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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: political strategists

political strategists stories: 17 news summaries
Interview

Carville: GOP Can't Abandon Christian Right

'Their party would crumble' otherwise, Dem strategist argues

May 4, 09 1:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - Analysts who say the Republicans should rethink their social platform and move away from the Christian right are off their rockers, James Carville tells the Huffington Post. “Their party would crumble,” the Democratic strategist says. A whopping 90% of conservative, white, married Christians identify themselves as Republicans, up... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Republican Party • James Carville • Christian right • political strategists

Edwards Cost Clinton Dearly: Penn

Ex-senator's fall from grace touches off second-guessing

May 1, 09 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hillary Clinton strategist Mark Penn is kicking himself in the wake of reports that Elizabeth Edwards thinks her husband shouldn't have run for president, ABC News reports. If news of John Edwards' infidelity had forced him to drop out of the race, Penn said, “No question in my mind,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • John Edwards • Elizabeth Edwards • Clinton 2008 • Mark Penn • political strategists • Iowa caucuses • Rielle Hunter • extramarital affair

Pay Cut, Scrutiny Await Axelrod in DC

Consultant's finances would come into sharp focus

Nov 13, 08 10:13 AM CST
(Newser) - David Axelrod would pay a steep price to follow his most famous client to the White House, Politico reports. Barack Obama’s right-hand man would probably have to sell his stakes in the lucrative consulting firms he founded  and open his finances to public scrutiny. Axelrod’s firms have collected... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Karl Rove • David Axelrod • political strategists • Obama administration • President Obama

ANALYSIS

 Role in 
 White House 
 for Obama 
 Strategist? 



Strategist Axelrod seen as key policy cog, but he could be a target in Washington

Oct 27, 08 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - With Barack Obama holding a lead in the polls, Democrats have begun discussing what, if any, role his top campaign strategist might have in an Obama White House, Politico reports. David Axelrod, say those who know him, is seriously weighing an administration position; where he ends up could be key... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Karl Rove • James Carville • campaign staff • David Axelrod • Election 2008 • political strategists

OPINION

Neither Candidate Is Ready to Live Here: Noonan

Obama, McCain fail to inspire stressed American public

Oct 10, 08 3:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - We did have an October surprise, after all, in the form of an economic collapse, and it "all but certainly decided the race," writes Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal. But as she watches Democrats' 'smug triumphalism" and angry Republicans' finger-pointing, Noonan can't help but think that... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • John McCain • Democrats • Republican • Peggy Noonan • political strategists

McCain Hires Strategist Who Smeared Him

Tucker Eskew, part of party's 'darker side,'  attacked Mac in 2000

Sep 2, 08 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Republican strategist Tucker Eskew, who helped smear John McCain in the 2000 primaries, is now on board the GOP candidate’s campaign and will prep Sarah Palin for her role, reports Jake Tapper on ABC News. “He's one of the best and most collaborative talents in Republican politics,”... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • campaign adviser • smear campaign • Republican strategist • Election 2008 • political strategists

The Man, and
the Message, McCain's
Been Missing

Enter '00 mastermind Mike Murphy

Jul 7, 08 7:48 AM CDT
(Newser) - Mike Murphy, the irreverent mastermind behind John McCain’s 2000 presidential bid, is poised to swoop in and rescue his stalled 2008 effort, writes William Kristol in the New York Times. Murphy sat out the primaries because he was close to both Romney and McCain, but with McCain’s machine... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • Republican strategist • McCain 2008 • campaign staff • political strategists • Steve Schmidt • Mike Murphy • William Kristol

GLOSSIES

6 Maxims for
Navigating the
VP Search 

Media often miss
behind-the-scenes
political intrigue

Jul 2, 08 2:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - While pundits stoke the frenzy around potential vice-presidential candidates, they rarely see what actually happens behind the campaign curtain. In Men's Vogue, Lloyd Grove offers six maxims to help make sense of the "veepstakes" hype:
  • Presidential hopefuls seek input from several quarters to curry favor, though most
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
media • presidential campaign • presidential politics • list • political strategists • vice presidential candidate

