Obama Team Remains Unshaken

Politico: Despite Adversity, Campaign Showing No Signs Of Internal Upheaval

(The Politico) 
Jim Margolis, Obama’s media consultant, said he had planned to take a pass on the presidential race in 2008. His first candidate, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, dropped out, and he had a rocky experience on Kerry’s 2004 campaign. But he ended up on the same plane one day with Axelrod and began to reconsider.

“You gotta come spend a little more time with Barack,” Axelrod told him.

“You know what these things are like,” Margolis said.

“There are no assholes,” Axelrod responded. “There are going to be no assholes on this campaign.”

While the Clinton campaign toggled between strategies and messages, Obama aides crafted an approach months ago that remains their guiding document to this day: run on change, win Iowa and then embark on a national campaign aimed at maximizing their delegate count.

That disciplined adherence to plan flows from Plouffe, the publicity-averse campaign manager who, with a demeanor like Obama’s, tends to avoid highs or lows. A signature trait is his ability to block out the din and the whims of the 24-hour cable news culture.

Bad stories annoy Plouffe, but they don’t affect strategy or goals, aides said.

In Plouffe’s world, there should be only intentional leaks, and disputes must be dealt with in-house. Aides say that, from the beginning, the campaign declined to confirm even routine stories by Washington standards, such as personnel moves, because they wanted to release information on their terms - and have prided themselves on following the edict ever since.

Plouffe barely hid his disdain for the individual who stepped out of line when he disputed a Washington Post report last week quoting a Democratic strategist “familiar with the Obama campaign” who said “aides are likely to turn to the controversies” of the Clinton years to hasten an end to the nomination fight.

“That was, I think, an unnamed strategist claiming to have some relationship with us,” Plouffe said on a conference call with reporters. “I can assure [that] whoever was, in an act of puffery, suggesting they had some knowledge of what we're doing, is incorrect.”

Acts of “puffery” have been minimized because of one of the campaign's earliest - and in retrospect, according to aides, smartest - decisions: not to base the operation in Washington, D.C.

Obama chose Chicago largely because of family considerations, but he was well aware of the side benefits: less opportunity for distraction. Campaign aides won’t run into journalists and divulge secrets at the Washington Sports Club or Cafe Milano. And they are removed from the scorekeeping and constant second-guessing that marks Washington’s political culture.

“There isn’t a day where I don’t think I’m glad to not be doing this in an atmosphere where every 30 minutes somebody decides or a group of somebodies decide, who honestly have no basis of knowledge other than the fact that they make an appearance on cable TV, to tell you who is winning and who is losing,” Gibbs said.

Steve Elmendorf, deputy campaign manager for Kerry in 2004 and a Clinton supporter, said the role of geography should not be underestimated.

“If you look at the history of successful presidential campaigns, the ones that have done the best are not in Washington,” he said. “By headquartering your campaign in a place that makes it harder for people to sort of casually get involved, you get a tighter, more disciplined team. I know there are people who have indicated [that Clinton] should have been in Westchester or up somewhere in New York.”

Less than 24 hours after Pennsylvania voters dealt Obama a sound defeat, Gibbs dismissed any suggestion that a fresh wave of critical analysis would take a toll on the campaign.

“I don’t think so,” Gibbs said, eating mashed potatoes in the lobby of an Indiana University Southeast building, where his candidate just held an event. “I’m sure it is easier to sit elsewhere and say ‘I would do this differently.’ But we feel confident in the plan and we are still ahead, so it is hard to quibble.”

[libra127]

blackspirit3 - Problem with your arguement is did Hillarys Pastor preech about abusing a 7 year old.

Posted by obama8years at 01:24 PM : Apr 29, 2008

The man in question has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Hillary or Bill Clinton. He is a pastor from Clinton, NY - hence he has occasionally been referred to as "Clinton''s former pastor".

It helps to look for evidence before you believe something.

