Dan Shapiro

Daniel B. Shapiro is a longtime political operative in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, particularly with Democratic members of Congress. Shapiro worked briefly at the United States National Security Council during the Clinton administration under Sandy Berger. He then worked first as legislative advisor and then deputy chief (mostly on foreign policy issues) to Rep. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

He is touted as: "... a foreign policy specialist with particular expertise in the Middle East." In 2007, Shapiro emerged as an advisor/strategist ("work on Middle East issues and Jewish outreach") for Sen. Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and was named vice president of Timmons and Company, a Washington D.C. lobbying firm with cable-industry clients.

Working for Obama
Shapiro's ascendance coincided with Obama's emphasis on proving his pro-Israel credentials in the form of several speeches in front of Jewish audiences. Obama will also deliver a major speech at the 2007 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference.

James D. Besser writing February 16, 2007, for The Jewish Week outlines the effect Shapiro's recruitment will have:
 * With millions of campaign dollars at stake as well as votes in a handful of key primary states, the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is poised to dramatically increase its Jewish outreach. That includes the recruitment of top Jewish donors and advisers, and an expected major speech on Israel and the Middle East that a Democratic insider said "will set the baseline and establish Sen. Obama as a reliable, strong supporter of Israel."

Ambassador to Israel
In September 2011, Robert Fisk, the renown journalist, commented on the Palestinian bid to gain recognition at the United Nations. The United States lobbied hard to sabotage this effort and threatened to veto the measure when it would come to the Security Council. Fisk asks: "How come, let's ask, that the US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, flew from Tel Aviv to New York for the statehood debate on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's own aircraft?"

Career

 * March 2011: US ambassador to Israel
 * 2007 - Advisor, strategist and fund-raiser for Sen. Barack Obama. Shapiro will concurrently work with Timmons and Company.
 * 2003-2007 - Legislative advisor, and later deputy chief of staff to Florida Democratic Party Senator Bill Nelson.
 * 2004 - Council on Foreign Relations
 * National Security Council - Official during the Clinton administration; Congressional liaison for National Security Adviser Sandy Berger.
 * 1995-1999 - Legislative assistant and senior foreign policy adviser to California Democratic Party Senator Dianne Feinstein.
 * 1993-1995 - Professional staff member on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East, under Chairman Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.).
 * U.S. Department of State position at the US embassy in the United Arab Emirates.

Profiles

 * Biography, United Jewish Communities.
 * United Jewish Communities, "International Lion of Judah Conference: Bios", undated, accessed February 2007.

Articles & Commentary

 * U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, "Nelson names longtime associate new chief of staff", Media Release, March 25, 2003.
 * David Mikhail, "Divide over Palestinian authority could derail bill to limit funding" The Hill, March 2, 2006.
 * Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "Hires of the Week", Washington Post, February 13, 2007; Page A19.