Becoming David Axelrod
02/28/23 • 52 min
1 Listener
You know David Axlerod...the chief strategist for President Obama, CNN commentator, and founder of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. The Obama years come up a bit in this conversation, but we focus mostly on his 20+ years as a working political media consultant before connecting professionally with then-State Senator Obama. We talk cutting his teeth in NYC, how the appeal of Chicago politics drew him to the Windy City, why he made the jump from political journalist to political operative, & stories, lessons, and insights from his 40+ years in and around politics.
(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at [email protected])
IN THIS EPISODE....
David’s early political memories growing up in NYC...
The political appeal that drew David to Chicago for college...
David tells the story of Chicago machine politics through 3 influential figures...
What made David make the jump from journalism to become a political operative...
The story behind David’s first campaign working for Congressman Paul Simon...
The Axelrod approach to political ads...
David talks his time working for iconic Chicago Mayor Harold Washington...
The historic 1992 Illinois Senate race that might not have happened without Axelrod agitation...
How the 1992 Illinois Senate race foretold the 2004 rise of Senator Barack Obama...
David’s take on the “self doubt” present among many who work in politics...
AND Jill Abramson, Paul Begala, Jessie Berry, Madison Brown, bullshit meters, Jane Byrne, Mike Calabrese, James Carville, cashing in stamps, the Chicago Tribune, chiseling, civilian review panels, Forrest Claypool, Cardiss Collins, George Collins, colorful Chicago lore, the Commissioner of Rodent Control, Rich Daley, Richard J. Daley, Bill Dawson, Alan Dixon, David Doak, Lloyd Doggett, dopes, Stephen Douglas, Rahm Emanuel, Carter Eskew, Jerry Finkelstein, Erwin France, gambling syndicates, Newt Gingrich, golfing with Dan Quayle, hammer-and-tong battles, Fred Hampton, Henry Henderson, Anita Hill, Al Hofeld, homespun wisdom, Hyde Park, impostor syndrome, Ben Lewis, John Lindsay, luminescent figures, JFK, RFK, the Jewish Kennedys, Vince Larkin, Jerry Liebner, Jim Ross Lightfoot, Abraham Lincoln, Little Rock, machine cogs, Jane Mayer, Mark McKinnon, Ralph Metcalfe, Kiki Moore, Carol Moseley Braun, Mike Murphy, Dr. Odom, Jesse Owens, PS 40, Deval Patrick, pastry and cash, Charles Percy, quixotic races, the Reagan Revolution, realpolitik, Republican golden boys, Dan Rostenkowski, Joe Rostenkowski, Mrs. Roth, secret sauces, Bill Singer, slate-making, Bob Squier, Andrew Stein, Stuyvesant Town, Tammany Hall, Clarence Thomas, unerring noses, the University of Chicago, Tom Vilsack, ward bosses, the wheel of history, David Wilhelm, the Wigwam, the Wizard of Oz Syndrome & more!
You know David Axlerod...the chief strategist for President Obama, CNN commentator, and founder of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. The Obama years come up a bit in this conversation, but we focus mostly on his 20+ years as a working political media consultant before connecting professionally with then-State Senator Obama. We talk cutting his teeth in NYC, how the appeal of Chicago politics drew him to the Windy City, why he made the jump from political journalist to political operative, & stories, lessons, and insights from his 40+ years in and around politics.
(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at [email protected])
IN THIS EPISODE....
David’s early political memories growing up in NYC...
The political appeal that drew David to Chicago for college...
David tells the story of Chicago machine politics through 3 influential figures...
What made David make the jump from journalism to become a political operative...
The story behind David’s first campaign working for Congressman Paul Simon...
The Axelrod approach to political ads...
David talks his time working for iconic Chicago Mayor Harold Washington...
The historic 1992 Illinois Senate race that might not have happened without Axelrod agitation...
How the 1992 Illinois Senate race foretold the 2004 rise of Senator Barack Obama...
David’s take on the “self doubt” present among many who work in politics...
AND Jill Abramson, Paul Begala, Jessie Berry, Madison Brown, bullshit meters, Jane Byrne, Mike Calabrese, James Carville, cashing in stamps, the Chicago Tribune, chiseling, civilian review panels, Forrest Claypool, Cardiss Collins, George Collins, colorful Chicago lore, the Commissioner of Rodent Control, Rich Daley, Richard J. Daley, Bill Dawson, Alan Dixon, David Doak, Lloyd Doggett, dopes, Stephen Douglas, Rahm Emanuel, Carter Eskew, Jerry Finkelstein, Erwin France, gambling syndicates, Newt Gingrich, golfing with Dan Quayle, hammer-and-tong battles, Fred Hampton, Henry Henderson, Anita Hill, Al Hofeld, homespun wisdom, Hyde Park, impostor syndrome, Ben Lewis, John Lindsay, luminescent figures, JFK, RFK, the Jewish Kennedys, Vince Larkin, Jerry Liebner, Jim Ross Lightfoot, Abraham Lincoln, Little Rock, machine cogs, Jane Mayer, Mark McKinnon, Ralph Metcalfe, Kiki Moore, Carol Moseley Braun, Mike Murphy, Dr. Odom, Jesse Owens, PS 40, Deval Patrick, pastry and cash, Charles Percy, quixotic races, the Reagan Revolution, realpolitik, Republican golden boys, Dan Rostenkowski, Joe Rostenkowski, Mrs. Roth, secret sauces, Bill Singer, slate-making, Bob Squier, Andrew Stein, Stuyvesant Town, Tammany Hall, Clarence Thomas, unerring noses, the University of Chicago, Tom Vilsack, ward bosses, the wheel of history, David Wilhelm, the Wigwam, the Wizard of Oz Syndrome & more!
