Patrick Caddell Dies: Political Pollster, ‘West Wing’ Writer-Consultant Was 68
Patrick Caddell, a pollster for Jimmy Carter who later became a writer, consultant and co-producer on The West Wing, among other TV and film work, has died. Caddell died Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina, after suffering a stroke, Professor Kendra Stewart of the College of Charleston, told The Associated Press. He was 68.
Caddell began his political career in the 1970s, working with Carter and other Democratic candidates before becoming a conservative pundit in recent years, becoming an informal adviser on President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, via a close relationship with Steve Bannon. He also was a contributor to Fox News from 2009 to 2016, appearing on Hannity and Fox Report with Shepard Smith, among other programs.
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Caddell first worked with 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern, then joined with Carter in the mid-1970s, eventually helping propel Carter to his longshot win for the presidency.
Caddell consulted with other Democratic presidential candidates in the 1980s and was a close adviser to Joe Biden during his failed 1988 bid for the presidency. He later broke from Democrats, saying he felt the party had not kept its promise of being “a party of the people.”
Tiring of the Washington scene, Caddell moved to LA where he became involved in the TV and film industry. He became a writer, co-producer and consultant working with Aaron Sorkin on The West Wing. He also consulted on other films such as Outbreak, Air Force One and In the Line of Fire. He also worked on TV documentary Mister President and TV movies Running Mates and Y2K.
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