Before And After They Were Politicians, In honor of today’s election, we take a look at politicians and the interesting lives they led before and after working in politics.
Madeleine Albright
Years in office: 1993 to 2001
Offices: Former US secretary of state, former US ambassador to the United Nations (D)
Political life: Albright was the first woman to be appointed US secretary of state (who appointed her?).
After politics: Albright currently teaches international relations at Georgetown University, but in 2005 she made an appearance in the fictitious town of Stars Hollow for another post-political gig.
Joe Biden
Years in office: 1973 to present
Offices: Vice president of the United States; former US senator, Delaware; former chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; former chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus; former chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (D)
Political life: Prior to becoming vice president, Biden was re-elected to the Senate six times and twice sought to be the Democratic nominee for president (which years?).
Before politics: Though he got a degree and made a career out of it, Biden didn’t find the school work for his first career that interesting.
Dave Bing
Years in office: 2008 to present
Office: Detroit mayor (D)
Political life: Bing won his mayoral bid in a special election following the resignation of this beleaguered former mayor.
Shirley Temple Black
Years in office: 1989 to 1992
Office: Former U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia (R)
Political life: She was appointed (by whom?) representative to the United Nations and later ambassador to Ghana (who appointed her?) before serving in her Czech post.
ill Bradley
Years in office: 1979 to 1997
Office: Former U.S. senator, New Jersey (D)
Political life: The three-term senator was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000 (who was the nominee?).
Before politics: The former Rhodes scholar was a court standout before entering politics. What was his former gig?
Jim Bunning
Years in office: 1987 to 2011
Office: U.S. representative and senator, Kentucky (R)
Political life: The five-term congressman won his U.S. Senate seat in 2004 but did not seek re-election in 2010 (who succeeded him?)
Before politics: He roared into his first career. What was his former gig?
George W. Bush
Years in office: 1995 to 2009
Offices: Former president of the United States, former governor of Texas (R)
Political life: In 2006, Bush used his veto power for the first time to put a stop to this act.
Before politics: Bush had a career in a lucrative industry. What was his former gig?
After politics: Since the presidency, Bush has kept a low profile. Apparently, it’s so he can pursue this post-presidency endeavor.
Jimmy Carter
Years in office: 1963 to 1981
Offices: Former president of the United States, former member of the Georgia Senate for the 14th district, former governor of Georgia (D)
Political life: As the 39th president of the United States, Carter created two cabinet-level departments. One was the Department of Energy. What was the other?
Before politics: After leaving the Navy, Carter took over his family’s business, which produced one particular item. What did he do before politics?
After politics: Carter put pen to paper post-presidency and entertained adults and children alike. What was his post-political gig?
Clint Eastwood
Years in office: 1986 to 1988
Office: Former mayor, Carmel, Calif.; Libertarian
Political life: The one-term mayor served two years and later was appointed to the California State Parks and Recreation Commission
Al Franken
Years in office: 2009 to present
Office: U.S. senator, Minnesota (D)
Political life: He won his seat against the Republican incumbent (who was it?) in a tight race (how close was it?) that required a mandatory statewide manual recount.
John Glenn
Years in office: 1974 to 1999
Office: Former U.S. senator, Ohio (D)
Political life: Glenn was a potential three-time vice presidential running mate who also ran for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination but lost to a veteran politician (who was it?)
Before politics: Glenn's pre-political career was out of this world. What was his former gig?
Fred Grandy
Years in office: 1987 to 1995
Office: Former U.S. representative, Iowa (R)
Political life: He had been a U.S. representative for nearly a decade when he gave up his seat to run for another post and ultimately lost (which one?).
Before politics: He was accustomed to being in the spotlight before entering politics. What was his former gig?
Kevin Johnson
Years in office: 2008 to present
Office: Mayor of Sacramento (D)
Political life: Johnson was elected the first African-American mayor of Sacramento after a run-off (against whom?) when no one received the majority vote in the primary.
