June 22, 2011
On Christmas Day 2009, a passenger on a flight to Detroit tried to light explosives hidden in his underwear. At the Homeland Security Committee, the botched terror attack became a trial by fire for Comis. With his boss away on leave, he was left to deal with the torrent of media attention. “It was definitely the most press interest we’ve had,” Comis said of the experience, which he called a “trial run” for becoming Democratic communications director a year ago. Capitol Hill is filled with former journalists-turned-press-aides, but Comis isn’t one of them. For Comis, 29, the world of political communications has been a learning experience. Born in Washington but raised in Niskayuna, N.Y., outside Albany, Comis studied political science at the University of Rochester, graduating in 2004. Then it was back to Washington to earn a master’s degree in security studies from Georgetown University. A 2006 internship with the House Homeland Security Committee landed Comis a job in the press office in 2007. His approach to feeding the media beast? “I try to be as laid-back as possible while still getting the job done,” he said. “I try to get out as much information as possible.”
