Early Career
Johnson began his career as a faculty member at Princeton University. Later he was a staff member in the United States Senate. He was also director of public affairs at the Dayton-Hudson Corporation (now Target Corporation).
Johnson worked in the unsuccessful presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy in 1968, and George McGovern and 1972.
From 1977 to 1981 he was executive assistant to Vice President Walter Mondale during the entire Carter Administration.
In 1981, Johnson co-founded Public Strategies, a private consulting firm, with diplomat Richard Holbrooke. He headed the firm until 1985. During that time, he was the campaign manager for Walter Mondale's failed 1984 presidential bid. From 1985 to 1990, he was a managing director with Lehman Brothers.
Read more about this topic: James A. Johnson (politics)
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