Which Democratic Presidential Candidate Has Demonstrated Most Commitment to Liberal Issues?
Many of us want to elect a president in 2008 who will have the greatest commitment to implementing a liberal Democratic program. Years of experience is not the only qualification for the job of President of the United States, but the nature, quality and quantity of relevant experience working on liberal Democratic projects is surely useful information about the candidates, because it may reflect their level of demonstrated commitment to liberal goals and values.
This informational table attempts to help answer the question, "Who among the Democratic candidates has shown the longest, deepest and most sincere commitment to liberal causes and values as indicated by their history of actual involvements in and efforts made for liberal causes?"
This is a beta version of the liberal work history resume chart, to be updated as more information becomes available.
| Year | Hillary Clinton | John Edwards | Barack Obama | Bill Richardson |
| 1969 | Yale-New Haven Hospital internship | |||
| 1970 | Children's Defense Fund, (Summer) | State Department, Congressional relations. | ||
| 1971 | Walter Mondale's subcommittee on migrant workers (Summer) | State Department, Congressional relations. | ||
| 1972 | Western States Worker, McGovern for President Campaign | State Department, Congressional relations. | ||
| 1973 | Staff, United States Department of State | |||
| 1974 | Staff Attorney, Children’s Defense Fund, member of the impeachment inquiry staff, House Committee on the Judiciary, Became Faculty Member, U. Arkansas Law School |
Staff, United States Department of State | ||
| 1975 | Staff, United States Department of State, Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee | |||
| 1976 | Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee | |||
| 1977 | Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation, Co-Founder, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families | Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee | ||
| 1978 | Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation; Chair, Arkansas Educational Standards Committee; chair, Rural Health Advisory Committee (exact dates not specified) | Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Executive Director, New Mexico Democratic Party | ||
| 1979 | First Lady, State of Arkansas, Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation | |||
| 1980 | First Lady, State of Arkansas, Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation | |||
| 1981 | First Lady, State of Arkansas, Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation | |||
| 1982 | First Lady, State of Arkansas, Board Member, National Legal Services Corporation | |||
| 1983 | Board Member, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Legal Services Corporation, and Children’s Defense Fund until (exact dates?) | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1984 | US Congressman (NM) | |||
| 1985 | Community Organizer, Developing Communities Project (IL) | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1986 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | Community Organizer, Developing Communities Project (IL) | US Congressman (NM) | |
| 1987 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | Community Organizer, Developing Communities Project (IL) | US Congressman (NM) | |
| 1988 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | Community Organizer, Developing Communities Project (IL) | US Congressman (NM) | |
| 1989 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1990 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1991 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1992 | First Lady, State of Arkansas | Director, Illinois Project Vote | US Congressman (NM) | |
| 1993 | U.S. First Lady, Chair, President's Task Force on Health Care Reform | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1994 | U.S. First Lady, Chair, President's Task Force on Health Care Reform | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1995 | U.S. First Lady | US Congressman (NM) | ||
| 1996 | U.S. First Lady | State Senator (IL) | US Congressman (NM) | |
| 1997 | U.S. First Lady | State Senator (IL) | Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| 1998 | U.S. First Lady | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | Ambassador to the United Nations |
| 1999 | U.S. First Lady | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | US Secretary of Energy |
| 2000 | U.S. First Lady | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | US Secretary of Energy |
| 2001 | US Senator (NY) | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | US Secretary of Energy |
| 2002 | US Senator (NY) | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | Governor of New Mexico |
| 2003 | US Senator (NY) | US Senator (NC) | State Senator (IL) | Governor of New Mexico |
| 2004 | US Senator (NY) | US Senator (NC), Democratic nominee for Vice President | State Senator (IL) | Governor of New Mexico |
| 2005 | US Senator (NY) | Director, Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity, U. North Carolina at Chapel Hill | US Senate (IL) | Governor of New Mexico |
| 2006 | US Senator (NY) | US Senate (IL) | Governor of New Mexico | |
| 2007 | US Senator (NY) | US Senate (IL) | Governor of New Mexico | |
| 2008 | US Senator (NY) | US Senate (IL) | Governor of New Mexico |
Sources:
UNC Press Release
Hillary Clinton First Ladies Biography,
Candidate Watching | Democrats
