Dr. Basil Smikle Jr. is a Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Public Policy Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. He also lectures at Columbia University in the School of International and Public Affairs and Teachers College. With over 15 years in higher education and 25 years of a career dedicated to public service, Basil regularly shares insights on electoral politics, governance, and public policy on national media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg TV. He holds a PhD in Politics and Education and an MPA from Columbia University and received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University. Previously, Basil served as the Distinguished Lecturer of Politics and Public Policy at the City University of New York's School of Labor and Urban Studies. He was appointed by former Governor David Paterson to serve as the Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party during the 2016 presidential cycle where he was the "second highest ranking Democrat" in the State. Basil worked closely with elected officials and community leaders to manage electoral and fundraising strategies for the State. He recruited candidates for political office and worked closely with the Democratic National Committee to create grassroots mobilization programs and act as a Party surrogate. Under Basil's leadership, Democrats flipped county legislatures, and county-wide seats – laying the foundation for returning the State Senate to full Democratic control in 2018 and flipping three Congressional seats. He received awards from the Governor and Comptroller of New York State for his commitment to public service and education equity.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
The Weekend (2024)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(7 episodes)
- Episode 1x83: Episode 83 (Oct 27, 2024)
- Episode 1x74: Episode 74 (Sep 28, 2024)
- Episode 1x68: Episode 68 (Sep 7, 2024)
- Episode 1x65: Episode 65 (Aug 25, 2024)
- Episode 1x60: Episode 60 (Aug 10, 2024)
- Episode 1x53: Episode 53 (Jul 13, 2024)
- Episode 1x22: Episode 22 (Mar 24, 2024)
The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle (2022)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(16 episodes)
- Episode 2024-11-14: Episode 205 (Nov 14, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-24: Episode 191 (Oct 24, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-15: Episode 184 (Oct 15, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-30: Episode 174 (Sep 30, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-05: Episode 158 (Sep 5, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-28: Episode 154 (Aug 28, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-16: Episode 150 (Aug 16, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-06: Episode 142 (Aug 6, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-22: Episode 131 (Jul 22, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-12: Episode 109 (Jun 12, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-09: Episode 88 (May 9, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-29: Episode 59 (Mar 29, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-01: Episode 41 (Mar 1, 2024)
- Episode 2024-02-16: Episode 31 (Feb 16, 2024)
- Episode 2024-01-29: Episode 17 (Jan 29, 2024)
- Episode 2023-12-14: Episode 242 (Dec 14, 2023)
The ReidOut (2020)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(14 episodes)
- Episode 2024-10-07: Episode 173 (Oct 7, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-27: Episode 168 (Sep 27, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-06: Episode 155 (Sep 6, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-26: Episode 147 (Aug 26, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-09: Episode 140 (Aug 9, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-02: Episode 136 (Aug 2, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-19: Episode 126 (Jul 19, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-17: Episode 110 (Jun 17, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-07: Episode 104 (Jun 7, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-31: Episode 99 (May 31, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-10: Episode 89 (May 10, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-26: Episode 57 (Mar 26, 2024)
- Episode 2023-12-15: Episode 240 (Dec 15, 2023)
- Episode 2023-11-07: Episode 214 (Nov 7, 2023)
The Beat with Ari Melber (2017)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(4 episodes)
- Episode 2024-10-11: Episode 186 (Oct 11, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-23: Episode 133 (Jul 23, 2024)
