Career Timeline of James Carville: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of James Carville, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
James Carville is an American Democratic political consultant and pundit. He is known for his frequent appearances on cable news programs, podcasts, and public speeches, where he provides commentary and analysis on U.S. elections and political events.
14 hours ago : Carville urges Democrats to pursue Trump's graft and address Qatar jet concerns.
James Carville advised Democrats to investigate Trump's potential graft and scrutinize the Qatar jet issue. He emphasized focusing on corruption allegations to hold Trump accountable and maintain ethical standards.
1972: Distributed "Hate Sheets" for Ossie Bluege Brown
During Ossie Bluege Brown's 1972 campaign for district attorney of East Baton Rouge Parish, James Carville distributed "hate sheets" with negative literature on a political opponent on Brown's behalf.
1979: Left McKernnan, Beychok, Screen and Pierson
In 1979, James Carville ended his employment as an attorney at McKernnan, Beychok, Screen and Pierson, a Baton Rouge law firm.
June 1984: Gramm's Prayer Breakfast
In June 1984, Phil Gramm held a prayer breakfast and insisted on "having people who believe in Christianity in charge of government," which Carville counter-punched as antisemitic during Doggett's campaign.
November 1984: Out of Work After Doggett's Defeat
In November 1984, after Lloyd Doggett's defeat in the election, James Carville found himself out of work, scared, and without health insurance or money at 40 years old.
September 25, 1987: Carville's Imploration on "Your Government"
On September 25, 1987, James Carville appeared on WLEX-TV's "Your Government" and implored reporters to look into the background of Wilkinson's opponent John Harper's family, noting "there might be problems with some of Harper's children."
August 1990: Miller won the runoff
In August 1990, Zell Miller won the nominating contest in the runoff against Young.
November 1990: Miller defeated Johnny Isakson
In November 1990, Zell Miller defeated Johnny Isakson in the general election.
April 1991: Wofford Senate seat
In April 1991, after the death of Senator John Heinz, James Carville suggested Governor Casey offer the Senate seat to Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca, who declined, before Casey appointed Harris Wofford.
June 1992: Criticism of Sister Souljah
In June 1992, James Carville orchestrated Bill Clinton's criticism of hip hop artist Sister Souljah at the Rainbow Coalition's "Rebuild America" conference in Washington, D.C., opening up a public war between Clinton and Jesse Jackson.
1992: Early Public Recognition
By 1992, James Carville's emergence as a prominent campaign consultant marked a shift in public perception, as campaign consultants were gaining recognition beyond a niche audience.
1992: Client Bill Clinton
In 1992, Bill Clinton was James Carville's client.
1992: Clinton's Win Against Bush
In 1992, James Carville helped lead Bill Clinton to a win against George H. W. Bush in the presidential election.
1992: Flowers' Allegations
In 1992, James Carville sought to shield Bill Clinton from Gennifer Flowers' allegations of an extramarital affair, alleging that a supermarket tabloid paid Flowers $175,000 for her story.
1992: National Attention
In 1992, Wofford's surprise victory helped earn Carville national attention, with the Democratic Party hoping that he could now help the party win the White House.
1992: Miller Keynote Speaker at DNC
In 1992, Zell Miller was a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention.
1992: Consulted for Richard Katz
In late 1992, James Carville consulted for San Fernando Valley state assemblyman Richard Katz in his run for the open 1993 Los Angeles mayoral election.
1993: Campaign District Manager of the Year
In 1993, James Carville was honored as Campaign District Manager of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants for his work.
1993: Mayoral Election
In 1993, Richard Katz lost the Los Angeles Mayoral election, with James Carville as a consultant, Katz did not advance to the general election.
1994: Consulted for Fernando Henrique Cardoso
In 1994, James Carville consulted for Fernando Henrique Cardoso in his successful campaign for the Brazilian presidency.
November 1997: Flores Faced Melgar
In November 1997, Carlos Flores faced Nora Gúnera de Melgar in the general election.
1997: Consulted for Carlos Flores Facussé
In 1997, James Carville consulted for Carlos Flores Facussé in his presidential campaign in Honduras.
January 1998: Introduction to Duhalde
In January 1998, James Carville was introduced to Eduardo Duhalde by James Cheek.
1998: Helped elect Jamil Mahuad Witt
In 1998, James Carville helped to craft a successful strategy to elect Jamil Mahuad Witt as President of Ecuador.
1998: Advised Ernesto Pérez Balladares
In 1998, James Carville was retained by the Democratic Revolutionary Party in Panama to help re-elect then term-limited President Ernesto Pérez Balladares.
1998: Consulted for Ehud Barak
In late 1998, James Carville, along with colleagues Bob Shrum and Stanley Greenberg, consulted for Labor Party candidate Ehud Barak to help him prepare for the 1999 prime ministerial election.
