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The Vietnam protests of the 1960s, when Wilson was a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, galvanized him along with much of that generation and "pitted parents against kids in [his] family just as it did in many households around the country."

The Vietnam protests of the 1960s, when Wilson was a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, galvanized him along with much of that generation and "pitted parents against kids in [his] family just as it did in many households around the country."

For a year midway in his career as a diplomat (1985–1986), Wilson served as a Congressional Fellow in the offices of Senator [[Al Gore]] and Representative [[Tom Foley]]; his working for Democrats was simply a matter of "happenstance." Although Wilson claimed to have been a Republican who crossed to the Democrats because of the Plame Affair, in fact Wilson was a longtime Democrat. ).<ref>Vicky Ward, [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2004/01/plame200401?printable=true&currentPage=all "Double Exposure"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', January 2004.</ref> That experience helped him to achieve his position as Special Assistant to President [[Bill Clinton]] and Senior Director for African Affairs at the [[National Security Council]], over a decade later (1997-98), during which he arranged the first trip of President Clinton to Africa. That was the final position that he held upon retiring from government service, in 1998. It was as a "private citizen" with extensive knowledge and experience of Africa, and specifically of Niger, that he was tapped to travel there again on behalf of the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] in February 2002; he returned in March 2002. Also as a "private citizen," in 2000, Wilson had donated $2,000 to Vice President Gore’s presidential campaign and $1,000 to [[George W. Bush]]'s presidential campaign, but he voted for Gore and Lieberman in the general election. In 2003 Wilson began to support and formally endorsed [[John Kerry]] for president, donating $2,000 to Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, and served as an advisor to and speechwriter for the campaign in 2003 and 2004.<ref> http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040214-120835-4661r.htm "Spouse of Outed CIA Officer Signs On with Kerry,"] ''[[The Washington Times]],'' February 14, 2004.</ref> He has made contributions to the campaigns of Democratic candidates, such as Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts and Congressman [[Charles B. Rangel]] of New York, and to Republican Congressman [[Ed Royce]] of California.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=wilson&txtState=DC&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=&txt2004=&txt2002=&txt2000=Y&txt1998=Y&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N&Order=N&Cycles=2&Cycle1=2000&Cycle2=1998&Cycle3=&Page=2 Joseph C. Wilson search] at ''opensecrets.org''.</ref>

For a year midway in his career as a diplomat (1985–1986), Wilson served as a Congressional Fellow in the offices of Senator [[Al Gore]] and Representative [[Tom Foley]]; his working for Democrats was simply a matter of "happenstance." Although Wilson claimed to have been a Republican who crossed to the Democrats because of the Plame Affair, in fact Wilson was a longtime Democrat. ).<ref>Vicky Ward, [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2004/01/plame200401?printable=true&currentPage=all "Double Exposure"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', January 2004.</ref> That experience helped him to achieve his position as Special Assistant to President [[Bill Clinton]] and Senior Director for African Affairs at the [[National Security Council]], over a decade later (1997-98), during which he arranged the first trip of President Clinton to Africa. That was the final position that he held upon retiring from government service, in 1998. It was as a "private citizen" with extensive knowledge and experience of Africa, and specifically of Niger, that he was tapped to travel there again on behalf of the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] in February 2002; he returned in March 2002. Also as a "private citizen," in 2000, Wilson had donated $2,000 to Vice President Gore’s presidential campaign and $1,000 to [[George W. Bush]]'s presidential campaign, but he voted for Gore and Lieberman in the general election. In 2003 Wilson began to support and formally endorsed [[John Kerry]] for president, donating $2,000 to Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, and served as an advisor to and speechwriter for the campaign in 2003 and 2004.<ref> "Spouse of Outed CIA Officer Signs On with Kerry,"] ''[[The Washington Times]],'' February 14, 2004, abstract (original article unavailable) at http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-695535/Spouse-of-outed-CIA-officer.html#abstract.</ref> He has made contributions to the campaigns of Democratic candidates, such as Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts and Congressman [[Charles B. Rangel]] of New York, and to Republican Congressman [[Ed Royce]] of California.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=wilson&txtState=DC&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=&txt2004=&txt2002=&txt2000=Y&txt1998=Y&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N&Order=N&Cycles=2&Cycle1=2000&Cycle2=1998&Cycle3=&Page=2 Joseph C. Wilson search] at ''opensecrets.org''.</ref>

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Wilson supported activist groups like Win Without War, a coalition of far leftwing groups united in opposition to the Iraq War. On July 16, 2007, the [[Drudge Report]] reported that Wilson supports [[Hillary Clinton]] for President of the United States in the 2008 election.

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Wilson supported activist groups like Win Without War, a coalition of far leftwing groups united in opposition to the Iraq War. On July 16, 2007, the [[Drudge Report]] reported that Wilson supports [[Hillary Clinton]] for President of the United States in the 2008 election.