The Secret Side of David Axelrod: The master of "Astroturfing" has a second firm for MegaCorps

[Up2Late]

March 14, 2008, 4:20PM EST text size: TT

The Secret Side of David Axelrod

The master of "Astroturfing" has a second firm that shapes public opinion for corporations

by Howard Wolinsky

David Axelrod has long been known for his political magic. Through his AKP&D Message & Media consultancy, the campaign veteran has advised a succession of Democratic candidates since 1985, and he's now chief strategist for Senator Barack Obama's bid for President. But on the down low, Axelrod moonlights in the private sector.

From the same River North address, Axelrod operates a second business, ASK Public Strategies, that discreetly plots strategy and advertising campaigns for corporate clients to tilt public opinion their way. He and his partners consider virtually everything about ASK to be top secret, from its client roster and revenue to even the number of its employees. But customers and public records confirm that it has quarterbacked campaigns for the Chicago Children's Museum, ComEd, Cablevision, and AT&T.

ASK's predilection for operating in the shadows shows up in its work. On behalf of ComEd and Comcast, the firm helped set up front organizations that were listed as sponsors of public-issue ads. Industry insiders call such practices "Astroturfing," a reference to manufacturing grassroots support. Alderman Brendan Reilly of the 42nd Ward, who has been battling the Children's Museum's relocation plans, describes ASK as "the gold standard in Astroturf organizing. This is an emerging industry, and ASK has made a name for itself in shaping public opinion and manufacturing public support."

(edit)

One TV commercial, penned by ASK, warned of a ComEd bankruptcy and blackouts without a rate hike: "A few years ago, California politicians seized control of electric rates. They held rates down, but the true cost of energy kept rising. Soon the electric company went bust; the lights went out. Consumers had to pay for the mess. Now, some people in Illinois are playing the same game." CORE, which describes itself on its Web site as "a coalition of individuals, businesses and organizations," was identified as the ad's sponsor. After a complaint was filed with state regulators, ComEd acknowledged that it had bankrolled the entire $15 million effort....
(more at link)

<http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db20080314_121054.htm>

Humm, I wonder how many of these rabid "Obama Supporters" furiously posting to blogs and discussion boards are actually "Astro-turf" supporters paid for by ASK?

[BeyondGeography]

1. Did you say something?

[cliffordu]

2. I'd like to get paid for it, but, sheeit, I'll do it just for fun

:hi:

[nerddem]

3. oh shit, not the chicago children's museum

those sneaky bastards...

[Up2Late]

4. Oh I forgot, it must be "the children" who want to build their museum in Grant Park!

Sure, who needs Parks and Green Space in the 3rd largest city in the U.S.?:eyes:

[FrenchieCat]

5. Here's their website. I don't see Blackwater or Death Squad Columbian administration

Down as clients. :shrug:


At ASK, we manage issue campaigns with the same discipline, focus and intensity as we would a political campaign. We use the expertise we’ve gained running hundreds of political campaigns at all levels of government to bring the right approaches and tools to our clients’ issues.

We specialize in three distinct but interrelated fields:

Managing issue campaigns with an emphasis on public policy.
Developing effective communications strategies.
Producing award-winning advertising.

It appears that each of the three partners take on their independent projects idividually and works alone. Axelrod focus appears to be Political campaigns and ballot initiatives.


Axelrod's Bio on the ASK site:

A former journalist, Axelrod established his firm in 1985, after managing Paul Simon's upset victory over incumbent U.S. Senator Charles Percy in Illinois. Since then, he has worked for leading Democrats across the country, including Governor Deval Patrick in Massachusetts; U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton, Herb Kohl and Chris Dodd; Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in New York; Governor Tom Vilsack in Iowa; Congressman Rahm Emanuel in Illinois; and many of America’s leading mayors including Richard M. Daley in Chicago; John F. Street in Philadelphia and Dennis Archer in Detroit.

In addition to candidate races, Axelrod has developed successful media campaigns for many ballot initiatives and independent committees. Axelrod also serves as the principal media consultant for the national AFL-CIO and has produced media for the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Senatorial and Congressional Campaign Committees.

