8/19/2016

StephenBannon,DonaldTrumpsnewcampaignchiefFT.com

PERSONINTHENEWS

August19,20167:05pm

StephenBannon,DonaldTrumpsnewcampaign
chief
DemetriSevastopulo

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Aprovocateurwithacolourfulbackstory,writesDemetriSevastopulo

StanleyChow

wodecadesbeforeDonaldTrumphiredStephenBannon,headofaconservativewebsitecalled
BreitbartNews,tobecomechiefexecutiveofhispresidentialcampaign,thisformernavalofficer
wasalreadyembracingthepiratementalitythathashelpedhimbecomearguablythemost
importantfigureintheRepublicanspoliticaloperation.
Inearly1998MrBannontookanurgentcallfromScotVorse,aHarvardBusinessSchoolclassmate
andpartnerintheboutiqueinvestmentbankhehadsetupinBeverlyHills.MrVorsehadheardthat
Seagram,adrinksandentertainmentbusiness,wastryingtobuyoneofthebanksclients,themusic
andfilmcompanyPolyGram.Withinhours,thefriendswereontheredeyeflightfromLosAngelesto
NewYork,wherePolyGramsexecutivesweremeeting.

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8/19/2016

StephenBannon,DonaldTrumpsnewcampaignchiefFT.com

ThepairconvincedPolyGrambossestoletthemcampoutinitsofficesastheyjockeyedwith
establishmentbankerstoenterthenegotiations.MrVorsesaystheirbreakcamewhenalegendary
WallStreetbankerdismissedtheirclaimthattheywereclosetoPrinceAlwaleedbinTalal,aSaudi
potentialinvestor.UsingthehardchargingtacticsthatalmostcertainlywonoverMrTrump,Mr
BannontoldAlainLevy,PolyGramspresident,tofindoutthetruthforhimself.
Stevesaidwhydontyougoandcalluptheprincesguyandaskhimwhotheprinceiscloserto?,
saysMrVorse.Tenminuteslater,Levicomesbackandsaysyouretheguy.Itshowsaggressiveness,
nottakingnoforananswer.MrVorsearguesthisiswhyMrBannon,apugnaciousIrishAmerican,
istheperfectpersontohelpMrTrump.
HisappointmentmarkedthesecondrevampofMrTrumpstopteaminasmanymonths,andwas
followedbytheresignationofPaulManafort,aveteranlobbyistwhohadbeenincharge.MrTrump
hasfallenbehindHillaryClintoninrecentpollsbecauseofhisdivisiverhetoric.ButMrBannons
hiringraisesthespectrethatMrTrumpplanstodoubledownontheunabashedandunpolished
populismthatcharacterisedthesuccessofhisearlycampaign.
Acompetitivesportsfanaticwholikescollegefootballandgolf,MrBannon,
63,wasborninVirginiaanddescribedhimselfinaninterviewlastyearascomingfromabluecollar,
IrishCatholic,proKennedy,prounionfamilyofDemocrats.Littlehasbeenwrittenabouthis
privatelife,althoughhehasthreechildren,includingadaughterwhoisaWestPointgraduate.He
hasundergoneaseriesofreinventions,frominsidertostonethrowingoutsider.Aftergraduating
fromVirginiaTech,hespentsevenyearsinthenavybeforegainingaHarvardMBA.Heworkedat
GoldmanSachsasaninvestmentbankerbeforesettingupBannon&Company.
MrBannontookoverBreitbartNews,whereheisexecutivechairman,in2012afterthedeathofits
founder,AndrewBreitbart.HehasdescribedtheBreitbartwebsite,whichhasanestimated12m
uniquemonthlyvisitors,asafightclubthatisvirulentlyantiestablishment.Supporterssayhis
combativestylemirrorsMrTrumpsandthathehaslongusedBreitbarttopromoteideas,including
tacklingillegalimmigration,thatthetycoonemployedenroutetobecomingRepublicannominee.
OneyearbeforetheemergenceofMrTrumpandtwoyearsbeforetheUKsBrexitvote,MrBannon,
whocreatedaBreitbartarminBritain,saidtherewasagrowingglobalantiestablishmentrevolt
againstthepermanentpoliticalclass,fromTexastoLondon.ThedayafterhiringMrBannon,Mr
TrumptweetedthatTheywillsoonbecallingmeMR.BREXIT!
SomesupporterssaythatwhileMrBannonpushesconservativecauses,heandMrTrumparefighters
whoprivilegeresultsoverideologicalpurity.ItdidntsurprisemethatBreitbart[underMrBannon]
wentforTrump.WhatisTrump?HeisanAmericanandapatriotwhocareswhathappenstothis
country,saysDavidHorowitz,aconservativewhowritesforBreitbart.Bannonisafighterand
Trumpisafighterandthatiswhatpeoplearerespondingto.
FewpeopledisagreethatBannonisatenaciousfighter,whichMrVorsesaysisshownbytheir
achievementsatBannon&Company,whichwaslaterboughtbySocitGnrale.Werepresented
Samsung,Berlusconi,MGM,Westinghouse,PrinceAlwaleed,PolyGram.Thatisprettyamazingfor
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8/19/2016

StephenBannon,DonaldTrumpsnewcampaignchiefFT.com

twoguys.Stevewastheguypushingonthegaspedaltomakesurewegotinthere.Youdontgetin
doorsbyonlybeingaggressive.Youneedtobecharming.
CriticssaythatcharmispartofaJekyllandHydepersonalitythatbrooksnodissent.Thereis
nobodywhohasntbeenontheendofareallyblueSteveBannontirade,saysBenShapiro,anex
BreitbarteditoratlargewhoquitafterMrBannonrefusedtobackafemalestaffmemberallegedly
manhandledbyCoreyLewandowski,thenTrumpcampaignmanager,andwhowaslaterfired.Heis
notaneasypersontoworkwithandheisproudofthat.
MrShapirosaysMrBannonseemstobethepopulistnationalistthatheprofessestobe,butdoesnot
careabouttraditionalconservativeviewsontheconstitutionorlimitedgovernment.Trumphasno
corevaluesandIdontthinkStevehas.
KurtBardella,aformerBreitbartspokesmanwhoalsoresignedovertheLewandowskicontroversy,
saysMrBannonranthesitelikeadictator,intermsofdirectinterventionandinsertinghisown
narrativeforthepurposeofincreasingthevitriolthatplaysonthefearsofhisaudience.
MrBannonhasattachedhimselftovariouscandidatesovertheyears.Hehasalsomadeseveral
movies,includinga2011documentaryaboutSarahPalin,JohnMcCainsRepublicanrunningmatein
2008,whichonecriticcalledsooutlandishlypartisanthatitmakesRichardNixonlooklike
AbrahamLincoln.
MrBardellaconcludesthatthecollaborationismutuallybeneficial.InBreitbart,thepropertymogul
gainedamediaoutletmorethanwillingtorunnoncriticalpiecesabouthiscampaignwhileMr
BannoncoulduseMrTrumptomakeBreitbartmoreinfluentialandboosthisownroleinpolitics.
TheloveaffairwithTrumpwasanaturalextension,saysMrBardella.Hehasbeenlookingforthat
winninghorseforalongtime.
ThewriterisFTWashingtonbureauchief
Twitter:@Dimi
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StephenBannon,DonaldTrumpsnewcampaignchiefFT.com

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