(Walmart)
Dan Bartlett is the Executive Vice President of corporate affairs at Walmart. Bartlett recently came to national attention when he took on Bernie Sanders on Twitter. You can see Bartlett’s Twitter thread about Sanders here.
Sanders is an outspoken critic of Walmart’s policies. The Vermont senator and presidential candidate recently stopped off in Bentonville, Arkansas to attend the annual meeting of Walmart shareholders. During the meeting, Sanders introduced a proposal that would make it possible for Walmart workers to become board members. “Walmart can strike a blow against corporate greed and a grotesque level of income and wealth inequality that exists in our country,” Sanders said in introducing the proposal.
Bartlett took to Twitter to criticize Sanders’ views on Walmart. Here’s what you need to know about Dan Bartlett:
1. He Says Sanders’ Views on Walmart Are ‘Outdated’
We welcome @BernieSanders on his campaign stop to Northwest Arkansas. Here are a few facts I’m fairly certain he won’t acknowledge while describing his outdated view of Walmart. (1/4)
Bartlett says that Bernie Sanders’ views about Walmart are “outdated” and don’t reflect today’s reality. The Walmart executive said that his company has hired 225,000 veterans in the last five years and has pledged to avoid emissions in the supply chain by 1 billion metric tons by 2030. He also said that Walmart makes debt-free college education accessible to more than a million people for about $1 a day and has opened 200 “training academies” which, he said, offer “enhanced workforce skill-building” for hundreds of thousands of people.
Bartlett is the executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart. According to his official biography, Bartlett is responsible for “government relations and public policy, corporate communications, philanthropy and the company’s social responsibility and sustainability initiatives.”
2. Bartlett Worked in the White House During the George w Bush Administration
Happy to take part in the conversation at this year’s Presidential Ideas Festival at the @miller_center. Shout out to my fellow panelists: Don Baer and @AyeshaRascoe and moderator @pastpunditry for an excellent session. #prezfest
Dan Bartlett served as Counselor to the President in the George W Bush administration. He was responsible for handling the president’s strategic communications planning and the for creating policy. He also oversaw the White House Press Office and the Offices of Communications, Media Affairs, and Speechwriting. Bartlett served before that as Assistant to the President for Communications and White House Communications Director. Before being named Communications Director, he was Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy to then Counselor to the President, Karen Hughes.
3. Bartlett Played a ‘Key Role’ in George W Bush’s Presidential Race & Was Considered One of His Most Trusted Advisers
An interesting perspective from those who serve with @BernieSanders: “When it comes to commitment to its employees and preparing them for the future, we don’t believe any company is doing more on workforce development.”
Bartlett spent many years working with George W Bush, in a range of capacities. He played a key role in Bush’s run for governor of Texas; he also worked on Bush’s presidential campaigns. After Bush was elected president, he went to work in the White House as part of the communications team. His official biography describes him as “one of President Bush’s most trusted advisors.”Bartlett said that he had first gotten involved with George W Bush’s campaign thanks to Karl Rove, who later became one of the president’s closest advisers. “The only reason I’m here I owe to Karl Rove,” Bartlett said during an interview at the White House back in 2002. “He is the person who gave me the opportunity, and I have enormous respect for him.”
4. Bartlett Grew Up in Rockwall, Texas & Went to Work for Karl Rove While a Student at the University of Texas
Bartlett was born in Waukegan, Illinois. His family moved to Texas when he was a boy, and he grew up in Rockwall, Texas. He went on to earn his BA from the University of Texas. He got involved in politics while he was a student; his first political job was working in the Austin office of his Texas state senator Ted Lyon, a Democrat.
While still a college student, Bartlett went to work for the political strategist Karl Rove’s consulting firm. He joined George W Bush’s first campaign for governor in the fall of 1993.
5. Bartlett & His Wife Allyson Have Four Sons
Dan Bartlett is married to Allyson Sikes. The couple has four sons. The family relocated to northwest Arkansas in 2013, when Bartlett accepted the position of vice president at Walmart. In a press release from 2013, Bartlett talked about his excitedment about joining Walmart. He said, “Growing up in a small Texas town, I’ve seen first-hand the opportunity Walmart provides and the positive impact it can have on local communities. Now Walmart is in a unique position to make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world. I am honored and excited to be part of that.”