[libra127]

If that''s trully what you believe, then you are not a very attentive person,

Posted by tru_america1 at 08:05 AM : Apr 29, 2008

No, I just don''t believe everything I read like you do. I look for hard evidence before I believe something.

[libh8er]

The band that played as the Titanic sank was also ''unshakable''.....just not unsinkable. The nam is done. Better get used to saying President McCain. :)

[obama8years]

blackspirit3 - Problem with your arguement is did Hillarys Pastor preech about abusing a 7 year old. You have to come up with something better than that.
OBAMA is Toast.

[obama8years]

The only thing that will save Obama is if he comes out and tells the truth admit he was dupped and to repudiate all connections to radicalism, ISM, Wright, Farakahn, Ayers. His wife needs to come out and do the same. Obama better be wrapping himself in the american flag if he wants to be president.

[jack3213]

TWO "DUMMI-CRATS" WITH TOO MUCH BAGGAGE -NO AMOUNT OF DENIAL WILL ERASE -COME ELECTION TIME. TOO LITTLE -TOO LATE. MCCAIN 2008

[fabrat1]

Obama Team Remains Unshaken....... that''s not true at all. He is worried about what his Rev friend is saying and with good reason. I for one would never vote for Obama anyway so the more the Rev talks the better.

[dante805]

Shaken not stirred; Obama is cooked. He should have thrown Wright under the bus months ago like he did his grandma. Some of his best work:

Small Town Americans are bitter and cling to Guns or Religion. They are anti-immigrant, anti-free trade. Given at San Francisco fund raiser

%u201CTypical White People%u201D quote

More Blacks are in Prison today than in college

Abortions are better than being %u201CPunished" with a baby

Mis-statements on the number of casualties in IRAQ

Never attended a White Church (even though he and Michelle preach diversity)

His flat declaration that lobbyists %u201Cwon''t work in my White House%u201D changed after it turned out his own written plan says they could, with some restrictions.

Told a story of how his Kenyan father and his Kansan mother fell in love because of the tumult of Selma, but he was born in 1961, four years before the confrontation at Selma took place. When asked later, Mr. Obama clarified himself, saying: ''I meant the whole civil rights movement.''

Obama exaggerated the death toll of the tornado in Greensburg, Kansas, saying 10,000 people died %u2013 he was only off by 9,988. He was trying to tie the deaths to the lack of National Guard heavy equipment because of Iraq %u2013 also incorrect.

[jack3213]

A PERSON SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHOICES THEY MAKE ABOUT THEIR LIFE ( & INSURANCE)FOR EXAMPLE- AND IF IT IS MORE COSTLY ISN''T IT STILL BETTER THAN A GOVERNMENT TELLING YOU WHAT YOU NEED? ( CLINTON & OBAMA WANTS SOCIALISM- GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED HEALTH CARE & NOT ASSIST IN LOWER GAS PRICES FOR A BUSY SEASON- but Clinton said she would make up the difference in revenue by imposing a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies. SUCH BS-!!)
SELF PRESERVATION AND INDEPENDANCE IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON- MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THESE DAYS WANT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE GOVERNMENT- GROW UP!

[metroduck75]

if anyone can start a NEW Labor Party, it''s the Clintons.

Hillary is well known by her 1st name. I truly think that the Elites in the DEM Party need her more than she needs them.

If Lincon could start a new Republican party back then, Hillary can certainly pull off a Victory in new Labor Party, due to her powerful coliation.

If 3 names are all on the Ballots, I will definitely vote for her.

Forget the Party line, Hillary''''08!!!

[abbe91]

"That negro freshman senators campaign is just a fairy tail.
Posted by tracy0morgan at 05:27 PM : Apr 28, 2008"

Remove your KKK suit, maybe you will be able to spell a bit better. Or was it a fantasy on his anatomy when you mentioned a "fairy tail" ?

