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- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Kenneth T. Walsh
Democrats may be in trouble this fall, but these experts could help them avoid disaster
No president stands alone. Behind the scenes there is always a cadre of advisers who develop policy, formulate strategy, provide moral support, and, if the confidants are savvy and brave enough, tell the president when he's on the wrong track. Some presidents such as Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan have used "kitchen cabinets," groups of long-standing and loyal friends outside the government who kept them grounded. Others have formed very small inner circles within the government and kept their thoughts mostly to themselves. This category includes Richard Nixon, a solitary brooder who gave his trust to only a few loyalists such as Bob Haldeman, his chief of staff, and Bob Ehrlichman, a senior counselor.
President Obama's inner circle is modest in size but vital to his presidency. He brought some of his closest advisers and friends into the government, such as business executive and former city official Valerie Jarrett and political strategist David Axelrod, both from Chicago. But Obama also hired some high-powered Washington insiders to help him navigate the labyrinth of
Here's a primer on some of Obama's key aides:
Rahm Emanuel, 50, loves his reputation as the "Rahm-inator," an expletive-spewing tough guy from Chicago who is Obama's enforcer. His job is to run the
And Emanuel is well equipped to play that role. He is a former U.S. representative from Chicago who rose to be one of the top leaders in the
David Axelrod, 55, isn't subtle about his feelings for Obama. "I love the guy," he says. Axelrod, a former political reporter for the
Axelrod says Obama needs to make the case that the November elections should not be a referendum on the president and the Democratic majority in
Axelrod has known the president since Obama was a state senator in Illinois. In 2004, Axelrod ran Obama's campaign for the
"Axe," as he is called around the West Wing, is cerebral, serious, and unflappable, reflecting his boss. But some Washington veterans say Axe may be too close to Obama to see his faults. Axelrod insists he is candid with Obama and will tell him what needs to be said. But perhaps his main value is that Axelrod is a completely loyal soldier, and presidents find that trait to be invaluable when they are in the trenches of Washington.
Valerie Jarrett, 53, is another ultimate Obama fan. In fact, no one is closer to Barack and Michelle Obama than Jarrett. An old friend from Chicago, Jarrett is a lawyer and former business executive who also served as deputy chief of staff to Mayor Richard Daley. She was instrumental in hiring Michelle Obama to work in the mayor's office in 1991 and has been close to the Obama family ever since.
She was appointed as a senior
Jarrett is seen as a rarity in any
As the fall campaigns approach, Jarrett will reach out increasingly to key constituency groups, including organized labor, African-Americans, Latinos, and social activists.
Tim Kaine, 52, chairman of the
There have been setbacks, as the Democrats recently lost governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey and a special
Kaine, a lawyer, reflects Obama's pragmatism and desire to work with the opposition whenever possible. Obama was also drawn to Kaine's years of grass-roots political experience as former lieutenant governor of Virginia and mayor of Richmond and his knowledge of what Obama calls the real world. And it could be Kaine who helps Democrats avoid disaster in November.
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The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House
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