- Episode 2023-11-06: Episode 217 (Nov 6, 2023)
- Episode 2023-09-01: Episode 172 (Sep 1, 2023)
Deadline: White House (2017)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(68 episodes)
- Episode 2024-11-21: Episode 228 (Nov 21, 2024)
- Episode 2024-11-15: Episode 224 (Nov 15, 2024)
- Episode 2024-11-05: Episode 216 (Nov 5, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-31: Episode 213 (Oct 31, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-17: Episode 203 (Oct 17, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-10: Episode 198 (Oct 10, 2024)
- Episode 2024-10-04: Episode 194 (Oct 4, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-27: Episode 189 (Sep 27, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-20: Episode 184 (Sep 20, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-12: Episode 178 (Sep 12, 2024)
- Episode 2024-09-09: Episode 175 (Sep 9, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-29: Episode 169 (Aug 29, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-27: Episode 167 (Aug 27, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-13: Episode 157 (Aug 13, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-06: Episode 152 (Aug 6, 2024)
- Episode 2024-08-01: Episode 149 (Aug 1, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-29: Episode 146 (Jul 29, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-22: Episode 141 (Jul 22, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-18: Episode 139 (Jul 18, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-15: Episode 136 (Jul 15, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-05: Episode 130 (Jul 5, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-02: Episode 128 (Jul 2, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-27: Episode 125 (Jun 27, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-24: Episode 122 (Jun 24, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-20: Episode 120 (Jun 20, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-14: Episode 116 (Jun 14, 2024)
- Episode 2024-06-04: Episode 108 (Jun 4, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-21: Episode 99 (May 21, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-16: Episode 96 (May 16, 2024)
- Episode 2024-05-03: Episode 87 (May 3, 2024)
- Episode 2024-04-10: Episode 70 (Apr 10, 2024)
- Episode 2024-04-03: Episode 65 (Apr 3, 2024)
- Episode 2024-04-02: Episode 64 (Apr 2, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-28: Episode 61 (Mar 28, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-27: Episode 60 (Mar 27, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-21: Episode 56 (Mar 21, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-19: Episode 54 (Mar 19, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-13: Episode 50 (Mar 13, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-11: Episode 48 (Mar 11, 2024)
- Episode 2024-03-05: Episode 44 (Mar 5, 2024)
- Episode 2024-02-22: Episode 36 (Feb 22, 2024)
- Episode 2024-02-20: Episode 34 (Feb 20, 2024)
- Episode 2024-02-06: Episode 24 (Feb 6, 2024)
- Episode 2024-02-01: Episode 21 (Feb 1, 2024)
- Episode 2024-01-30: Episode 19 (Jan 30, 2024)
- Episode 2024-01-19: Episode 13 (Jan 19, 2024)
- Episode 2024-01-16: Episode 10 (Jan 16, 2024)
- Episode 2024-01-02: Episode 1 (Jan 2, 2024)
- Episode 2023-12-27: Episode 248 (Dec 27, 2023)
- Episode 2023-12-21: Episode 247 (Dec 21, 2023)
- Episode 2023-12-08: Episode 238 (Dec 8, 2023)
- Episode 2023-11-30: Episode 232 (Nov 30, 2023)
- Episode 2023-11-21: Episode 227 (Nov 21, 2023)
- Episode 2023-11-09: Episode 219 (Nov 9, 2023)
- Episode 2023-10-27: Episode 210 (Oct 27, 2023)
- Episode 2023-10-05: Episode 194 (Oct 5, 2023)
- Episode 2023-09-21: Episode 184 (Sep 21, 2023)
- Episode 2023-09-15: Episode 180 (Sep 15, 2023)
- Episode 2023-09-07: Episode 174 (Sep 7, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-28: Episode 167 (Aug 28, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-25: Episode 166 (Aug 25, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-23: Episode 164 (Aug 23, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-21: Episode 162 (Aug 21, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-16: Episode 159 (Aug 16, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-10: Episode 155 (Aug 10, 2023)
- Episode 2023-08-08: Episode 153 (Aug 8, 2023)
- Episode 2023-06-14: Episode 117 (Jun 14, 2023)
- Episode 2023-04-20: Episode 79 (Apr 20, 2023)
All In with Chris Hayes (2013)
Guest starring as Basil Smikle
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2024-08-29: Episode 117 (Aug 29, 2024)
- Episode 2024-07-11: Episode 98 (Jul 11, 2024)