[metroduck75]

Back in 1972, McGovern won the slightly more "pledge delegates" in DEM primaries.... BUT lost in the Landslide in the G.E. (he only won 1 state), due to the poor coliation that he put together.

Of course, most "young voters" don''t know that.

So now, young voters are pushing for Obama to be nominated, thinking he is the 2nd coming.

If the Elites in the DEM Party are Stupid enough to annoint Obama, I would totally encourage Sen. Clinton to break from DEM Party and starts a NEW Labor Party.

After all, if anyone has the ability to start a New Labor Party, it''s the Clintons.

Her Coliations include down-to-earth Middle Class families, most Moderate Democrats, some republican women, and all Independences are sick of Republican party and Elites in DEM party.

I will totally vote for her, if 3 names appear on the Ballots.

Forget the Party line, Go Hillary''''08!!

[gaiaschild-2009]

Obama''s campaign is beautifully managed and professionally adept as well as supported by many small contributors who believe in the candidate. This organization, like any similar organization, reflects the character of the executive and demonstrates not only executive skill but also the ability to inspire and engage.

The quality of outreach and responsiveness also reflects the candidate. Donors get thank-you post cards. The campaign knows when and how to follow up. Invitations to participate are mellow and inviting. There''s a blend of really hard work with a sense of relaxation and friendliness. There''s no hard sell, no pressure, no defensiveness, and it''s not really a quid pro quo atmosphere.

Would be really nice to have that spirit in the White House.

[libra127]

hillary only wants more fame and riches for herself;

Posted by dbaker97 at 12:09 AM : Apr 29, 2008

This is SO not true. She has worked her whole life trying to help people have a better life. She cares deeply about this country and its people. She will work incredibly hard to bring her plans and ideas to fruition. She is certainly not in this for fame or money, she''s had more than enough of both.

[pensacola88]

Reverend Wright is not anyone to fear. His associations are not people to fear. Reverend Wright is a colorful man and is very intelligent. He is not a racist, as his listeners may fear.

I don''t cringe, in fact, I am intrigued!! The political mileage for stating a fact is often lost in the layer of the listener''s fear. The stregnth of fear is often stronger than fact with many listeners.

If listeners just stopped and listened, they may find Reverend Wright a source of liberation from fear.

If Obama just hangs on and keeps his pastor at his side, he will prevail and win!! This is a golden opportunity to learn how leaders charm the most oppressed and victimized people in our population and empower them to rise above their personal struggles and hardships.

[onceagirl]

Senator Obama, if you examine his past, may have faults but his virtues outweigh his shortcomings. I truly believe that he wants to be a part of American history as the man who started us back to where we really revered our constitution. Call it elitism if you must, but I say good for him. What''s wrong with having ideals that encompass all of us, supporters and detractors alike? It is our current system that pits neighbor against neighbor. It is our current system that allows the rich to trample on our constitution, disobey the ten commandments with impunity....something is rotten in Denmark.

[sgtrds]

That is because he is running a clean campaign and all these folks will be able to sleep at night. Unfortunately, voters seem to respond to the slime, so he may lose. It was pretty apparant the last couple of elections that the slime-ball wins.

Posted by kansas1946 at 12:13 AM : Apr 29, 2008

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

Henry Mencken

[kansas1946]

After Sen. Barack Obama%u2019s third major primary loss and endless media coverage dedicated to dissecting the apparent weaknesses of his candidacy, one of the most striking elements of his campaign this week was what%u2019s missing: any hint of internal upheaval.
***************************************

That is because he is running a clean campaign and all these folks will be able to sleep at night. Unfortunately, voters seem to respond to the slime, so he may lose. It was pretty apparant the last couple of elections that the slime-ball wins.

it should be easy to see the difference in the two campaigns; hillary''s campaign is all for HER, obama''s campaign is for US. hillary only wants more fame and riches for herself; obama wants change for the good of all.

[truthyness]

There IS medication for people who think

they are under attack all the time.