Net Worth Ranker
What Is Dick Morris’s Net Worth?
Determining Dick Morris’s exact net worth is challenging, as financial details of political commentators and consultants are not always publicly accessible. Public figures’ net worth is often estimated based on publicly available information, such as real estate holdings, stock market investments, book royalties, and speaking engagement fees. Dick Morris’s career has spanned various lucrative sectors, including political consulting, book authorship, and media commentary, all of which contribute to his financial status. However, without precise figures, any assertion of his net worth would be speculative.
Early Life and Education
Richard “Dick” Morris was born on November 28, 1948, in New York City. Growing up, he benefited from a family background rooted in intellectual pursuits; his mother, Terry, was a writer, and his father, Eugene, practiced law. He honed his debating skills at Stuyvesant High School, a public magnet high school known for its rigorous academic environment. Morris graduated from Stuyvesant in 1964. He went on to study at Columbia University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967. While it’s difficult to place a specific monetary value on these formative experiences, his early education provided a foundation for his subsequent career in political strategy and commentary.
Work with Bill Clinton
Dick Morris’s association with Bill Clinton began during Clinton’s 1978 campaign for Arkansas governor. While specific salary figures from this early work are unavailable, political consulting at the gubernatorial level typically involves fees ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars per campaign. After Clinton’s election as President in 1992, Morris served as a political advisor in the White House. Though the exact details of his compensation are not public record, senior advisors in the White House commonly earn salaries within the range established for high-level executive branch employees. The “Republican Revolution” in 1994 led to a shift in Clinton’s strategy, with Morris playing a crucial role in advising Clinton to adopt more moderate policies. Subsequently, Morris managed Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign. Campaign managers for presidential campaigns can earn substantial salaries, sometimes exceeding $1 million for a successful campaign, though the specific details of Morris’s compensation remain undisclosed. His tenure ended abruptly when revelations surfaced about his soliciting a prostitute and allowing her to listen in on conversations with Clinton. He resigned the same day Clinton accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. This controversy likely had a detrimental impact on his short-term earning potential, though he later rebounded through other avenues.
Later Political Consulting
After leaving Clinton’s administration, Dick Morris expanded his consulting practice internationally, advising presidential candidates in various countries. His work included consulting for Jorge Batlle in Uruguay, Vicente Fox in Mexico, Raphael Trotman in Guyana, Fernando de la Rua in Argentina, and Viktor Yushchenko in Ukraine. Fees for international political consulting can vary widely, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per campaign, depending on the scope of the work and the resources of the campaign. In 2010, he worked as a strategist for Republican Christy Mihos’s unsuccessful campaign for Massachusetts governor. While the details of his contract are not public, such consulting roles often involve retainers plus performance-based bonuses.
Political Commentary
Following his departure from the Clinton administration in 1996, Dick Morris transitioned into political commentary, contributing to right-leaning programs and publications. He appeared on Fox News programs such as “Hannity & Colmes,” “Hannity,” and “The O’Reilly Factor.” Compensation for cable news commentators varies significantly based on factors such as experience, ratings, and frequency of appearances. Highly sought-after commentators can earn upwards of several thousand dollars per appearance. He also wrote for the New York Post and The Hill. Columnists and contributors to major newspapers and online publications are typically paid per article or on a retainer basis. Morris’s controversial remarks and inaccurate predictions, such as his incorrect forecast of a Mitt Romney landslide victory in the 2012 presidential election, led to a period of absence from Fox News, followed by his departure from the network in early 2013. Subsequently, he appeared regularly on Newsmax and hosted a radio talk show on WPHT in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later on WABC in New York City. He also started hosting a show on Newsmax called “Dick Morris Democracy.” The financial arrangements for these positions are not public, but it is common for commentators to receive a salary or per-appearance fee, depending on the agreement. As an example, Newsmax hosts can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 per year, depending on their profile and the popularity of their show. Furthermore, he drew criticism for accepting paid ads on his website from candidates whom he talked about on the air. It is difficult to estimate revenue generated from this practice, as it would vary based on the number of ads and the rates charged.
Books
Dick Morris has authored and co-authored numerous books throughout his career. His first book, “Behind the Oval Office: Winning the Presidency in the Nineties,” was published in 1997. He followed that with “Vote.com: How Big-Money Lobbyists and the Media Are Losing Their Influence, and the Internet is Giving Power Back to the People.” In 2004, he published “Rewriting History,” a rebuttal to Hillary Clinton’s 2003 memoir “Living History.” The same year, he and his wife published “Because He Could” as a rebuttal to Bill Clinton’s memoir “My Life.” Book royalties typically range from 5% to 15% of the book’s retail price, with advances paid upfront. Bestselling authors can earn significant income from book sales, sometimes reaching millions of dollars. For instance, if “Behind the Oval Office” sold 500,000 copies at an average royalty rate of 10% and a retail price of $25, Morris could have earned $1.25 million in royalties, excluding any advance he received. Subsequent books that advance right-wing conspiracy theories are likely to have generated additional revenue, though the exact figures are not publicly available. In 2005, Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen McGann, sold their New York City apartment, located at 211 East 51st Street, for $1.375 million. They had purchased the property in 1998 for $775,000, resulting in a profit of $600,000 from the sale. In 2011, they paid $1.4 million for a condominium on the Upper West Side.
Personal Life
Dick Morris is married to lawyer, author, and columnist Eileen McGann, with whom he has co-authored several books. Details of their combined assets and financial arrangements are not publicly accessible.