 Rove: From Politics to Punditry

News networks picking up commentators with party connections

May 12, 08 8:22 AM CDT
(Newser) - To stoke interest in cutthroat election coverage, cable news networks and other outlets are recruiting political strategists with credentials and big-time party connections, the New York Times reports. One of the newest pundits? None other than Karl Rove, now an analyst for Fox News and contributor to Newsweek and the ... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Karl Rove • journalism • pundits • George Stephanopoulos • Election 2008 • political strategists • media bias

David Axelrod: Obama's Mastermind
—and No. 1 Fan

He gets passionate about his candidates

May 2, 08 11:12 AM CDT
(Newser) - David Axelrod isn’t just a political hired gun. Instead, Barack Obama’s chief strategist backs his candidates with the same passion he reserves for his beloved Cubs and Bulls, the Washington Post reports in a lengthy profile. “He loves his candidates when he starts. He’s usually... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • campaign adviser • Obama 2008 • campaign staff • David Axelrod • political strategists

analysis

Clinton Gets Cold Shoulder From GOP

Republicans tuning
her out as they focus attacks on Obama

Apr 30, 08 7:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - Republican strategists are tuning out Hillary Clinton as they ramp up their attacks on Barack Obama, writes Jonathan Martin in Politico. The national party is increasingly focusing its ads and money on Obama, and John McCain's camp also puts a definite emphasis on him. A new daily email to reporters... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Republican • political advertising • Election 2008 • political strategists

Analysis

$14M Penn Tab Underscores Consultants' Fleecing Spree

Ex-strategist made up 9% of Clinton spending

Apr 8, 08 12:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - Mark Penn leaves Hillary Clinton’s campaign with a hefty $14 million lining his own pockets, a new high in the skyrocketing world of campaign consultancy, and some 9% of all money Clinton has laid out to date. But ordinary Americans are newly in the position of having their donations... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Hillary Clinton • John Kerry • campaign fundraising • Mark Penn • political strategists • Bob Shrum

ANALYSIS

Clinton Staff Glad to See Penn's Exit

Morale might improve, but shift in strategy unlikely at this late hour

Apr 7, 08 10:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - Mark Penn might have shaped the Clinton campaign, but he wasn’t well liked within it, Ben Smith writes in Politico. Some blamed him for the campaign's strategic blunders, while others were irked by his huge salary—he’s billed Clinton $13 million—and private-sector distractions. “It was very... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Hillary Clinton • Mark Penn • political strategists

 Penn Quits
 as Clinton
 Strategist 

Top adviser out
after Colombia
trade meeting flap

Apr 6, 08 6:14 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hillary Clinton's top strategist stepped down today after drawing fire for his trade meeting with a Colombian envoy last week, the Wall Street Journal reports. Clinton advisers said Mark Penn was all but pushed out, a move many in the camp had sought after Clinton lost key primary races. But... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Hillary Clinton • Mark Penn • Washington lobbyists • political strategists

This Is Your Life, John McCain

Aiming for better
image control, candidate sets out
on 'biography tour'

Mar 28, 08 11:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain will take a tour of his own biographical highlights, reports USA Today. His campaign intends the “Service to America” tour of schools and military installations to help the candidate define his brand before the Democrats do—and help offset a significant fundraising disparity. He will visit places... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • presidential campaign • Election 2008 • political strategists

Karl Rove, Ken Mehlman Advise McCain Campaign

More Bush buddies work for senator

Mar 8, 08 8:53 AM CST
(Newser) - Major Bush pals Ken Mehlman and Karl Rove are jumping aboard the Straight Talk Express, both informally advising John McCain, a top aide to the GOP hopeful tells Politico. Mehlman, who ran Bush’s 2004 campaign, is an unpaid, outside adviser, while Rove recently donated to McCain and had... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • Karl Rove • Republican • GOP • campaign adviser • Election 2008 • political strategists • Ken Mehlman • George W. Bush

Clinton Spending Vexes Donors

Supporters ask why consultants are paid so much for failing campaign

Feb 22, 08 10:52 AM CST
(Newser) - The $25,000 Hillary Clinton's sputtering campaign dropped at Vegas' posh Bellagio last month is raising eyebrows among those cutting her the checks, reports the New York Times. Add $5 million for the very strategists who engineered her string of recent failures, and donors looking over her latest campaign finance... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Bellagio • campaign fundraising • Democratic nomination • Hillary Clinton supporters • political donors • Mark Penn • Howard Wolfson • campaign finance report • political strategists • presidential election

17 Stories


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