Previous Episode
Rebecca Lambe, Architect of the Nevada "Reid Machine"
Rebecca Lambe is often described as the architect of Nevada’s “Reid Machine” that has shaped politics in the state over the past 20 years. In this episode, she talks cutting her teeth in Missouri politics with both Governor Mel Carnahan and Senator Jean Carnahan and then moving west to Nevada to build the state Democratic political organization with Senator Harry Reid...plus co-founding Senate Majority PAC to build and protect a Democratic Senate Majority. This conversation contains both Rebecca's memorable campaign stories and case studies, as well as incredibly practical nuts-and-bolts insight into successful electoral politics.
IN THIS EPISODE...
Rebecca grows up in Alaska as the only girl in a large family...
The movie that inspired Rebecca’s career path toward journalism and ultimately politics...
Campus activism at the University of Missouri sparks Rebecca’s career toward politics...
Rebecca’s entry into the world of Mel and Jean Carnahan...
The future US Senator Rebecca knew at Mizzou...
Rebecca talks early political lessons learned from Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan...
Rebecca’s memories of the tragic Carnahan plane crash in October 2000...
What Rebecca learned from managing a very narrow loss for Senator Jean Carnahan in 2002...
The non-political reason why Rebecca moved west from Missouri after the 2002 race...
Rebecca’s intersection with Senator Harry Reid & early days growing the Reid Machine...
Rebecca demystifies what (and who) the Reid Machine is...
Rebecca’s thoughts on what made Harry Reid such an effective political operator...
The story behind Harry Reid winning a tough 2010 re-election...
Rebecca breaks down the 2022 re-election of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto...
A post-mortem on the much-discussed Nevada congressional redistricting...
Rebecca on the 2022 Governors race and legacy of Steve Sisolak...
How Rebecca approaches her role on IE races at Senate Majority PAC...
Some of the advice gives to younger operatives...
Two of Rebecca’s favorite spots to visit in Nevada...
AND 30% unemployment, 428 votes, Alaska drivers' licenses, Sharron Angle, John Ashcroft, Carl Bernstein, Joe Biden, Bob Bigelow, the Bootheel, James Browning, Randy Carnahan, Robin Carnahan, Citizens United, Club for Growth, computer programmers, constant deluges, controversial student curators, Culinary 226, Tom Daschle, deep-pocketed benefactors, Paul Dunn, durable boots on the ground, Marc Farinella, Scott Fairchild, fellow travelers, Julie Gibson, Al Gore, Martin Heinrich, John Kerry, Adam Laxalt, the Legion of Black Collegians, the long game, Sue Lowden, Ty Matsdorf, Mizzou, Mike Muir, Barack Obama, the PTA, Planned Parenthood, JB Poersch, precipitous drop-offs, Jon Ralston, Rolla, Karl Rove, Searchlight, Saul Shorr, Chris Sifford, spade work, straight arrows, Roy Temple, Dina Titus, Harry Truman, Mark Twain, whistlestop tours, Roger Wilson, Bob Woodard, Fred Yang...& more!
Next Episode
Previewing the 2024 California Senate Race with Rose Kapolczynski
The 2024 open-seat US Senate race in California is the most wide open Senate race in the state since 1992. To dive deep into next year's monumental race, I'm joined by veteran CA strategist Rose Kapolczynski - manager of the winning campaign from that very 1992 Senate race for Barbara Boxer. In a previous episode, Rose talked through her career managing all four successful Boxer Senate races...plus her time as a Hill staffer, working in presidential campaigns, and leading the effort on important statewide races (in California and beyond) over 3+ decades as an influential strategist. Now in her triumphant return, she's setting the table and breaking down the candidates, campaigns, and coalitions behind what promises to be the most interesting California Senate race in decades.
(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at [email protected])
IN THIS EPISODE
Rose talks the political & policy legacies of retiring Senator Diane Feinstein...
Rose weighs in on parallels between the 2024 race and the first winning Boxer race she managed in 1992...
Rose's take on at least a couple of the reasons why Northern California candidates are historically so dominant in statewide elections...
Rose sets the table on preliminary 2024 turnout projections and electoral math...
Rose diagnoses both strengths and weaknesses of leading Democratic candidates Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, & Adam Schiff...
Rose on the impact Republican voters could have in this race...
Rose's expectations on the entry of additional strong candidates...
Rose's expertise on the role of endorsements in CA politics...
Rose on the right mix of television vs. other media in a CA statewide campaign...
Will the Democratic candidates go negative?
Rose highlights the importance of both women and Latino voters...
... & much more!
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