A native of New York City, Axelrod graduated from the University of Chicago and spent eight years as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, where he covered national, state and local politics. In 1981, he became the youngest political writer and columnist in the paper's history. He also served as the paper's City Hall bureau chief.

Axelrod has lectured on political media at many universities including Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the University of Pennsylvania. He's a frequent guest on national TV shows, including CNN's "Crossfire" and “Inside Politics” and MSNBC’s “Hardball.”

http://askps.com/what.html

[Up2Late]

6. No, and you never will either when you have a totally covert PR Firm.

"...He and his partners consider virtually everything about ASK to be top secret, from its client roster and revenue to even the number of its employees...."

<http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db20080314_121054.htm>

[DerekJ]

7. Soooooo predictable ... Lord!!

Whenever Hillary shoots herself in the foot, you rush to try to find the bullet hole in Obama's shoes.

Unbelievable.

[Up2Late]

11. And as a Canadian who can't vote in any United States Election you care because...?

Why are you so Pro-Obama as a Canadian who won't be able to vote in ANY of our elections, eh?:shrug: :grr:

Did a bunch of American's post to the Pro-Conservative party discussion boards during your elections and you are now getting your revenge? Or is your support much simpler than that?:shrug:

[McCamy Taylor]

8. I posted this last week. AT&T spies on all of us. So, what is Obama going to do when he is Pres.?

Is he going to prosecute Axelrod's client for violating our rights? Will his FCC start busting up all these telecoms?

Is this the reason that Hillary is getting the bad press? Because Axelrod does business with all the telecoms?

[JustinL]

9. My God...you're right. Look at these photos of sinister ASK operatives:

And these are just from the first two pages of the "ObamaBlog". One shudders to think how many of these fifth columnists there are spreading their poisonous propaganda throughout the country.

[Up2Late]

13. No these are the victims of "Master of 'Astroturfing.'"

Take a look at those faces again, because if Obama becomes the 2008 nominee, those are the people you are going to have to answer to when "Master of 'Astroturfing'" turns his Secret Corporate dogs on them and crushes their hopes for "change."

[Cha]

14. Welcome to DU, Justin!

And thanks for the pics of people supporting Obama.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Just pointing out the hypocrisy. Axelrod makes money working for crooks

http://www.hillhelpers.com/?view=showad&adid=110&cityid=384

Among ASK's other clients: AT&T. The telecom company, formerly known as SBC Communications, had been a customer, Sedler confirms, when it requested ASK's help to defeat a broadband referendum in three Fox Valley suburbs in 2004. ASK received $22,500 for its voter-persuasion drive.

That sounded fishy so I read some more here:

http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/u-verse.ars/2

An interesting side note to the current debate is that AT&T's predecessor SBC had fought a 2004 referendum that would have had Geneva build and operate its own fiber-optic network, one which laid fiber all the way to every home in town. That effort was pushed by citizen's group Fiber for our Future (the group was headed by Collins' wife) but was defeated after intense lobbying by SBC and Comcast. At one point, SBC was reportedly conducting a "push" poll in town that asked residents, "Do you believe local schools will have to cut teaching staff, increase class sizes and eliminate after­school programs because the Tri-Cities broadband referendum competes with existing school referendums?" and "Should tax money be allowed to provide pornographic movies for residents?"

After defeating the competition, AT& T then tried to muscle in with its own "secret" plan to builb eye sore boxes that would serve only half the town.

I had assumed that only the RNC and Rove had influence with the telecoms. However, if Axelrod has an in with AT& T---one of the biggest cable players around---then he knows his way around the business. This means that he could be cutting deals people in the press to air stories that favor Obama for the Democratic nomination in exchange for the promise that the Obama FCC will be much friendlier than the Hillary FCC. That is how Rove bought the press in 2000.

McCain also has telecom ties but he has pissed off Time-Warner and Disney so Obama might be a more neutral figure to the telecoms, who seem to select our presidents for us now.

[MethuenProgressive]

12. Haven't you learned yet? It's OK! if its Obama!

Top strategist making money working for crooks? GOBAMA!!

[Up2Late]

15. kick n/t

:kick: