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 political consultant, author, and occasional actor known for his work strategizing for political candidates both in the United States and internationally. As a prominent Democrat, he is a frequent commentator on U.S. elections, appearing on cable news, podcasts, and giving public speeches. He is a well-known pundit in U.S. politics.
1972: Distributing "Hate Sheets"
In 1972, James Carville distributed "hate sheets" with negative literature on a political opponent on behalf of Ossie Bluege Brown, during Brown's campaign for district attorney of East Baton Rouge Parish.
1973: Juris Doctor Degree
In 1973, James Carville earned his Juris Doctor degree at Louisiana State University (LSU).
1979: End of Attorney Role
In 1979, James Carville ended his role as an attorney at McKernnan, Beychok, Screen and Pierson, a Baton Rouge law firm, where he had worked since 1973.
June 1984: Doggett's Campaign against Phil Gramm
During the general election, Doggett's opponent, Phil Gramm, leveraged vicious identity-based attacks on Doggett. On one occasion, Doggett returned the small dollar fundraising he received from a gay rights group. Gramm emphasized themes of "family values," including his insistence at a June 1984 prayer breakfast on "having people who believe in Christianity in charge of government," and Carville counter-punched that theme as antisemitic.
1984: Acquaintance with Paul Begala and Lloyd Doggett's Campaign
In 1984, James Carville became acquainted with his consulting partner Paul Begala when Carville managed then-Texas state legislator Lloyd Doggett's unsuccessful campaign for the open Texas Senate seat. Carville coached Doggett on using a rubber vertebrae exhibit as a prop to attack Krueger as a political flip flopper.
1986: Helping Bob Casey Sr. Win Election as Governor of Pennsylvania
In 1986, James Carville helped Bob Casey Sr. win election as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania. Casey defeated Philadelphia District Attorney Ed Rendell in the Democratic primary in March, 56.5% to 39.6%.
September 25, 1987: Appearance on WLEX-TV's "Your Government"
On September 25, 1987, James Carville appeared on WLEX-TV's "Your Government" public affairs program 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."
1987: Campaign Manager for Wallace Wilkinson
In 1987, James Carville worked as a campaign manager to cast Kentucky businessman Wallace Wilkinson as a self-made millionaire anti-establishment gubernatorial candidate.
1988: Campaign Manager for Frank Lautenberg
In 1988, James Carville served as campaign manager to New Jersey U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg during Lautenberg's successful re-election campaign against Republican challenger Pete Dawkins. Carville and his partner Paul Begala both led Lautenberg's successful campaign.
1989: Assistance to Zell Miller
In 1989, James Carville assisted conservative Democrat Zell Miller in winning the state party's gubernatorial nomination.
August 1990: Miller's Nominating Contest Victory
In August 1990, Zell Miller won the nominating contest against Andrew Young.
November 1990: Miller's General Election Victory
In November 1990, Zell Miller defeated Johnny Isakson in the general election.
1990: Assistance to Zell Miller
In 1990, James Carville assisted conservative Democrat Zell Miller in winning the state party's gubernatorial nomination.
1990: Consulting for Jim Mattox
In 1990, James Carville consulted for former Texas Congressman and sitting state Attorney General Jim Mattox. Carville advised Mattox to base his campaign on the claim that a state lottery would solve Texas' revenue needs without additional state taxes.
April 1991: Consulting for Harris Wofford
In April 1991, James Carville consulted for Harris Wofford in his run for the open U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Senator John Heinz died in a plane crash. Carville suggested offering the appointment to Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca, who declined. Wofford was ultimately appointed to fill the seat.
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., which opened up a public war between Clinton and Jesse Jackson.
1992: Rise to Prominence as a Campaign Consultant
In 1992 campaign consultants were viewed by a small audience, but consultants like James Carville rose to prominence as public celebrities.
1992: Lead Strategist in Bill Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 1992, James Carville gained national attention as the lead strategist in Bill Clinton's successful presidential campaign.
1992: Helping Lead Bill Clinton to Victory
In 1992, James Carville helped lead Bill Clinton to a win against George H. W. Bush in the presidential election, reprising the populist rhetoric his client, Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wofford, successfully wielded the prior year.
