Double Down: Game Change 2012

by John Heilemann

  Christian Flynn and Amy Howell, of Harvard’s Institute of Politics, were gracious enough to provide us superb summer interns: Mattie Kahn and Sheema Golbaba in 2012 and Alexis Wilkinson in 2013. They pitched in with Gillian Brassil, Rhaina Cohen, Eliot Fearey, and Clint Rainey on an editorial escadrille that tackled all manner of tasks with speed and acuity in the face of demanding deadlines. Particular thanks to Double Down project manager Frankie Thomas, who was always there when we needed her (and we needed her a lot).

  Farther afield, Colleen Evans and Kate MacInnis, of the Ritz-Carlton empire, treated us like kin (and gave us the key to the library). Dave Bernstein lent us a high-class crash pad in the Windy City and never complained about the mess we left behind. Travel wizard Ralph Spielman kept us on the move even when the gods of commercial transit were against us. In Gotham City and on the road, an assortment of glorified short-order cooks, vino peddlers, and front-of-the-house stalwarts attended magnificently to our corporeal sustenance: Mario Batali, Chris Bianco, April Bloomfield, Danny Bowien, Richard Coraine, David Chang, Wylie Dufresne, Frank Falcinelli, Ken Friedman, Suzanne Goin, Daniel Humm, John Mainieri, Carlo Mirarchi, Danny Meyer, Drew Nieporent, Jen Sgobbo, Nancy Silverton, Justin Smillie, Gabe Stulman, and Michael Toscano. The Pressed Juicery kept us fully hydrated. Seamless delivered. And the late, lamented Kinkead’s always (always) gave us Table One—site of more meals (and revelations) than we can count, and forever hallowed ground.

  In collaborating since 2008, we have shared an unusually large number of professional associations that extend beyond the confines of either of our books. Not a day passes when we don’t thank our lucky stars for the support, friendship, guidance, and all-around awesomeness of some of the best people and organizations in this or any other hemisphere. Massive props to the following:

  Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle, Alex Korson, Louis Burgdorf, Allison Filon, and the whole brilliant Morning Joe gang; Phil Griffin, Lauren Skowronski, Chris Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Lawrence O’Donnell, Alex Wagner, the teams at Hardball, Andrea Mitchell Reports, The Last Word, and NOW, and the rest of our MSNBC family; Tom Brokaw, David Gregory, Erica Hill, Lester Holt, Matt Lauer, Betsy Fischer Martin, and Brian Williams of NBC News; Richard Plepler, Len Amato, Michael Lombardo, Quentin Schaffer, Nancy Lesser, and everyone at the HBO juggernaut; Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, and their peerless peers at Playtone; Jay Roach and Danny Strong, our cinematic dynamic duo; Gary Foster, Matthew Hiltzik, and Ali Zelenko, our own War Council; Harry Rhoads, Barbara Daniel, Klair Watson, and the quantum force that is Washington Speakers Bureau; Chris Duffy of Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP; Peggy Siegal; Jeff Fager, Anderson Cooper, and Bob Anderson of CBS News; and the extraordinary Charlie Rose and Yvette Vega.

  A loud shout-out, too, to a panoply of common pals to whom we frequently turn for aid, comfort, or cocktails: Mike Feldman, Gary Ginsberg, Savannah Guthrie, Tammy Haddad, Tom Healy, Fred Hochberg, Jeff Kwatinetz, Chris Licht, Terri McCullough, Jonathan Prince, Jake Siewert, Evan Smith, Jennifer Swanson, and Howard Wolfson.

  Our most profound thanks are due to two women who labored with fantastic fortitude and grace under ferocious pressure to improve every page (possibly every line) of the book. Elise O’Shaughnessy, of Vanity Fair, who performed miracles with her magic scalpel on Game Change, found herself pressed back into service in the late stages of the sequel; we are now doubly in arrears to EOS for her unerring way with words. Karen Avrich ran the entire three-year reporting and editing obstacle course right alongside us. Her grasp of the players, eye for detail, cheerful round-the-clock labor, and elegant advice (macro and micro) improved the book mightily. As Joe Biden might say, Double Down would have been literally impossible without Karen.