May 1999: Remarks on Duhalde
In May 1999, James Carville remarked that James Cheek introduced him to Eduardo Duhalde in January 1998.
October 1999: Duhalde lost election
In the October 1999 general election, Eduardo Duhalde lost to Fernando de la Rúa.
1999: Flowers brought a civil suit against Carville
In 1999, Gennifer Flowers brought a civil suit against James Carville.
1999: Refusal to comment on work abroad
In 1999, James Carville told a Los Angeles Times reporter that he would not comment on any work he does outside the U.S.
1999: Consulted for Ehud Barak
In early 1999, James Carville, along with colleagues Bob Shrum and Stanley Greenberg, consulted for Labor Party candidate Ehud Barak to help him prepare for the 1999 prime ministerial election.
2000: Sponsorships with Playboy and Captain Morgan
In 2000, through CLS, James Carville had sponsorships with Playboy media and Captain Morgan rum. This included a trip to Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion.
December 2001: De la Rúa resigned
In December 2001, Fernando de la Rúa resigned during the riots, and Adolfo Rodríguez Saá was appointed president.
2001: Consulted for Tony Blair
In 2001, James Carville worked on the election campaign of Tony Blair, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
January 2002: Duhalde Appointed President of Argentina
In January 2002, Eduardo Duhalde was appointed as president of Argentina by Congress.
August 2002: Sanchez de Lozada came to power
In August 2002, Gonzalo "Goni" Sánchez de Lozada came to power in a coalition government.
2002: Met with Arab women political leaders
In 2002, James Carville and his wife, Mary Matalin, met with a group of 55 Arab women political leaders on behalf of the U.S. State Department during the 2002 United States midterm elections.
2002: Co-hosting CNN's Crossfire
In 2002, James Carville began co-hosting CNN's Crossfire along with Paul Begala.
2002: Strategized for Gonzalo "Goni" Sánchez de Lozada
In 2002, James Carville strategized in Bolivia on behalf of Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) party presidential candidate Gonzalo "Goni" Sánchez de Lozada through his firm Greenberg Carville Shrum (GCS).
May 2003: End of presidency for Duhalde
In May 2003, Eduardo Duhalde's term as president of Argentina ended.
October 2003: Lozada resigned
In October 2003, Gonzalo Lozada resigned and fled to exile in the United States following the 2003 Bolivian Gas Conflict.
2003: Advisor to Venezuelan business interests
In early 2003, James Carville worked in Venezuela as an advisor to Venezuelan business interests that had previously led an economically devastating strike in the spring of 2002.
September 2004: Informal Adviser to John Kerry's Presidential Campaign
In September 2004, James Carville became an informal advisor to John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign after conversations with Bill Clinton.
2004: Miller Keynote Speaker at RNC
In 2004, Zell Miller was a keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention.
2004: Speeches and Public Persona
In 2004, it was noted that James Carville was making over 100 speeches annually, addressing diverse audiences such as business groups, colleges, universities, and Democratic Party fundraising events. He was represented exclusively by the Washington Speakers Bureau, charging $20,500 per hour plus expenses.
2005: Teaching at Northern Virginia Community College
In 2005, James Carville taught a semester of "Topics in American Politics" at Northern Virginia Community College, inviting guests such as Al Hunt and George Stephanopoulos.
2005: Our Brand is Crisis Documentary
In 2005, James Carville's work for Lozada in Bolivia was portrayed in the 2005 documentary film Our Brand Is Crisis.
September 2006: Interview regarding Chávez
In a September 2006 interview, James Carville remarked that he would be very reluctant to call Hugo Chávez a democrat.
November 15, 2006: Carville Blasts Howard Dean's Leadership
On November 15, 2006, following the Democratic victory in the midterm elections, James Carville criticized Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean's leadership.
November 2006: Carville Proposes Truce
In late November 2006, James Carville proposed a truce after criticizing Howard Dean's leadership.
2006: Santos Appointed Colombia's Minister of Defence
In 2006, Alvaro Uribe, then President of Colombia, appointed Juan Manuel Santos as Colombia's Minister of Defence. Santos oversaw the military during a period that included military action against the FARC.
2006: Hosting Sports Radio Show on XM Satellite Radio
In 2006, James Carville became a host on a sports radio show, 60/20 Sports, on XM Satellite Radio, with Luke Russert.
2006: Executive Producer of "All the King's Men"
In 2006, James Carville was the executive producer of the film "All the King's Men", starring Sean Penn and Anthony Hopkins.
2007: Advisor for Scioli's Gubernatorial Campaign
In 2007, Carville advised Daniel Scioli's campaign for governor of Buenos Aires.
May 13, 2008: Carville Acknowledges Obama Likely to be Nominee
On May 13, 2008, James Carville remarked that Obama would likely be the nominee, marking a shift from his previous optimistic comments about Hillary Clinton's campaign.
