John D. McCormick
John McCormick | |
|---|---|
| Born | St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Reporter, journalist |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Reporting on national politics and governmental affairs; coverage of Barack Obama's 2007 presidential campaign |
John McCormick is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal stationed in Chicago, specializing in national politics and governmental affairs. While working at the Chicago Tribune, he tracked Barack Obama's 2007 presidential campaign from its inception, accompanying the candidate to nearly 40 states. Throughout the campaign, McCormick and Obama established a cordial relationship. In August 2008, McCormick inquired whether Obama was still considering options for his vice-presidential pick, prompting Obama to reply, "John, how long did it take you to think of that question?"
On November 7, 2008, during a live question-and-answer session at a press conference, Obama specifically called on McCormick. He asked about the Senate seat Obama was vacating and sought guidance for the Illinois governor tasked with appointing his replacement.
A more challenging dialogue took place on December 16, 2008, when McCormick pressed Obama regarding reports that his aides had provided then-Governor Rod Blagojevich with a list of preferred candidates for the Senate vacancy. This interaction was highlighted by the Washington Post.
McCormick was employed by Bloomberg News from 2009 until 2019 before transitioning to the Wall Street Journal.
Early life and education
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, McCormick graduated from Roseville Area High School in 1987 and earned his degree from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in 1991.
From his teenage years, McCormick has been a licensed FCC amateur radio operator, maintaining a station equipped with a five-element yagi mounted on a tower paired with an ICOM IC-756PRO transceiver. He actively participates in contesting and DXing across most amateur radio bands.
Professional career
During his final year at university, McCormick completed an internship at the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune. Shortly after graduating, he joined the Rochester Post-Bulletin, where he covered police matters, court proceedings, local government, and later reported on the Minnesota Legislature in St. Paul.
In 1997, he transitioned to The Des Moines Register as a business reporter and became their inaugural computer-assisted reporting coordinator. He also reported on the 2000 Iowa caucuses and contributed to the Iowa Poll.
McCormick began working for the Chicago Tribune in 2002, concentrating on investigative and project journalism throughout Chicago and the Midwest region. His coverage included the 2002 fatal plane crash involving Sen. Paul Wellstone. He was also part of the team covering the 2003–2004 presidential race.
In 2007, he received the Chicago Tribune Beck Award for Outstanding Professional Performance for a year-long investigative series on teen driving fatalities that led to changes in Illinois legislation. He earned another Beck Award for Domestic Reporting in 2009 for his coverage of Obama's campaign.
After being promoted to the Tribune's Washington Bureau, McCormick left in July 2009 to join Bloomberg's Chicago Bureau. He left Bloomberg in May 2019 to assume the role of Chicago-based national political correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.