John Podesta
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Podesta is the President and CEO of the Center for American Progress. Under his leadership, the Center has become a notable leader in the development of and advocacy for progressive policy.
Prior to founding the Center in 2003, Podesta served as White House Chief of Staff to President William J. Clinton. He served in the president's cabinet and as a principal on the National Security Council. While in the White House, he also served as both an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff, as well as staff secretary and a senior policy advisor on government information, privacy, telecommunications security, and regulatory policy.
Most recently, Podesta served as co-chair of President Obama’s transition, where he coordinated the priorities of the incoming administration’s agenda, oversaw the development of its policies, and spearheaded its appointments of major cabinet secretaries and political appointees.
Additionally, Podesta has held numerous positions on Capitol Hill, including counselor to Democratic Leader Senator Thomas A. Daschle (1995-1996); chief counsel for the Senate Agriculture Committee (1987-1988); and chief minority counsel for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks; Security and Terrorism; and Regulatory Reform (1981-1987).
A Chicago native, Podesta is a graduate of Knox College and the Georgetown University Law Center, where he is currently a visiting professor of law. He also authored The Power of Progress: How America’s Progressives Can (Once Again) Save Our Economy, Our Climate and Our Country.
Articles by John Podesta
- The Clean-Energy Investment Agenda, September 21, 2009
- End Dirty Tricks on Clean Energy Push, September 16, 2009
- The Strategic and Economic Dialogue: Setting the Agenda, Achieving Results, September 11, 2009
- Declaración Sobre el Fallecimiento del Senador Ted Kennedy, August 26, 2009
- Statement on the Passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, August 26, 2009
- Cap and Trade Will Reduce Global Warming and Create Jobs, August 21, 2009
- Natural Gas: A Bridge Fuel for the 21st Century, August 10, 2009
- Unlocking Progress on Climate Change, July 10, 2009
- Reforming Federal Contracting to Promote Higher Labor Standards, July 10, 2009
- Governments Need to Lead the Breakthrough on Technology, July 10, 2009
- We’d Better Try to Get What We Need, June 23, 2009
- The Great Transformation: Climate Change as Cultural Change, June 9, 2009
- Remarks on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, June 3, 2009
- The Green Bank, May 21, 2009
- Seeking Pathways for U.S.-China Cooperation on Energy and Climate Change, April 8, 2009
- 20 on the G20, April 1, 2009
- Role of the U.S. in the World Order, February 4, 2009
- Progressivism’s Role in the Economy, Health Care, Education, and the Climate, October 1, 2008
- Too Much Secrecy Puts Our Nation at Risk, September 16, 2008
- Green Recovery, September 9, 2008
- NEEDED: Federal Action for Fair Funding of High-Poverty Schools, August 1, 2008
- Doing our part to feed the world, July 8, 2008
- G8 Must Consider the Security Risks of Global Warming, June 30, 2008
- Long and Short of Oil Price Spike, June 15, 2008
- A War We Must End, February 26, 2008
- Pentagon Faces a Battle on Climate Change, February 13, 2008
- Cap, Auction, and Trade: Allowance Auctions and Revenue Recycling Under Carbon Cap-and-Trade, January 23, 2008
- A Practical and Progressive Economic Stimulus and Recovery Plan, January 17, 2008
- A New Strategy to Spur Energy Innovation, January 3, 2008
- A New Strategy to Spur Energy Innovation, December 21, 2007
- Revitalizing the Transatlantic Partnership: A Speech by John D. Podesta at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany on November 14, 2007, December 13, 2007
- Progressive Growth, November 28, 2007
- Capturing the Energy Opportunity: Creating a Low-Carbon Economy, November 27, 2007
- The Security Implications of Climate Change , November 26, 2007
- Strategic Drift, November 15, 2007
- Global Warning: The Security Challenges of Climate Change, November 5, 2007
- Global Warming's Toll on the Economy, September 17, 2007
- Key Questions on the White House Report and Petraeus-Crocker Testimony, September 7, 2007
- Last Guys Standing, August 16, 2007
- Standing With Kosovo Again, July 23, 2007
- Iraq Study Group’s Recommendations Overtaken by Events in Iraq, July 11, 2007
- International Climate Agenda for Congress, June 13, 2007
- China's Energy Challenge, June 1, 2007
- Change the Rules, May 23, 2007
- U.N. Emissions Program, May 16, 2007
- Quality Teachers, Quality Schools, May 11, 2007
- We Can Cut Poverty in Half, April 26, 2007
- Opportunity for All Students, April 24, 2007
- Americans Urgently Want Action on Energy Independence and Global Warming, April 18, 2007
- The Truth Congress Is Owed, April 17, 2007
- Real Threat to Christianity Drags on in Iraq, March 7, 2007
- Remarks on Education Report Roll Out, February 28, 2007
- What Congress Can Do, February 21, 2007
- Do More, Earlier, on Illness, February 16, 2007
- New Rules: Congressional Reform the Top Priority, January 3, 2007
- The Critical Choice in Iraq, December 27, 2006
- California and the Future of Energy, September 28, 2006
- The Hidden Threat: Combating Government Secrecy in the 21st Century, September 15, 2006
- Energy Security, July 26, 2006
- Remarks to Worldwatch Institute International Conference on Biofuels for Transportation, June 7, 2006
- Two Labor Economic Issues for the Immigration Debate, April 4, 2006
- Two Labor Economic Issues for the Immigration Debate, April 4, 2006
- Fueling the Future, March 23, 2006
- The Myths of Conservativism in Britain and America, March 4, 2006
- On the Passing of Coretta Scott King, January 31, 2006
- The Real Role of American Government, January 19, 2006
- Remarks to Cyber Security Alliance's 1st Annual Data Integrity Conference, January 18, 2006
- Statement of John Podesta on the Death of Senator Eugene McCarthy, December 12, 2005
- Lost in Cyberspace?, July 1, 2005
- Repeal/Reform of the Estate Tax, June 30, 2005
- Letter to the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform, June 9, 2005
- Progressive Indexation, May 13, 2005
- Back from the Brink: A Conventional Alternative to the Nuclear Option, May 12, 2005
- Testimony for the President's Tax Reform Panel, May 11, 2005
- To Trump Bush on Taxes, March 15, 2005
- Combating the Global Mercury Problem, February 24, 2005
- Progressive Message on the President's Budget, February 14, 2005
- Protecting the American People: A Progressive Alternative to the Bush Administration, January 18, 2005
- On Food Safety, the Bush Administration is Out to Lunch, June 23, 2004
- Trading Views, May 20, 2004
- Agriculture: Let's Grow Our Own Fuel, May 12, 2004
- No Cause for Celebration, December 8, 2003
- The Perils of Partisanship, November 24, 2003
- Pork-filled Energy Bill Would Harm National Security, November 10, 2003
- Regaining Our Focus In The Fight Against Terrorism, November 3, 2003
- The Real Story Behind the Story, October 15, 2003
- Managing Intimigate: Bush Had Better Take This Leak Seriously, October 12, 2003