Before politics: He was the seventh pick in his draft class and went on to have a successful 12-year career, laying claim to several records.
Ben L. Jones
Years in office: 1989 to 1993
Office: Former U.S. representative, Georgia (D)
Political life: The two-term congressman failed to win re-election in 1992 and again in 1994
Barack Obama
Years in office: 1997 to present
Offices: President of the United States; Former US senator, Illinois; former member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District (D)
Political life: During his 2008 campaign, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn this down in the general election.
Before politics: One of his many community-based jobs before politics was leading a successful push as director of an organization geared toward the underrepresented
Tom Osborne
Years in office: 2001 to 2007
Office: Former U.S. representative, Nebraska (R)
Political life: The three-term Nebraska congressman ran for governor of Nebraska in 2006 but lost the election to the incumbent (who was it?).
Before politics: He led the field before moving into politics. What was his former gig?
Ann Richards
Years in office: 1983 to 1995
Offices: Former governor of Texas, former Texas state treasurer (D)
Political life: Richards, who garnered national attention with a humorous and memorable speech (watch it), was the second female governor of Texas.
Mitt Romney
Years in office: 2003 to 2007
Office: Former governor of Massachusetts (R)
Political life: As governor, Romney instituted a piece of legislation that was the first of its kind in the nation (what was it?).
Before politics: In 1999, Romney took a leave of absence from his private equity investment firm, Bain Capital, to take over a struggling international event
Paul Ryan
Years in office: 1999 to present
Offices: Member of the US House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 1st district, chairperson of the House Budget Committee (R)
Political life: Ryan allegedly has required staffers and interns in his congressional office to read a particular author
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Years in office: 2003 to 2011
Office: Former governor of California (R)
Political life: The two-term governor was first elected in 2003 in a special recall election (whom did he replace?). He was re-elected in 2006 and served as a full-term governor.
Before politics: He muscled up in his pre-political career.
Harrison Schmitt
Years in office: 1977 to 1983
Office: Former US senator, New Mexico (R)
Political life: During his term, he was the ranking Republican member of a special subcommittee
Heath Shuler
Years in office: 2007 to present
Office: Member of the US House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th district (D)
Political life: The three-term congressman was resoundingly defeated (by whom?) in his 2010 bid to be House minority leader.
Before politics: Before landing in Washington, D.C., he passed through several cities in his former career.
Eliot Spitzer
Years in office: 1999 to 2008
Offices: Former governor of New York; former New York attorney general (D)
Political life: Spitzer became governor of New York in 2007. Who was his opponent?
Before politics: As a lawyer, Spitzer led the investigation that ended a major organized crime family’s control over Manhattan’s trucking and garment industries. What’s the family’s name?
After politics: Since resigning in the wake of a prostitution scandal, Spitzer finds himself in the spotlight again in a different capacity.
Lynn Swann
Years in office: 2002 to 2005
Office: Former chairman, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (R)
Political life: After chairing the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (for which administration?), Swann ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006 but lost the election to the incumbent (who is it?).
Before politics: His early career helped steel him for politics.
Clarence Thomas
Years in office: 1982 to present
Offices: Associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, former judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, former chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (R)
Political life: Thomas’ confirmation (to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by whom?) was hotly contested due to allegations of sexual harassment (by whom?).
Before politics: Since the age of 16, Thomas has been interested in, and later attended school for, a much “higher calling.”
Fred Thompson
Years in office: 1994 to 2003
Offices: Former US senator, Tennessee; chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs (R)
Political life: After his term in the Senate, Thompson returned to acting and later took a break from that in order to run for another office in 2008.
Before and after politics: Thompson has had a successful career in another industry (which one?), notably starring in this franchise.
Jesse Ventura
Years in office: 1999 to 2003
Office: Former governor of Minnesota, Independent
Political life: The former mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn., he won the gubernatorial election in 1998 (for which party?) but chose not to seek election to a second term.
