The Road to the White House Runs Through Mock Con At Mock Convention’s Parents and Family Weekend event, former White House press secretaries shared their experiences and spoke about the relationship between politics and the media.

Abigail Pickens ’28 interviews former White House press secretaries Josh Earnest and Dana Perino in University Chapel for Mock Convention during Parents and Family Weekend. Photo by James Etherington ’30

“To me, [Josh and Dana’s conversation] is exactly the kind of example we hope to set through Mock Con and the broader culture of civil discourse at Washington and Lee.”

~ Abigail Pickens ’28

Washington and Lee University’s Mock Convention tapped into the lively atmosphere of the annual Parents and Family Weekend to host a discussion with former White House press secretaries Josh Earnest and Dana Perino.

Held on Oct. 2 in University Chapel, the event was titled “The Road to the White House Runs Through our House,” a nod to Mock Con’s long-running tradition to predict the candidate the current political party out of power will nominate to run for president of the United States. Since 1908, Mock Con has been a hallmark of the W&L experience that engages a majority of the student body and is the nation’s most accurate mock political nominating convention, with 75% accuracy.

“As we prepare for a Democratic Mock Convention in 2028, we wanted this event to introduce our parents and the broader community to the tradition and legacy of Mock Con, while reinforcing something that makes Washington and Lee so special — our commitment to civil discourse,” said Mock Con General Chair Abigail Pickens ’28.

Perino and Earnest shared their experiences as White House press secretaries — under President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, respectively — and their thoughts on the current political landscape, particularly regarding the evolving relationship between politics and the media. Moderated by Pickens, a politics major from Dallas, the event fit neatly into Mock Con’s goals to encourage discourse and engagement outside of partisan divisions.

“What makes Mock Convention so special to me is that it’s always been more than just following a prediction,” Pickens explained in her opening remarks. “At its core, Mock Con asks students to be curious, to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions and engage curiously with perspectives different than our own.”

Though they served under presidential administrations from opposing political parties, Earnest and Perino have maintained a friendship beyond the White House and into their careers in the private sector (Perino currently co-anchors Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” with Bill Hemmer and co-hosts the talk show “The Five,” and Earnest is the  executive vice president of communications and advertising for United Airlines).

“Josh and Dana represent something particularly meaningful about American politics, and their relationship is a powerful reminder that political differences do not have to stand in the way of friendship, respect or common purpose,” Pickens said.

Perino and Earnest spoke at length about how their friendship is built on mutual understanding and respect, and the shared experience of what it’s like to stand behind the podium and represent the White House. Perino explained that “nobody else can ever understand what it is like to know all the material, to take all the questions and to feel that kind of loyalty to not only the president of the United States, but to your country.”

Earnest also shared how his relationship with Perino is rooted in their shared commitment to the role of press secretary and the responsibility to aid Americans in understanding the political landscape and where they fit into it.

“I have a real appreciation for how important it is for the American public to be part of the story that the president tells about where the country is headed,” said Earnest, who held the role from 2014-2017. “When you get the job, people think you just have to get up there and tell the truth and try to answer the questions. And while you have to do that, you also have a role as press secretary to try to help people understand what that story is.”

Perino added that press secretaries also have the ability “to see around corners,” as they anticipate what will be a big story and determine how to effectively communicate it to the American public. She finds that this skill set, honed over her tenure as press secretary from 2007-2009, also gives her a competitive advantage, not only in her role as a political commentator, but also as someone who consumes news and must determine which headlines are important amid an ever-growing stream of information.

In discussing the current media landscape — and particularly the use of artificial intelligence and rise of misinformation — Earnest and Perino agreed that it is increasingly necessary to help people who consume the news balance the volume of information they have access to and filter what’s important. Earnest explained that more information doesn’t necessarily make people better informed, and Perino noted that as the pace of information and turnover of the news cycle get faster, “a lot of times our [show’s] coverage is being driven […] from the outside in,” and not only by reports from major networks or outlets.

However, Earnest and Perino maintain a strong sense of hope, and Pickens felt they left the audience with a real sense of optimism about our political moment and its relationship with the media.

“I think there’s always going to be a market for the truth,” Earnest said.

The moderated discussion closed with Earnest and Perino sharing their advice for the next generation, with Perino expressing excitement about the opportunities W&L students have access to and encouraging them to work hard and to not be afraid to try different paths. Earnest agreed that W&L students are uniquely situated to leave their mark on the world.

“You have more power and influence than you think,” Earnest said. “[And] even if the world’s changing, you have an opportunity to shape what that change looks like, and don’t underestimate that.”

With the 29th Mock Convention cycle now underway, the Mock Con leadership team is looking forward to future events and opportunities for the W&L community to engage in important conversations about the political landscape, using Earnest and Perino’s conversation as a model for discourse that transcends party lines.

“Bringing Josh and Dana to campus was an intentional and important decision because their conversation offered us an example of how to navigate differences with thoughtfulness, respect and a genuine willingness to listen,” Pickens said. “To me, that is exactly the kind of example we hope to set through Mock Con and the broader culture of civil discourse at Washington and Lee.”