Inside Obama's War Room

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Field Notes

(CBS)

As the Pennsylvania primary proved, the Democratic nomination is still very much a competitive two-way race. The Clinton and Obama campaigns may be run very differently, but they have the same goal in mind – winning their party's nomination … and ultimately the White House.

We wanted to give viewers a look at a day in the life of each political campaign, to show you just how the sausage gets made. Don't tell Otto von Bismarck.

Our first stop: Chicago, straight to the Obama headquarters where the action never stops.

David Axelrod, Senator Obama's chief strategist, told us his average day is "a cascade of phone calls, emails, conference calls, and meetings." From time to time we might all feel that way, and trust me – I get a lot of emails. He gets a deluge.

The office almost crackles with energy. We thought of David Bowie's song "Pressure," that rhythmic crescendo of tension and excitement. But the office is just half of it!

There's also the "road show," as Axelrod described it, the traveling press corps and team of staffers that often includes the candidate himself. That effort is coordinated by the Director of Scheduling and Advance, a woman named Alyssa Mastromonaco.

From the speechwriters to the finance department, we got lots of access and candor.

In our interview, I asked Axelrod about his relationship with the Clintons. He worked on Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate race, and I suspected the situation he's in now must be a bit awkward.

"That's why I hate primary elections, because they are sort of family fights," he said. "You end up having to work against people you care about."

And that work may continue all the way to the Democratic convention in August. Unless the Democratic "family" finds a way to come together before then.

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by billwatson4 April 27, 2008 2:56 PM EDT: What a piece of ***.

Katie writes: ''The office almost crackles with energy.''

Why is it almost? Were there no signs of the office crackling completely? Or did it crackle like a crackpot? Did every wall in the office crackle just almost? The tables in the office crackled too? If the office did not crackle completely did Couric cackle?; Reply to this comment


by stopthehype April 26, 2008 4:08 PM EDT: olandug: you copy and paste the same statement on every blog. Get a life!; Reply to this comment


by tommyjonq April 25, 2008 1:53 PM EDT: gosh, what an in-depth report, how could cbs possibly let her go?; Reply to this comment


by someday01 April 25, 2008 1:28 PM EDT: Wanted: basically young and white, no black need apply. Location: Chicago. Job: help an African-American become President of United States. I cannot understand why the media has been so silent about the people working at Senator Obama headquarters. The people working at the headquarter do not represent the highest percentage of people that are voting for him. When you have over 60% African-American voting and believing in you, you would think Senator Obama would believe that African-American are worthy to work at his headquarter in Chicago. From the Senator speech writer, communication director, internet director, press director, you name it, one young white employee after another. According the 2006 census Whites and African-American in Chicago represent 36% and 35% of the population. The Senator cannot say there is not enough African-American college graduates in Chicago or in the United State that are worthy to work at his headquarter. What is the reason? And why he is not talking about it or addressing the reason. If an African-American boss has so little African-American working for him at his headquarter, what hope is there for all the college African-American that have graduated or will be graduating from college. Senator Obama, feed the people that are cooking your election victory meal.; Reply to this comment


by karela33 April 25, 2008 8:33 AM EDT: Why do we find it so easy to choose leaders who abuse our trust and so easy to be afraid of leaders who would actually make our lives better. We turned down John Kerry who is a truly good and wise human being and we chose George Bush who has led us into the dark abyss. And we did it largely because his enemies convinced us that wind surfing makes for a less good president than bowling does. How dumb do you have to be? We aren''t looking for a hunting buddy here.
We''re looking for the person best able to stay cool and tough while negotiating with other world leaders. Bush has a strong characteristic that has been particularly dangerous to America. He believes that he knows what is good for us and he will use any trick or lie to get what he "knows" is good for us, regardless of what we think. That''s how we end up with guys like Cheney who say, "So?" in response to America doesn''t want Iraq. Hillary Clinton is another one of those leaders. She dances and spins and twists and tells us whatever she thinks will work, but she will always do exactly what she decides she wants to do without regard for what the people want. I don''t want another benevolent dictator. Do you?

p.s. Has anybody else noticed that she changes her accent in every single state? Who in the world is the real Hillary Clinton? How can we know? Does she even know any more?; Reply to this comment


by cbsespo April 25, 2008 2:57 AM EDT: Barack Obama will be our next President.Pennsylvania was no big deal. Just watch what happens in North Carolina and Indiana. After this, the super delegate landslide for Obama will begin in earnest. McCain and the Republicans hope for Hillary, they are doing everything in their power to stack the deck in her favor. Don`t worry fellow Obama supporters. There are enough of us from all demographic groups that will not let this become an election based on fear and old, dead ideas based on pigmentation.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw April 25, 2008 1:27 AM EDT: Dear Katie,

The Early Bird Song of Pennsylvania

They been workin'' hard for Barack Obama,
all the live long day,
They been workin'' hard for Barack Obama,
But they can''t believe how the Pennsylvania Primary slipped away.

Didn''t they hear that Hillary Clinton was a comin''?
And that she likes to rise up early in the morn''?
Could it be true, like it sez, in that old sayin''
That the early bird gets the worm?

Rise and Shine Everybody,
Especially Barack and Hillary and their Campaign Staffers!
Peter; Reply to this comment