1992: Shielding Clinton from Gennifer Flowers' Allegations
In 1992, James Carville sought to shield Bill Clinton from Gennifer Flowers' allegations of an extramarital sexual affair. Carville alleged that a supermarket tabloid paid Flowers $175,000 for sharing her story, and berated reporters with charges of "cash for trash" journalism.
1992: Client Bill Clinton
In 1992, James Carville was a consultant for Bill Clinton.
1992: Mary Matalin's work on George H.W. Bush's campaign
In 1992, Mary Matalin worked for Republican George H. W. Bush on his presidential reelection campaign.
1992: National Attention and the White House
In 1992, Wofford's surprise victory helped James Carville earn national attention, with the Democratic Party now hoping that he could help the party win the White House in the U.S. Presidential election.
1992: Consulting 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 Honor
In 1993, James Carville was honored as Campaign District Manager of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants.
1993: Katz Los Angeles Mayoral Election
In 1993, Richard Katz ran in Los Angeles mayoral election, which was the first time in 63 years that an incumbent mayor didn't appear on the ballot. Despite retaining James Carville, Katz finished behind three other candidates, garnering 9.73% of the total votes cast, and did not advance to the general election.
1994: Consulting for Fernando Henrique Cardoso
In 1994, James Carville consulted for Fernando Henrique Cardoso in his successful campaign for the Brazilian presidency.
1994: Consultation for Wofford's Re-election Campaign
In 1994, James Carville consulted for Harris Wofford's re-election campaign, during which Wofford was narrowly defeated by Republican Rick Santorum.
November 1997: General Election
In November 1997 general election, Carlos Flores faced Nora Gúnera de Melgar, the wife of General Juan Alberto Melgar Castro.
1997: Consulting for Carlos Flores Facussé
In 1997, James Carville consulted for Carlos Flores Facussé, then leader of the National Congress of Honduras, in his presidential campaign.
January 1998: Introduction to Duhalde
In January 1998, James Carville was introduced to Eduardo Duhalde by U.S. Ambassador to Argentina James Cheek.
1998: Helping elect Jamil Mahuad Witt
In 1998, James Carville helped to craft a strategy to elect Jamil Mahuad Witt as President of Ecuador.
1998: Advising the Democratic Revolutionary Party in Panama
In 1998, James Carville was retained as the main adviser to the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) in Panama to help re-elect President Ernesto Pérez Balladares, but the proposal to lift his term limit was defeated.
1998: Consulting for Ehud Barak
In late 1998, James Carville, along with Bob Shrum and Stanley Greenberg, consulted for Labor Party candidate Ehud Barak to help him prepare for the 1999 prime ministerial election at the suggestion of President Clinton.
May 1999: Carville Remarks on Introduction to Duhalde
In May 1999, James Carville remarked that U.S. Ambassador to Argentina James Cheek introduced him to Eduardo Duhalde in January 1998.
October 1999: Duhalde Lost Election
In October 1999, Eduardo Duhalde lost the general election to Fernando de la Rúa amid the Argentine Great Depression.
1999: Refusal to Comment on Work Outside the U.S.
In 1999, James Carville told a Los Angeles Times reporter that he would not comment on any work he did outside the U.S.
1999: Consulting for Ehud Barak for Prime Ministerial Election
In early 1999, James Carville, along with Bob Shrum and Stanley Greenberg, consulted for Labor Party candidate Ehud Barak to help him prepare for the 1999 prime ministerial election at the suggestion of President Clinton.
2000: Sponsorship with Playboy and Captain Morgan
In 2000, James Carville enjoyed a sponsorship with Playboy media and Captain Morgan rum through Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates (CLS), a DC-based public relations firm. The sponsorship included a trip to Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion.
2001: Special prime ministerial election
In 2001, Ehud Barak called a special prime ministerial election.
2001: Consulting for Tony Blair's Re-election Campaign
In 2001, James Carville worked on the election campaign of Tony Blair, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, during the general election in which Blair was re-elected.
