Interviewee: Ken Mehlman
Interviewer: Charlie Rose
Date: January 16, 2008

Ken Mehlman has served as an attorney, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, philanthropic board member, public policy spokesperson, civil rights advocate, and environmental activist.

A college classmate of future president Barack Obama, Ken Mehlman received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1991. He went on to pass his bar exam for D.C. and Maryland.

Ken Mehlman practiced environmental law for Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld from 1991 to 1996. While at this firm, Ken Mehlman became a political operative when he worked for politicians in five states, including two Presidential campaigns.

Ken Mehlman is a politically conservative, but still remains socially progressive. As the RNC Chairman, Ken Mehlman made a famous public apology to African-Americans for the Republican Party not doing enough for their community. Ken Mehlman bemoaned the fact that “Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization.” He went on to work hard to gain African American votes for the Republican Party.

After 2007, Ken Mehlman moved away from the political arena to work for the private equity firm Kravis Kohlberg & Roberts. As the of Head of Global Public Affairs, Ken Mehlman promoted KKR’s new innovative strategy of combing environmental initiatives with investment saavy. In this capacity, Ken Mehlman is one of the major spokesman for KKR’s Green Portfolio Project. Ken Mehlman said these initiatives were “good examples of how smart companies can cut costs and support the environment.”

Ken Mehlman is also a member the Foreign Relations Climate Change Task Force.

Ken Mehlman is also a very busy philanthropist and social activist. Ken Mehlman is a trustee of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Franklin & Marshall College, and the Strong American Schools Foundation. Reflecting his more progressive Republican approach to African American citizens, Ken Mehlman holds an executive leadership cabinet position for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Foundation.

In this interview, Charlie Rose interviews “retired political junkie” Ken Mehlman. Ken Mehlman comments on the volatile Republican presidential primary campaign in 2008. He declares his neutrality in the campaign, as well as comments on the War on Terror.

More information on Ken Mehlman

• View Interview Nation’s profile of Ken Mehlman’s work with the Environmental Defense Fund.
• Marc Gunther comments about Ken Mehlman and KKR’s environmental initiatives.
• Politics Central interviews Ken Mehlman and Michael Barone.