnest is considered a passionate defender of President Obama but also someone who will advocate for more press access and the smoother flow of information. He is respected and well-liked by White House colleagues and journalists alike.
In an annual survey conducted by the Politico Magazine in April 2015, he was voted the most helpful press official in the Obama administration and the best White House press secretary by nearly 70 journalists.