David Axelrod: The man behind Obama's message

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: The man behind Obama's message
David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, is described as the most powerful political consultant not on a coast.
By Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 15, 2008

CHICAGO -- Sen. Barack Obama strode into a hotel ballroom filled with expectation one recent Tuesday and declared that his quest for the Oval Office, which "began as a whisper in Springfield, has swelled to a chorus of millions calling for change." That's the essence of the Illinois senator's message: Obama equals change; Hillary Rodham Clinton equals status quo. All else cascades from there. In this contest -- where the candidates are but a micron apart on most policy matters -- message is everything. This simple theme has powered Obama to victory in 23 contests, most recently three days ago during the "Potomac primaries," when he added Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia to his win list. The keeper of that message is David Axelrod, political reporter turned political consultant, and Obama's chief strategist.

The burly 52-year-old with the drooping mustache helped put together the team working to get Obama elected. He oversees ad creation and coordinates with the campaign's pollsters. During preparation for debates, he plays Clinton. When not at Obama's side on the campaign trail, he is most often in front of a television camera or otherwise surrounded by reporters, talking about the man he calls "my friend." Asked point-blank what he does all day, he recently responded: "Schmooze." Axelrod is described as Obama's answer to Karl Rove and the most powerful political consultant not on a coast. And at a time when New York Sen. Clinton is shaking up her own campaign staff, he is someone, said one political observer, who "ain't going to be fired."...

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Fifteen years ago, David Axelrod was a political consultant based in Chicago, where Barack Obama, fresh from Harvard Law School and largely unknown, was coordinating a voter registration drive. One day Axelrod got a call from a friend. "She said, 'I just met the most extraordinary person,'" he recounted. "'I think he may be the president of the United States one day.' And I thought, 'That's kind of a grandiose thing to say.'" The men met and became friendly. When Axelrod heard in 2002 that Obama was considering a Senate run, he thought, "What a difference he could make." "There was not an African American in the U.S. Senate, and there were very few people of his caliber," Axelrod recounted. "He was not a front-runner at that point. He was quite the underdog. But I told him I wanted to work with him."

Axelrod describes that collaboration as "a great adventure," in which a little-known state senator "overcame all kinds of obstacles and all kinds of odds. I was proud of him then. I was proud of him as a public official." Bill Carrick, a Los Angeles-based Democratic strategist, said Axelrod and Obama emerged from that hard-fought race with a unique relationship. "A lot of times, consultants don't know the clients that well and aren't plugged into their particular political philosophy or vision," Carrick said, but "this tight bond they have makes them effective together."...

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-axelrod15feb15,0,3410587,full.story

[ginnyinWI]

1. Thanks--this is new information

I didn't know Axelrod went way back with Obama. He's a real asset; I saw him sparring with one of Clinton's guys on Newshour. Axelrod was polite but tough. The other guy kept interrupting rudely (Newshour doesn't do food fights and this made him look really bad) but Axelrod kept his cool and looked much classier--a good reflection on his candidate.

[DURHAM D]

2. David Axelrod is Obama's brain.

Obama has not cast a vote, missed a vote, voted present, given a speech or washed his underwear without consulting with David for 15 years.

Obama is David's creation.

By the way - it is not new information. Google New York Times David Axelrod - article from April of 2007.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Like Bill is Hillary's brain.....cause certainly you wouldn't want to give that title to Penn.....

Hillary is Penn's creation; The one with the new voice, I mean.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Interesting article. Thanks for posting this.