Mercedes Viana Schlapp is a columnist for the The Washington Times and FOX News Contributor.  She co-hosts a weekly radio show CPAC 365 with her husband and American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp on Sirius XM Patriot.

 

Mercy is the former Director of Specialty Media for President George W. Bush in the White House where she served as a spokesperson for the president. She frequently appears on FOX News, FOX Business, MSNBC, PBS and CNN as a Republican strategist. A first generation Cuban-American and raised in Miami, Florida, she is fluent in Spanish and also provides political commentary for Univision, Telemundo, CNN en Español and national Spanish radio.

 

Mercy was a contributor to U.S. News and World Report.  She also has written for FoxNews.com, The Daily Caller and The Hill on a variety of topics including immigration, Hispanic and women issues as well as on foreign and domestic policies.

 

Inspired by her father, who was held as a political prisoner in Fidel Castro's Cuba in the 1960s, Mercy discovered her passion for politics at a young age. Her father's experience in Cuba gave her a clear understanding of the need to protect freedom and democracy in the United States and around the world.

 

Mercy has worked on both local and national political campaigns including the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaign for President George W. Bush. She also worked at the Republican National Committee where she hosted an on-line show in both English and Spanish and interviewed national surrogates on current events.

 

As co-founder of Cove Strategies, Mercy develops and implements media strategy for corporate and non-profit organizations.

 

Mercy is a native of Miami, Florida, a graduate of Florida International University and received a Masters degree from The George Washington University. She and her husband, Matt, live in Virginia with their five daughters.