January 2002: Duhalde Appointed as President
In January 2002, after Rodríguez Saá resigned, the Argentine Congress appointed Eduardo Duhalde as president.
August 2002: Sanchez de Lozada came to power
In August 2002, Sanchez de Lozada came to power in a coalition government formed with two other political parties.
2002: Meeting 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, as part of the "Women as Political Leaders" International Visitor Program under the Middle East Partnership Initiative.
2002: Carville co-hosts CNN's Crossfire
In 2002, James Carville began co-hosting CNN's Crossfire with Paul Begala.
2002: Strategizing for Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
In 2002, through his firm Greenberg Carville Shrum (GCS), James Carville strategized in Bolivia on behalf of Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) party presidential candidate Gonzalo "Goni" Sánchez de Lozada.
May 2003: End of Duhalde's Presidency
In May 2003, Eduardo Duhalde's term as president of Argentina concluded.
October 2003: Lozada Resigned
In October 2003, 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 seeking to destabilize the government of Hugo Chávez.
September 2004: Kerry engages Carville as an informal adviser
In September 2004, John Kerry engaged James Carville as an informal adviser to his 2004 presidential campaign.
2004: Strategist for John Kerry's Presidential Campaign
In 2004, James Carville played a principal role in crafting strategy for Massachusetts senator John Kerry's unsuccessful Democratic Party presidential campaign.
2004: Speeches and Public Image
In 2004, The New York Times noted that James Carville was making more than 100 speeches per year, and various sources described him as having a unique and highly marketable public image, essentially a "walking conglomerate" and "multimedia corporation". He was represented exclusively by the Washington Speakers Bureau, commanding a speaker's fee of $20,500 per hour plus expenses.
2005: Carville teaches at Northern Virginia Community College
In 2005, James Carville taught a semester of "Topics in American Politics" at Northern Virginia Community College, inviting various prominent guests to speak to the class.
September 2006: Interview Remarks on Hugo Chávez
In a September 2006 interview, James Carville stated that he would be reluctant to call Hugo Chávez a democrat, referring to his work in Venezuela.
November 2006: Carville proposes truce
In late November 2006, James Carville proposed a truce following his criticism of Howard Dean's leadership.
2006: Carville becomes host on sports radio show
In 2006, James Carville became a host on the sports radio show, 60/20 Sports, on XM Satellite Radio, with Luke Russert.
2006: Carville executive produces film
In 2006, James Carville was the executive producer of the film All the King's Men, starring Sean Penn and Anthony Hopkins.
2006: Santos appointed Colombia's Minister of Defence
In 2006, then President Alvaro Uribe appointed Juan Manuel Santos as Colombia's Minister of Defence. During his tenure, Santos oversaw military actions targeting the FARC guerrilla group.
2007: Carville advises Daniel Scioli's campaign
In 2007, James Carville acted as advisor for Daniel Scioli's campaign for the governor of Buenos Aires.
2007: Carville remarks on Barack Obama
In 2007, James Carville remarked that Barack Obama was the Democratic candidate "most likely to explode or implode."
May 13, 2008: Carville remarks on likelihood of Obama nomination
On May 13, 2008, James Carville remarked that it was likely Obama would be the nominee, shifting from his previous optimistic comments about Hillary Clinton's campaign.
2008: Carville advises Hillary Clinton during campaign
In 2008, James Carville advised Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign.
2008: Strategist for Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 2008, James Carville played a principal role in crafting strategy for New York Senator Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful Democratic Party presidential campaign.
March 4, 2009: Carville architects 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 the architects of the Democratic Party's strategy to cast conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh as the face of the Republican Party. Carville was critical of Limbaugh for saying he wanted Barack Obama to "fail".
July 2009: Hired as Campaign Advisor
In July 2009, Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani hired James Carville as a campaign advisor.
2009: Carville advises Ghani in Afghan presidential election
In 2009, James Carville met with Ashraf Ghani in Washington and advised him during the Afghan presidential election. Carville called the 2009 Afghan election "probably the most important election held in the world in a long time." Ghani only secured 2.94% of the vote.