Madeleine Albright
Years in office: 1993 to 2001
Offices: Former US secretary of state, former US ambassador to the United Nations (D)
Political life: Albright was the first woman to be appointed US secretary of state (who appointed her?).
After politics: Albright currently teaches international relations at Georgetown University, but in 2005 she made an appearance in the fictitious town of Stars Hollow for another post-political gig.
Joe Biden
Years in office: 1973 to present
Offices: Vice president of the United States; former US senator, Delaware; former chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; former chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus; former chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (D)
Political life: Prior to becoming vice president, Biden was re-elected to the Senate six times and twice sought to be the Democratic nominee for president (which years?).
Before politics: Though he got a degree and made a career out of it, Biden didn’t find the school work for his first career that interesting.
Dave Bing
Years in office: 2008 to present
Office: Detroit mayor (D)
Political life: Bing won his mayoral bid in a special election following the resignation of this beleaguered former mayor.
Shirley Temple Black
Years in office: 1989 to 1992
Office: Former U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia (R)
Political life: She was appointed (by whom?) representative to the United Nations and later ambassador to Ghana (who appointed her?) before serving in her Czech post.
ill Bradley
Years in office: 1979 to 1997
Office: Former U.S. senator, New Jersey (D)
Political life: The three-term senator was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000 (who was the nominee?).
Before politics: The former Rhodes scholar was a court standout before entering politics. What was his former gig?
Jim Bunning
Years in office: 1987 to 2011
Office: U.S. representative and senator, Kentucky (R)
Political life: The five-term congressman won his U.S. Senate seat in 2004 but did not seek re-election in 2010 (who succeeded him?)
Before politics: He roared into his first career. What was his former gig?
George W. Bush
Years in office: 1995 to 2009
Offices: Former president of the United States, former governor of Texas (R)
Political life: In 2006, Bush used his veto power for the first time to put a stop to this act.
Before politics: Bush had a career in a lucrative industry. What was his former gig?
After politics: Since the presidency, Bush has kept a low profile. Apparently, it’s so he can pursue this post-presidency endeavor.
Jimmy Carter
Years in office: 1963 to 1981
Offices: Former president of the United States, former member of the Georgia Senate for the 14th district, former governor of Georgia (D)
Political life: As the 39th president of the United States, Carter created two cabinet-level departments. One was the Department of Energy. What was the other?
Before politics: After leaving the Navy, Carter took over his family’s business, which produced one particular item. What did he do before politics?
After politics: Carter put pen to paper post-presidency and entertained adults and children alike. What was his post-political gig?
Clint Eastwood
Years in office: 1986 to 1988
Office: Former mayor, Carmel, Calif.; Libertarian
Political life: The one-term mayor served two years and later was appointed to the California State Parks and Recreation Commission
Al Franken
Years in office: 2009 to present
Office: U.S. senator, Minnesota (D)
Political life: He won his seat against the Republican incumbent (who was it?) in a tight race (how close was it?) that required a mandatory statewide manual recount.
John Glenn
Years in office: 1974 to 1999
Office: Former U.S. senator, Ohio (D)
Political life: Glenn was a potential three-time vice presidential running mate who also ran for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination but lost to a veteran politician (who was it?)
Before politics: Glenn's pre-political career was out of this world. What was his former gig?
Fred Grandy
Years in office: 1987 to 1995
Office: Former U.S. representative, Iowa (R)
Political life: He had been a U.S. representative for nearly a decade when he gave up his seat to run for another post and ultimately lost (which one?).
Before politics: He was accustomed to being in the spotlight before entering politics. What was his former gig?
Kevin Johnson
Years in office: 2008 to present
Office: Mayor of Sacramento (D)
Political life: Johnson was elected the first African-American mayor of Sacramento after a run-off (against whom?) when no one received the majority vote in the primary.
