David Axelrod: Obama's Rove

A Ben Wallace-Wells piece in the New York Times today features Barack Obama's key advisor, political consultant David Axelrod.  The ruthless Axelrod's part in Obama's political rocketry goes back 15 years, and the story most notably mentions a pivotal point in Illinois' 2004 U.S. Senate Democratic primary . . .

In reading the interesting piece, one can't help but note the massive photo at the top, featuring Axelrod and Obama conferring in Obama's U.S. Senate office. 

Good thing they're in DC, huh. . . if they were talking about a politics and the presidential race in Obama's old Springfield office, well, that conversation would be ethically banned.  Maybe not so in DC. . . .

Link: Barack Obama - David Axelrod - Obama's Narrator - Ben Wallace-Wells - New York Times.

It is difficult to discuss Axelrod in certain circles in Chicago without the matter of the Blair Hull divorce papers coming up. As the 2004 Senate primary neared, it was clear that it was a contest between two people: the millionaire liberal, Hull, who was leading in the polls, and Obama, who had built an impressive grass-roots campaign. About a month before the vote, The Chicago Tribune revealed, near the bottom of a long profile of Hull, that during a divorce proceeding, Hull’s second wife filed for an order of protection. In the following few days, the matter erupted into a full-fledged scandal that ended up destroying the Hull campaign and handing Obama an easy primary victory. The Tribune reporter who wrote the original piece later acknowledged in print that the Obama camp had “worked aggressively behind the scenes” to push the story. But there are those in Chicago who believe that Axelrod had an even more significant role — that he leaked the initial story. They note that before signing on with Obama, Axelrod interviewed with Hull. They also point out that Obama’s TV ad campaign started at almost the same time. Axelrod swears up and down that “we had nothing to do with it” . . .

Comments

[Mike O]

So the point is...?

You didn't think Obama's rise was solely due to his gift for public speaking? Why is it that only Republicans are permitted to have ruthless advisors? Obama can't change the world if he doesn't get elected. Axelrod's job is to get him elected. As long as he limits himself to that, then I can't really see the problem.

[Iris]

You keep treating the whole election like a horse race with jockeys. Meanwhile, we voters will worry our little heads with the serious issues facing the country.

[Anne]

Wasn't this the same thing that was done by Obama's campaign to Jack Ryan? Is this kind of personal attack par for the course with Obama?

[Bruno]

Mike O,

Excellent point, and we should all realize that Obama needs his "Roves" as much as anyone.

It's the double standard that bugs all of us.

Iris,

It's your responsibility (as much as anyone's) to make the race one of "issues" instead of a "horse race." We can't expect the Trib to that for us. They ceased being a serious newspaper decades ago.

As for this blog, like it or hate it, it raises issues, as well as reports on the "horse race."

Anne,

Obama didn't do "the same thing to Jack Ryan." That was the work of the Chicago Tribune, pretty much on it's own.

Conservatives in IL don't only have to run against their opponents. They have to run against the Trib as well. They have to realize that the Trib will always be running against them, nearly in the open.

They may not be a serious newspaper, but they are a serious opponent. Get used to it.

(Spare me the old saw about Trib endorsements, folks. Look to the editorial policy of the articles. Endoresement mean far, far less.)

[martian]

Hi,
I think you are misleading your best chance at opening it truthfully. I've always credited you with sopphisticaed analyis. You will lose, if you continue to go on! Barack Obama needs someone who is not totally black or white. He needs people around him who can testify to the "truth" as they fit it to be. Barack Obama might be the last chance of this country, the USA, to deflect the vengence, of our boni fine God!
God loves all creatures, regardlesss of their origin. If qr'lp[0o'iprstand this, yourlpo,ks arain.I hope, you do, oherwise, why should a lot of people place confidence in you? May God give you the discern-ament between the two! Farewell, and good luck!
Take care, and call me only if you are in difficulty!
Martian
PS. This is the result of incompet4ence or,may be the Brother watching on us!

