Dana Milbank
A sharp-witted Washington columnist who dissects political theater with a blend of satire and deep reporting, holding power to account.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American journalist·Birthday: April 27·Generation X
Biography
Dana Milbank carved out a distinctive space in political journalism by focusing on the performative and often absurd nature of Washington life. Born in 1968, he built his career not just on policy analysis but on capturing the characters and rituals that define the capital. His columns for The Washington Post, often laced with a keen, satirical edge, chronicle the posturing and power games of both parties. Beyond his regular dispatches, Milbank has authored several books that profile pivotal figures like George W. Bush and Al Gore, using narrative depth to explore their personas and the political climate they shaped. His frequent appearances as a television pundit extend his voice into a more immediate arena, where he translates the day's events into sharp, accessible commentary. Milbank's work matters because he treats politics as a human story, full of ambition, folly, and consequence, making the machinations of government vivid for a broad audience.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Dana was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Dana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored influential political biographies, including 'Tears of a Clown: Glenn Beck and the Tea Bagging of America' and 'Homo Politicus: The Strange and Scary Tribes that Run Our Government'.
- Has been a featured columnist for The Washington Post's opinion section, offering regular critique of American political culture.
- Appeared as a frequent analyst on major news networks, including CNN and MSNBC, providing real-time political commentary.
- Won the Washington Monthly's 'Political Book of the Year' award for his work 'The Destructionists: The Twenty-Five Year Crack-Up of the Republican Party'.
Did You Know?
He worked as a reporter for the conservative magazine The New Republic early in his career.
Milbank is a graduate of Yale University.
He once served as The Washington Post's White House correspondent during the George W. Bush administration.
“The problem with Washington is not that there's too much politics. It's that there isn't enough governing.”
