David Halperin

Archived biography: David Halperin is Senior Vice President at the Center for American Progress and the Director of Campus Progress, the Center's dynamic effort to strengthen progressive voices on college and university campuses nationwide and empower new generations of leaders.

A former speechwriter for both President Bill Clinton and presidential candidate Howard Dean, Halperin has over fifteen years of experience writing, speaking, working in government, litigating, and organizing on a wide range of issues, from national security policy to domestic issues, to technology and media policy, to constitutional law and legal ethics.

Halperin previously worked as: a consultant and attorney, advising groups including Public Citizen, Greenpeace, and Democracy for America (2003-04); senior policy advisor and speechwriter for Howard Dean's presidential campaign (2003-04); founding executive director of the American Constitution Society (2001-03); Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Director for Speechwriting, National Security Council, the White House, in the Clinton Administration (1997-2000); fellow of the Harvard Law School Berkman Center for Internet & Society (1997); legal and policy advisor to Ralph Nader (1995-97); solo legal practitioner and legal associate to Professor Laurence Tribe (1991, 1994-97); co-founder of the Internet company Progressive Networks (now RealNetworks) (1993-94); counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee (1991-93); law clerk to U.S. District Judge Gerhard Gesell (1989-91); research assistant to Robert McNamara (1985-86); and research analyst at the Arms Control Association (1984-86).

Halperin's articles have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times Magazine, The Nation, National Law Journal, Foreign Policy, Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, and many other publications. He has been interviewed by media ranging from ABC, CBS, PBS, and NPR, to the New York Times and Washington Post, to local media around the country. Halperin graduated from Yale College and Yale Law School.