[Ira Gruber]

Yes. Obama neds his Roves and I am the person who can get him wihtin a few point of the Establishment's pick Hiliary Clinton but I am hard pressed for time. I need somein the chicago area to give me the e mail of david Axelrod.I tried to contact him at his foirm and 10 em ail r were returned.There must be sonmeone who reads this that can get Axelrod to contact me nglbtraveldesk@aol.com better than Karl Rove

[Kathy Caudle]

May 17th, '07

Far and away Barack Obama helps cleanse the old stagnant politics we've endured since George Bush has been president and in his "decision-maker" mode invaded Iraq whom I respectfully remind people "Ms. Hillary" supported which means "Ms. Hillary" also has some of this blood on her hands. No one can deny Barack Obama is more of a gentleman than Hillary is a lady.

We all know Hillary is ridin' in on her husband's coat tails in every way--spending Bill's money, reveling in HIS leadership reputation, fraternizing with HIS friends, soliciting contributions from HIS corporate sponsors, and the like--to get herself back in the white house. Of course this makes Hillary WRONGLY doing what women have been fighting against since before my grandmother was born which is to say Hillary is dependent on her husband's money and other resources, because she has NOTHING of her own from which to draw as she operates her campaign, to get back into the white house.

By some standards this means Hillary whores herself to get what she wants, and has done so all her life. Precisely this is partly what makes Hillary the trailer trash she is despite being married which is to say you know she let her husband stay married to her for political reasons, because Hillary knew her wayward husband would come in handy, because of her own political ambition. Why she's a crafty ole fox no less than the master political scientist Machiaveli, himself, except Hillary is dirty.

By this I mean Hillary WILL employ all the underhanded and dirty politics--and so WILL gerrymander, sling mud, scandalize, falsify, propagandize, and do whatever else she thinks it will take--to get what she wants during this presidential campaign which is to be elected president. On the other hand I declare to all women that Hillary is NOT the woman to seat in the white house because, plain and simple, Hillary is NOT a leader.

Barack Obama IS our next president, hands down! He's a leader!

Kathy Caudle
Barack Obama Supporter
Salt Lake City, UT

[Dana]

Barack Obama is at the top of my list, and the only candidate
currently represented by the media as a serious contender, who I will even consider voting for. My second choice for president is Michael Bloomberg. Steve Colbert comes in a close 3d because he seems to understand politics and international relations better than all the other candidates.

But after reading the Washington Post today, I am having my doubts about Obama, or whichever dunce recently advised him that he must be religious to win the U.S. presidency! That is not only untrue (and a big misconception
among the candidates running for Pres.), it also betrays a very dim
view of the intelligence of the American electorate!

The American electorate generally understands that the U.S. government is secular, and has, for the past six years, been hijacked by religious extremists, and outspoke proponents of religious war on "radical Islam," while much of the rest of the world
believes the U.S. government was taken over by a militant group espousing "radical Christianity."

The biggest threat our country faces right now is nuclear annihilation. US officials who are "committed Christians," and "outspoken about their faith"
are edging us closer to that each day, in their 'war on Muslims.'
I know dozens of committed Christians who would vote for an atheist or an agnostic for U.S. president, particularly because
of Bush. So Obama's advisors are not only off the mark regarding that piece of "conventional wisdom," to promote Obama as being a religious person, at this moment in time, even expressing that fact, is a mistake in the run-up to the current presidential election. Obama will shore up his votes among all groups of people in this country, even in the deep south, by emphasizing "facts," "logic," science, and "reason," attributes which wear well on Obama, much better than a religious veil, or an emphasis on "faith"!

That's why it was so horrifying to see Obama take the bait, put out by one of his political adversaries--that Obama is of the wrong religion--and see him defend himself as a "committed Christian" who is "outspoken about his faith"(which Obama's core fans read as bigoted, pandering, and dishonest). They are exactly the kind of words independent-minded people do not want to hear just these days, from those in elected office. Egads, who the heck is Obama's campaign advisor?

One reason Obama is so popular is because people like that he is honest and has a fresh approach; if he wants to be elected President, he's got to shed the religious crap that got our country into so much trouble; even religious people understand that. In case Obama has not noticed, the American people are not as dumb and sheep-like as his campaign adviser(s) apparently believes.

America desperately needs an atheist or an agnostic in the White House this time around, a secular commander-in-chief to snuff out the war between Christians and Muslims, and the vast majority of Americans are smart enough to
understand and appreciate that,
even those who are religious!

