Early career Card got his start in politics serving in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983.
Private career From 1993 to 1998, Card was president and
chief executive officer of the
American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the trade association whose members were
Chrysler Corporation,
Ford Motor Company and
General Motors Corporation. The AAMA dissolved in December 1998. From 1999 until his selection as President Bush's Chief of Staff, Card was
General Motors' Vice President of Government Relations. Card directed the company's international, national, state and local government affairs activities and represented GM on matters of public policy before
Congress and the administration. He serves on the
board of directors of
Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad announced on July 27, 2006, that Card was elected to the board, increasing the board's size to 10 members. He is also a senior counselor at public relations firm
Fleishman-Hillard. On November 7, 2019, he joined the board of directors of Draganfly, a manufacturer of commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (“
UAVs”) Unmanned Vehicle Systems (“
UVSes”).
Government career Under Ronald Reagan Card first served in the West Wing under President
Ronald Reagan, as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and subsequently as Deputy Assistant to the President and
Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, where he was liaison to governors, statewide elected officials, state legislators, mayors and other elected officials.
Under George H. W. Bush From 1989 to 1992, Card served in President
George H. W. Bush's administration as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. From 1992 until 1993, Card served as the 11th
U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bush. In August 1992, at the request of President Bush, Secretary Card coordinated the administration's disaster relief efforts in the wake of
Hurricane Andrew. Later that year, Secretary Card directed President Bush's transition office during
the transition from the Bush administration to the
Clinton administration.
Under George W. Bush In 2000, Card was asked by
Texas Governor George W. Bush to run the
Republican National Convention in
Philadelphia. On November 26, 2000, Card was appointed to be chief of staff for President-elect George W. Bush upon Bush's January 20, 2001
inauguration. On the day of
September 11 attacks, Card approached Bush as he was visiting
Emma E. Booker Elementary School in
Sarasota, Florida, and whispered in his ear the news that a second plane had hit the
World Trade Center, confirming that
a terrorist attack was underway. Card later recounted his story, saying that he whispered "A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack." On March 28, 2006, the White House announced that Card would resign as Chief of Staff and be replaced by
United States Office of Management and Budget director
Joshua B. Bolten. Card's resignation was effective April 14, 2006. At 5 years and 84 days, his tenure as Chief of Staff was the second-longest in the office's history. ,
Laura Bush,
Bill Clinton,
George H. W. Bush, and
Condoleezza Rice pay their respects to Pope
John Paul II before the
pope's funeral.
Post-government career Card received an honorary degree from the
University of Massachusetts Amherst on May 25, 2007. While accepting the degree, Card was booed loudly by students and faculty who deplored the choice to bestow the honor. Card considered running in the
2010 special election to fill the
United States Senate seat held by
Ted Kennedy, who had died in office. State Senator
Scott Brown, who considered entering the race, promised to drop out if Card decided to run. Card announced on September 11, 2009, that he would not enter the race and that he was throwing his support to Brown, who went on to win the election. On July 5, 2011, Card was named acting dean of
The Bush School of Government and Public Service at
Texas A&M University. In 2014, Card was selected as the fifth president of
Franklin Pierce University in
Rindge, New Hampshire. He began his tenure in December 2014, and resigned in summer of 2016. Since December 2023, Card has served as the chief executive officer of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation. ==Personal life==