Michael Barone, C'62

Michael is a senior writer for U.S. News and World Report with a popular blog in which he explores today’s biggest political and cultural questions. A frequent contributor to the Fox News Channel, Michael also has written for The Economist and The New York Times, and served a principal co-author of 18 versions of “The American Almanac of Politics” since 1971. The Almanac was nominated for a National Book Award. Before joining the magazine, Michael served as an editorial page staff member at The Washington Post from 1982 until 1989. Early in his career, he worked as a political pollster and campaign strategist. He is also the author of several more books including “Our Country: The Shaping of America from Roosevelt to Reagan.” In 1992, he received the Carey McWilliams Award from the American Political Science Association for making “a major journalistic contribution tour understanding of politics.”

During his school years at Cranbrook, Michael wrote for The Crane newspaper, then went on to join the editorial board of the Harvard Crimson before graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in history. He earned his law degree from Yale University, where he was editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Michael returned to Cranbrook in 1991 to give the Cranbrook Kingswood boys, commencement address, Born in Highland Park, Michigan and raised in Detroit, Michael is a Cranbrook lifer, having attended Brookside Lower School. He is married and has a daughter, Sarah. This year, Michael and his classmates celebrate their 45th Reunion.

Michael received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007.