15 entertaining vintage photos of US politicians

Before they were mayors, senators, and presidents, they were college students, farmers, and even athletes.

This vintage collection of photos shows leaders when they were much younger, before they decided to take on the nation’s problems and shape the world today as we see it.

It’s a refreshing look at the young faces of the men and women often seen wearing suits on TV before the real world got ahold of them.

1. Newt Gingrich

Here’s a very young photo of the 50th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

He was born Newton Leroy McPherson on June 17, 1943, but was later known as Newt Gingrich.

Wikimedia Commons - Andrew Hazlett
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Wikimedia Commons - Andrew Hazlett

2. Hillary Clinton

Here’s Mrs. Clinton as a young woman, before becoming an American politician, diplomat, lawyer, writer, and public speaker who served as the 67th Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013.

She was a United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009 (and, of course, First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001).

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Wikimedia Commons - Maine South High School

3. Al Gore

Born March 31, 1948, Gore served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under president Bill Clinton.

He’s been active with environmental issues since 1976.

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Wikimedia Commons - St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)

4. Mike Pence

Pence was the 48th Vice President of the United States from 2017 to 2021.

Pence went on to describe himself as a “principled conservative” saying he was “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.”

Columbus North High School
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Columbus North High School

5. Bill Clinton

The 42nd President of the United States of America was born on born August 19, 1946.

Clinton was born and raised in Arkansas, marrying Hillary Rodham on October 1, 1975.

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Wikimedia Commons - Hot Springs High School

6. Donald Trump

Before he served as the 45th POTUS, Trump was a businessman and media personality, even appearing in a random array of films such as The Little Rascals, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, and Zoolander.

He’s also been the subject of parody, comedy, and caricature on TV, movies, and even in comics.

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7. Bernie Sanders

Sanders was born on September 8, 1941.

He became interested in politics in light of WWI after many of his relatives were killed in German-occupied Poland during the Holocaust.

Wikimedia Commons
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Wikimedia Commons

8. Elizabeth Warren

Warren is a former law professor with a degree in speech pathology and audiology. She also taught children with disabilities for a year in a public school.

As a senator, Warren has focused on consumer protection, economic opportunity, and the social safety net.

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Wikimedia Commons - Northwest Classen High School

9. Mitt Romney

Romney was born born March 12, 1947. He spent over two years in France as a Mormon missionary and is active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He’s currently serving as a senator at the age of 74.

Wikimedia Commons - Cranbrook School
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Wikimedia Commons - Cranbrook School

10. Michael Bloomberg

This young man went on to become New York City’s 108th Mayor.

He founded Bloomberg L.P. in 1981, a financial information, software, and media firm, spending twenty years as its chairman and CEO.

Wikimedia Commons - Medford High School
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Wikimedia Commons - Medford High School

11. Nancy Pelosi and JFK

Here is the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives as a young college student listening to John F. Kennedy inspire the youth to “truly light the world.”.

12. John Lewis

Lewis was active in the civil rights movement to end legalized racial segregation. He was first elected to Congress in 1986, serving 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lewis received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

He lost the fight to stage IV pancreatic cancer on July 17, 2020, at the age of 80.

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Wikimedia Commons - Marion S. Trikosko, U.S. News and World Reports

13. Arnold Schwarzenegger

The 38th “Governator” of California started out in bodybuilding and films, making him one of the most famous showbiz-politician personalities.

Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at the age of 15 before exercising his mind in politics and presiding over bodybuilding competitions on the side.