2009: Remarks on International Campaigns
In 2009, James Carville stated that working campaigns abroad was more commercially lucrative and carried less reputational risk than working on campaigns in the United States.
June 20, 2010: Santos Elected President of Colombia
On June 20, 2010, after two rounds of voting, Juan Manuel Santos was elected as President of Colombia.
2010: Secret discussions toward peace treaty
For several months in 2010, then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated in secret, American-brokered discussions with Syria toward a peace treaty.
2010: Carville advises Juan Manuel Santos in Colombian presidential election
In 2010, James Carville served as a senior advisor to Juan Manuel Santos's presidential campaign in Colombia.
2011: Carville advises Daniel Scioli's campaign
In 2011, James Carville acted as advisor for Daniel Scioli's campaign for the governor of Buenos Aires.
2011: Carville retained by Palantir Technologies
In 2011, James Carville was retained by Palantir Technologies as a paid advisor, and facilitated their collaboration with the New Orleans Police Department.
2012: Piece in Foreign Affairs
In 2012, James Carville wrote a piece for Foreign Affairs in which he described distributing "hate sheets" with negative literature on a political opponent during Ossie Bluege Brown's 1972 campaign for district attorney of East Baton Rouge Parish.
November 2015: Scioli defeated in presidential run-off
In November 2015, Daniel Scioli, for whom Carville consulted, was defeated in a run-off election amidst allegations of vote-buying.
January 2018: Carville joins LSU faculty
In January 2018, James Carville joined the faculty of Louisiana State University's Manship School of Mass Communication.
2019: Podcast Launch
In 2019, James Carville and Al Hunt launched a podcast together.
2019: Carville consults for 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, facing criticism for engaging with someone accused of sexual assault.
January 2020: Carville endorses Michael Bennet
In January 2020, James Carville endorsed Michael Bennet's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
February 2020: Criticism of Bernie Sanders
In February 2020, James Carville expressed displeasure at the prospect of Bernie Sanders being nominated, branding Sanders as a "communist" and Sanders' base of support as a "cult". He warned of the "end of days" if Sanders were to win the Democratic nomination. He also railed against progressive Democratic policies such as student loan debt forgiveness and "people voting from jail cells", and decried banning hydraulic fracking for shale gas.
February 2020: Call to Jettison Democratic Primaries
In February 2020, James Carville suggested that the Democratic presidential primaries and caucuses be jettisoned, advocating for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to select the Democratic Party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates. He also suggested Mitt Romney should resign from the Senate to save the Democratic Party and run their convention and that he might cast a write in vote for Nancy Pelosi in Louisiana.
November 2020: Presidential Election Prediction
In November 2020, James Carville predicted the result of the presidential election would be known by 10 p.m. on election day. This prediction was later named one of the most incorrect prognostication about the year, as the Associated Press took an additional four days to declare the winner.
2020: Carville enters podcast business
In 2020, James Carville entered the podcast business and, along with Al Hunt, hosts 2020 Politics War Room, and he continues to make frequent appearances with Brian Williams in MSNBC cable news programming.
2020: Strategist for Michael Bennet's Presidential Campaign
In 2020, James Carville played a principal role in crafting strategy for Colorado senator Michael Bennet's unsuccessful Democratic Party presidential campaign.
2022: Penn Progress Super PAC
In 2022, James Carville led the "Penn Progress" Super PAC, which spent all of its funds in support of Rep. Conor Lamb's bid for the U.S. Senate seat. Lamb worked closely with Carville's Super PAC, including participating in donor calls arranged by Carville.
June 27, 2024: Calls for Biden to End Re-Election Bid
Following 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, suggesting the country wanted something new.
October 11, 2024: Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid! Theatrical Release
On October 11, 2024, the documentary film about James Carville, Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid!, received a theatrical release, after premiering 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, Kamala Harris was made the Democratic nominee and eventually lost.
2024: Comments on Democrats' Political Culture
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, James Carville argued that the Democrats' political culture had become "too dominated by preachy females", claiming this was a reason for Democrats' waning support with black male voters.
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