[LARRY THORNTON]

WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS THAT ALL OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES EXCEPT MIKE HUCKABEE BELONGS TO THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS (CFR) WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE BILDERBERG GROUP (NWO) ILLUMINATI, AND TRI-LATTERAL COMMISSION. DAVID ROCKEFERRER ETC.
I AM A DEMOCRAT AND ONLY HOPE FOR A FAIR ELECTION IN THE PRIMARIES. THIS COUNTRY HAS HAD ENOUGH LIES, HALF TRUTHS AND WE NEED TO STOP THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION SUPPORTED BY THE CFR.

[LARRY THORNTON]

WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS THAT ALL OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES EXCEPT MIKE HUCKABEE BELONGS TO THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS (CFR) WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE BILDERBERG GROUP (NWO) ILLUMINATI, AND TRI-LATTERAL COMMISSION. DAVID ROCKEFERRER ETC.
I AM A DEMOCRAT AND ONLY HOPE FOR A FAIR ELECTION IN THE PRIMARIES. THIS COUNTRY HAS HAD ENOUGH LIES, HALF TRUTHS AND WE NEED TO STOP THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION SUPPORTED BY THE CFR.

[James Hammond]

I'd like to get some ideas to those running the Obama planning committee:

Obama should go after Clinton and McCain on the influence of lobbyists. "We've got the best government that money can buy" (@ Will Rogers, I think). And we have a Supreme Court with a majority that declares that "money is speech" and therefore protected by the 1st amendment, and uncontrollable. Money talks, and those with it are entitled to talk louder than the rest of us? What a disgrace.

There's something fishy about the Nafta-Canadian dust-up: IF the Clinton claim is true, the Canadian official was acting against Canadian interests in revealing that Obama isn't sincere in favoring a renegotiation of the treaty. Why would a Canadian want to reveal something that would harm Canada? This official needs to be investigated to find out what his true motivation was. A Clinton plant? Money from Clinton? We and Obama need to know.

[Jim Hunt]

Tax cuts. Ok, let's talk about tax cuts. The government of this great land collects taxes to help the people of this nation to get those things that they need to live comfortably and provide for security of ALL Americans. Those tax dollars are there to work for the American people. To cut taxes without a plan is to put a few more dollars in your pockets, but it will cost more in the long run for privitized student loans and similar programs. It also cuts the amount of money given to aid the states in their programs meaning that the states must increase their taxes. In the long run tax cuts don't work for the majority of the people. What does work is better financial management and reduction of spending that does NOT benefit the American people.

Jim Hunt

[Jim Hunt]

Tax cuts. Ok, let's talk about tax cuts. The government of this great land collects taxes to help the people of this nation to get those things that they need to live comfortably and provide for security of ALL Americans. Those tax dollars are there to work for the American people. To cut taxes without a plan is to put a few more dollars in your pockets, but it will cost more in the long run for privitized student loans and similar programs. It also cuts the amount of money given to aid the states in their programs meaning that the states must increase their taxes. In the long run tax cuts don't work for the majority of the people. What does work is better financial management and reduction of spending that does NOT benefit the American people.

Jim Hunt

[Jim Hunt]

Our nation is so worried about those that are physically invading our borders that we ignore the threat from within. It is only now that the horses are all gone that we start thinking about closing the gate. I find real danger in offshore banking. It becomes far too easy to transfer funds, hide assets and conceal criminal activities. Drug deals and illegal weapons can be paid for easily. If anyone wanted to take a large amount of cash out if the country it would be stopped at the airport, but there is no way to regulate offshore accounts. There is no good reason why offshore accounts are necessary for us to use. They are a clear and present danger.

I sent a letter to the editor to the top 100 newspapers in this country. It was not printed by even one of them. I find the letters that were chosen to print far less poignant than this topic.

Below you will find a copy of the letter that was sent to the newspapers and also a list of the newspapers that received it.

Jim Hunt (required personal information omitted in this post)
It should be illegal for any American to own any part of an offshore bank. No bank in America should conduct any transactions with those banks. No Americans should have accounts in offshore banks. They are used to hide money for criminal activities like embezzlement, drugs guns and tax evasion. Let Congress know today!

Jim Hunt

Nation's Top 100 Newspapers

Listed below are the 100 top newspapers in the United State of America.