Before politics: He was the seventh pick in his draft class and went on to have a successful 12-year career, laying claim to several records.
Ben L. Jones
Years in office: 1989 to 1993
Office: Former U.S. representative, Georgia (D)
Political life: The two-term congressman failed to win re-election in 1992 and again in 1994
Barack Obama
Years in office: 1997 to present
Offices: President of the United States; Former US senator, Illinois; former member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District (D)
Political life: During his 2008 campaign, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn this down in the general election.
Before politics: One of his many community-based jobs before politics was leading a successful push as director of an organization geared toward the underrepresented
Tom Osborne
Years in office: 2001 to 2007
Office: Former U.S. representative, Nebraska (R)
Political life: The three-term Nebraska congressman ran for governor of Nebraska in 2006 but lost the election to the incumbent (who was it?).
Before politics: He led the field before moving into politics. What was his former gig?
Ann Richards
Years in office: 1983 to 1995
Offices: Former governor of Texas, former Texas state treasurer (D)
Political life: Richards, who garnered national attention with a humorous and memorable speech (watch it), was the second female governor of Texas.
Mitt Romney
Years in office: 2003 to 2007
Office: Former governor of Massachusetts (R)
Political life: As governor, Romney instituted a piece of legislation that was the first of its kind in the nation (what was it?).
Before politics: In 1999, Romney took a leave of absence from his private equity investment firm, Bain Capital, to take over a struggling international event
Paul Ryan
Years in office: 1999 to present
Offices: Member of the US House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 1st district, chairperson of the House Budget Committee (R)
Political life: Ryan allegedly has required staffers and interns in his congressional office to read a particular author
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Years in office: 2003 to 2011
Office: Former governor of California (R)
Political life: The two-term governor was first elected in 2003 in a special recall election (whom did he replace?). He was re-elected in 2006 and served as a full-term governor.
Before politics: He muscled up in his pre-political career.
Harrison Schmitt
Years in office: 1977 to 1983
Office: Former US senator, New Mexico (R)
Political life: During his term, he was the ranking Republican member of a special subcommittee
Heath Shuler
Years in office: 2007 to present
Office: Member of the US House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th district (D)
Political life: The three-term congressman was resoundingly defeated (by whom?) in his 2010 bid to be House minority leader.
Before politics: Before landing in Washington, D.C., he passed through several cities in his former career.
Eliot Spitzer
Years in office: 1999 to 2008
Offices: Former governor of New York; former New York attorney general (D)
Political life: Spitzer became governor of New York in 2007. Who was his opponent?
Before politics: As a lawyer, Spitzer led the investigation that ended a major organized crime family’s control over Manhattan’s trucking and garment industries. What’s the family’s name?
After politics: Since resigning in the wake of a prostitution scandal, Spitzer finds himself in the spotlight again in a different capacity.
Lynn Swann
Years in office: 2002 to 2005
Office: Former chairman, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (R)
Political life: After chairing the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (for which administration?), Swann ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006 but lost the election to the incumbent (who is it?).
Before politics: His early career helped steel him for politics.
Clarence Thomas
Years in office: 1982 to present
Offices: Associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, former judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, former chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (R)
Political life: Thomas’ confirmation (to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by whom?) was hotly contested due to allegations of sexual harassment (by whom?).
Before politics: Since the age of 16, Thomas has been interested in, and later attended school for, a much “higher calling.”
Fred Thompson
Years in office: 1994 to 2003
Offices: Former US senator, Tennessee; chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs (R)
Political life: After his term in the Senate, Thompson returned to acting and later took a break from that in order to run for another office in 2008.
Before and after politics: Thompson has had a successful career in another industry (which one?), notably starring in this franchise.
Jesse Ventura
Years in office: 1999 to 2003
Office: Former governor of Minnesota, Independent
Political life: The former mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn., he won the gubernatorial election in 1998 (for which party?) but chose not to seek election to a second term.
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