2008: Advising Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 2008, James Carville advised Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign.
March 4, 2009: Architect of Strategy to Cast Rush Limbaugh as Face of Republican Party
On March 4, 2009, it was reported that James Carville, along with Paul Begala and Rahm Emanuel, were architects of the Democratic Party's strategy to cast Rush Limbaugh as the face of the Republican Party.
July 2009: Hired as campaign advisor
In July 2009, Ashraf Ghani hired James Carville as a campaign advisor.
2009: Advising Ghani in Afghan Presidential Election
In 2009, James Carville advised Ashraf Ghani in the Afghan presidential election. Carville aimed to prevent Hamid Karzai from securing a majority, pushing for a second round. Ghani received 2.94% of the vote, and Karzai became president after a cancelled run-off election.
2009: Comments on working campaigns abroad
In 2009, James Carville explained that he viewed working campaigns abroad as more commercially lucrative, and with less reputational risk than campaigns in the United States.
June 20, 2010: Santos Elected as President of Colombia
On June 20, 2010, Juan Manuel Santos was elected as President of Colombia after two rounds of voting.
2010: Senior Advisor for Juan Manuel Santos' Presidential Campaign
In 2010, James Carville worked as a senior advisor for Juan Manuel Santos' presidential campaign in Colombia.
2011: Advisor for Scioli's Gubernatorial Campaign
In 2011, Carville advised Daniel Scioli's campaign for governor of Buenos Aires.
2011: Adviser for Palantir Technologies
In 2011, James Carville was retained by Palantir Technologies as a paid adviser and helped facilitate Palantir's collaboration with the New Orleans Police Department.
2012: Article in Foreign Affairs
In 2012, James Carville described in an article for Foreign Affairs one of his earliest political jobs distributing "hate sheets".
November 2015: Scioli Defeated in Presidential Runoff
In November 2015, Daniel Scioli, for whom Carville consulted, was defeated in a runoff election for the Argentinian presidency. The election featured allegations of vote-buying.
2015: Our Brand is Crisis Film
In 2015, the narrative form film Our Brand is Crisis was inspired by the 2005 documentary film Our Brand Is Crisis, portraying James Carville's work for Lozada in Bolivia.
January 2018: Joining Faculty at Louisiana State University
In January 2018, James Carville joined the faculty of Louisiana State University's Manship School of Mass Communication.
2019: Launch of Podcast
In 2019, James Carville and Al Hunt launched a podcast.
2019: Consulting for Mark Halperin's Book
In 2019, James Carville consulted with Mark Halperin for his book, "How to Beat Trump: America's Top Political Strategists on What It Will Take."
January 2020: Endorsement of Michael Bennet's Presidential Campaign
In January 2020, James Carville endorsed Colorado Senator Michael Bennet's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
February 2020: Criticism of Bernie Sanders
During media appearances in February 2020, James Carville voiced his disapproval of Bernie Sanders' rise in the polls, labeling Sanders a "communist" and his supporters a "cult." He cautioned about the potential "end of days" if Sanders were to secure the Democratic nomination. Carville also spoke against progressive Democratic policies like student loan debt forgiveness and allowing "people voting from jail cells," as well as opposing the ban on hydraulic fracking for shale gas.
February 2020: Suggestion to Jettison Democratic Primaries
In February 2020, James Carville suggested that the Democratic Party should jettison the presidential primaries and caucuses. He proposed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should select the Democratic Party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates, and suggested Mitt Romney should resign from the Senate and run the Democratic convention. Carville also mentioned he might write in Nancy Pelosi's name when he votes in Louisiana.
November 2020: Presidential Election Prediction
In November 2020, James Carville predicted that the result of the presidential election would be known by 10 p.m. on election day. However, it took the Associated Press an additional four days to declare the winner, leading Politico to include Carville's prediction in a list of "the most audacious, confident and spectacularly incorrect prognostications about the year".
2022: Leading the "Penn Progress" Super Pac
In 2022, James Carville led the "Penn Progress" Super Pac, which spent all of its funds supporting Rep. Conor Lamb's bid for the U.S. Senate seat after Pat Toomey's retirement. Lamb collaborated closely with Carville's SuperPac, participating in donor calls arranged by Carville.
June 27, 2024: Calls for Biden to End Re-election Bid
Following U.S. President Joe Biden's poor performance during the June 27, 2024, debate, James Carville was among those who called for Biden to end his bid for re-election. He stated in an interview on July 1, "The country wants something new. Let them have it."
October 11, 2024: Theatrical Release of Carville Documentary
On October 11, 2024, the biographical documentary film "Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid!" received a theatrical release, after debuting at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival. The documentary includes the 18 month period when he persuaded Biden to end his re-election. Carville’s position was later vindicated, following Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.
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