Akron Beacon
Alabama News
Albuquerque Journal
Allentown M-Call
Arizona Republic
Arizona Star
Ark. Dem. Gazette
Arlington Heights Herald
Asbury Park Press
Atlanta J-Constit.
Augusta Chronicle
Austin American-Statesman
Baltimore Sun
Bergen Record
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
Buffalo News
Charlotte Observer
Charleston Post & Courier
Chicago SunTimes
Chicago Tribune
Cincinnati Enquirer
ClarionLedger (MS)
Clev.Plain Dealer
Columbia S.C. State
Columbus Dispatch
Daily Herald-Il.
Dallas Morn. News
Dayton Daily News
Denver Post
DesMoinesRegister
Detroit FreePress
Detroit News
Ft. Worth Star-Tele.
Ft. Laud. Sun Fresno Bee
Grand Rapids Press
Hartford Courant
Honolulu Advertiser
Houston Chronicle
Indianapolis Star
Investor's Bus. Daily
Jacksonville Times
Kansas City Star
Knoxville News-Sentinel
Las Vegas Review
Long Beach Press
Daily News Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times
L.I. Newsday
Louisville Courier
Memphis C-Appeal
Miami Herald
Milwaukee Journal
Minn. Star Trib.
Nash. Tennessean
N.Y. Daily News
New York Post
New York Times
Newark St-Ledger
N'Orleans Picayune
Oklahoman
Omaha World-Herald
Orange Co. Reg.
Orlando Sentinel
Palm Beach Post
Phila. Inquirer
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Portland Oregonian
Providence Journal
RaleighNewsObserver
Richmond Times
Riverside Press
Rochester Dem.
Rocky MtnNews
Sacramento Bee
St. Louis Post
St. Paul Pioneer
St. Peters. Times
Salt Lake Tribune
San Antonio Express-News
San Diego Union
S.F. Chronicle
S.F. Examiner
San Jose Mercury
Sarasota Herald
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Times
Spokane Spokesman
Tacoma NewsTrib
Tampa Tribune
Toledo Blade
Tulsa World
USA Today
VirginiaPilot
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
White Plains Journal
Wilmington News Journal
Worcester TelegramPittsburgh Post-Gazette
Portland Oregonian
Providence Journal
RaleighNewsObserver
Richmond Times
Riverside Press
Rochester Dem.
Rocky MtnNews
Sacramento Bee
St. Louis Post
St. Paul Pioneer
St. Peters. Times
Salt Lake Tribune
San Antonio Express-News
San Diego Union
S.F. Chronicle
S.F. Examiner
San Jose Mercury
Sarasota Herald
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Times
Spokane Spokesman
Tacoma NewsTrib
Tampa Tribune
Toledo Blade
Tulsa World
USA Today
VirginiaPilot
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
White Plains Journal
Wilmington News Journal
Worcester Telegram

Jim Hunt

[JoAnna Graller]

You O'Bama people better wake up and smell the coffee! Sleaze is what sells to the masses! Think Jerry Springer and you have the typical main stream voter! Hillary and Billy Bob Clinton SUPPORTERS ! What in the h**l is wrong with you stupid a#* leaders of the Democratic Party!? How long does it take you morons to realize the Clintons don't give a tinkers dam about anything but the Clintons.!?

Thank God for the young Kids---they have brought some of the old fogies out of the dark ages of back room dirty politics into the sunlight of HOPE AND INSPIRATION!

To bad that there are so many bigots in the voting pool --and you can blame the Clintons for that! They started in South Carolina with this crape ! Prior to that most people were color blind! I AM REALLY PROUD OF MY IOWA STATE!

The more I learn about both Clintons the more I hate them! Let's start with the way he brags about lowering the National Debt. Well he paid it off with our Soc. Sec. trust fund and Medicare! Go read the congressional record! Then he gave us NAFTA which His wife was out there supporting! Read her book! Pa. deserves the hard times for the stupidity of buying into the lies and Bull S*** the Clintons are selling! They are Republicans in a Democratic suit! If you old codgers need more reminding -- THIS CREEP OF A DISGRACED PRESIDENT LIED BEFORE CONGRESS " I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH THAT WOMAN" NOW YOU MORONS WANT MORE OF THE LIES BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE. YOU THINK THEY WILL DO FAVORS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? SAVE YOUR BREATH! I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING FOR SURE----I HAVE NEVER MISSED AND ELECTION SINCE I WAS FIRST ELIGIBLE TO VOTE--- THAT WAS JFK BUT IF THAT HAG STEALS THE NOMINATION AWAY FROM BARACK O'BAMA THIS IS ONE GAL THAT WILL NOT VOTE FOR HER I WILL OUT OF SPITE NEGATE HER VOTE!

