Richard Grenell, who led communications and public diplomacy for the Bush administration at the United Nations, has joined Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign as its national security and foreign policy spokesman.
He has been a partner with PR shop Capitol Media Partners in Los Angeles since 2009.
The campaign hire comes as Romney trails President Barack Obama on national security issues, according to recent polls. The New York Times reported this week that Romney will likely face closer scrutiny on his Afghan war stance, among other issues, as the campaign ramps up.
Grenell was director of communications and public diplomacy at the U.N., leading a staff of 14 for both terms of President George W. Bush through four ambassadors and including the run-up to the Iraq invasion which centered on the institution.
He worked on the corporate site leading communications for kidney care giant DaVita and set up Capitol Media Partners in 2009, later adding former DaVita PR colleague Brad Chase, a Hill & Knowlton and Fleishman-Hillard vet. CMP last year was tapped for crisis PR help by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation after the group faced media scrutiny and an investigation of the treatment of former racehorses.
Grenell, who is openly gay, earned his political stripes as a spokesman for San Diego Mayor Susan Golding, New York Gov. George Pataki and ex-Rep. (and ousted governor) Mark Sanford (R-S.C.).
Former CIA spokeswoman and analyst Marie Harf is associate policy director for national security for the Obama campaign.
Grennell is on Twitter at @richardgrenell.