And for the first time this makes Ralph Nader look like a better choice!

I dwell among the more intellectual voters The youth of this great Country! Did I say Great? It was until George Bush took office!

[JoAnna Graller]

You O'Bama people better wake up and smell the coffee! Sleaze is what sells to the masses! Think Jerry Springer and you have the typical main stream voter! Hillary and Billy Bob Clinton SUPPORTERS ! What in the h**l is wrong with you stupid a#* leaders of the Democratic Party!? How long does it take you morons to realize the Clintons don't give a tinkers dam about anything but the Clintons.!?

Thank God for the young Kids---they have brought some of the old fogies out of the dark ages of back room dirty politics into the sunlight of HOPE AND INSPIRATION!

To bad that there are so many bigots in the voting pool --and you can blame the Clintons for that! They started in South Carolina with this crape ! Prior to that most people were color blind! I AM REALLY PROUD OF MY IOWA STATE!

The more I learn about both Clintons the more I hate them! Let's start with the way he brags about lowering the National Debt. Well he paid it off with our Soc. Sec. trust fund and Medicare! Go read the congressional record! Then he gave us NAFTA which His wife was out there supporting! Read her book! Pa. deserves the hard times for the stupidity of buying into the lies and Bull S*** the Clintons are selling! They are Republicans in a Democratic suit! If you old codgers need more reminding -- THIS CREEP OF A DISGRACED PRESIDENT LIED BEFORE CONGRESS " I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH THAT WOMAN" NOW YOU MORONS WANT MORE OF THE LIES BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE. YOU THINK THEY WILL DO FAVORS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? SAVE YOUR BREATH! I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING FOR SURE----I HAVE NEVER MISSED AND ELECTION SINCE I WAS FIRST ELIGIBLE TO VOTE--- THAT WAS JFK BUT IF THAT HAG STEALS THE NOMINATION AWAY FROM BARACK O'BAMA THIS IS ONE GAL THAT WILL NOT VOTE FOR HER I WILL OUT OF SPITE NEGATE HER VOTE!

And for the first time this makes Ralph Nader look like a better choice!

I dwell among the more intellectual voters The youth of this great Country! Did I say Great? It was until George Bush took office!

[Vinnie Newson]

Mr. Axelrod: Sen Obama has to go before the American people and distance himself completelyfrom Rev Wright or he will lose to Sen. Clinton. He is acting as if he is not mad enough about how Rev Wright is destroying him. My small investment with Sen Obama is my way of supporting him, but I need him to fight for the cause. I know that he does not agree with Rev Wright, but there are millions who want him to put this issue to rest "NOW". Time is not on his side: the urgency of "NOW".

God Bless

[CLVOWENSBY]

Isn't it amazing that Obama did just what you Obama followers suggested. He is no better than Hillary and anyone that says if she gets the nomination it will be because she deserves it not because she stole it.

[peggy Mentzer]

Please ask Obama to wear the flag pin (before Hillary starts to wear one). The lower and middle class white vortes will see this as a plus.

[Simeon Odihe]

I write to personally thank you for all your efforts in Obama's campaign. Thanks a million for believing in Obama.

People like you give me the reason to strongly believe and belong with the democratic party.

Please keep up the good work!

[robert salazar]

I reject Obama as my candidate. The man has shown himself to be less thsn I imagined.Leaving his church for political gain...dumping those who helped him get where he is today.The man has little character! He will do and say whatever he is told to..to become my president??? Not a chance!!! He has promised every different group the moon and the stars..BUNK! If a man does not stand by his values he is of no use to me..or anyone else. Our republic will survive if he is elected...only because there are those who have cajones...despite those that don't.I am saddened by the thought of Obama as Commander-in-chief of the USA. Here is a man that took everything he could from those that helped his political career...until they cast him votes. Robert