  From Mark Halperin:

  My editors at Time, Rick Stengel, Michael Duffy, and Nancy Gibbs, allowed me to cover the 2012 election alongside the best political team in the business, and then to vanish into an air-conditioned abyss to pound out this book. Along with John Huey, they’ve been exquisite mentors and role models, who still consider journalism a public trust. Holding my hand (and yanking me back on my feet when necessary) was Time’s unparalleled public relations squad, including Daniel Kile and Vidhya Murugesan, as well as all my talented colleagues at Time and Time.com.

  For counsel, wise, ready, and true: Alan Berger, Jeff Jacobs, and Michael Kives at Creative Artists Agency—good warriors, good sports, good pals all.

  For support and friendship through the years: Ina Avrich, Bob Barnett, Katie Couric, Ilana Marcus Drimmer, Kyle Froman, Gil Fuchsberg, Nancy Gabriner, Charlie Gibson, Debbie Halperin, Rob Hanning, Bianca Harris, Dan Harris, Andrew Kirtzman, Ben Kushner, Dee Dee Myers, Zenia Mucha, Thomas Nash, Bill Nichols, Su-Lin Nichols, Ann O’Hanlon, Todd Purdum, Kathleen Smith Vane, Amy Welsh, and Iva Zoric. Thank you for keeping me entertained and enlightened, healthy and happy. To my family, all of whom like a good laugh and take me exactly as seriously as I deserve: Daniel Halperin, David Halperin, Gary Halperin, Hannah Halperin, Madelyn Halperin, Marcia Halperin, Megan Halperin, Morton Halperin, Sandy Harrell, Carolyn Hartmann, Laura Hartmann, Peter Hartmann, RoseAnne McCabe, Diane Orentlicher, Joel Weinstein, Ina Young, and Joe Young.

  As noted above, Karen Avrich lived and worked on Double Down every step of the way, juggling turn-of-the-century anarchists and present-day pols without ever missing a beat or the joke. She is a dream-come-true collaborator for the same reasons she is an incredible person: dazzlingly smart, sensitive, kind, and fun. She possesses a keen insight into human nature and a double dose of empathy. Double Down wouldn’t exist without her, and neither would I.

  From John Heilemann:

  In twenty-five years in the magazine racket, I have been fortunate enough to work for my share of storied editors—but none better than Adam Moss at New York. Infinite thanks to him for providing me a home where the stuff that matters is the stuff that should matter; for giving me a gilded platform on the choicest real estate in the business; and for surrounding me with an amazing set of colleagues. Of special note: John Homans, whose yen for politics, editorial sagacity, and mild degeneracy make him an ideal co-conspirator and true friend.

  In addition to the phalanx of representatives already thanked above, a hearty huzzah for my agents at WME: Ari Emanuel, Henry Reisch, and Marc Korman, all scary good at what they do and sometimes just plain scary (exhilaratingly so).

  I am forever humbled by the love and support of my transoceanic posse: Kurt Andersen and Anne Kreamer; John and Michelle Battelle; Lisa Clements; David Dreyer; Michael Elliott, Emma Oxford, and their daughters, Roxana and Gina; Stephanie Flanders; Katrina Heron; Michael Hirschorn; Kerry Luft; Kenny Miller, Rachel Leventhal, and my goddaughter, Zoe Miller-Leventhal; John and Sara Mitchell; Oliver Morton; Neil, Dylan, and Miles Parker and Kay Moffett; Eric Press; Jeff Pollack; Robert Reich; Michael Schlein and Jordan Tamagni; Will Wade-Gery and Emily Botein; Harry Werksman; and Fred and Joanne Wilson. They all rock.

  Finally, I am grateful every day and beyond words for the memory of my mother, which lifts me up (and slaps me around) when I get low or cranky; for the example of my father, who never fails to remind me of the enduring values of high honor, low humor, and good beer; and for the constancy and radiance of my wife, Diana Rhoten, without whom I would be worse than lost—unrecoverable. I promised D it would be easier this time. She saw through that lie in a nanosecond and saw me through to the finish line, providing inspiration, reassurance, and the occasional ass-kicking when I needed one. What’s bigger and more bountiful than a Botswana-size bouquet? I dunno, but it’s coming your way, babe.

  INDEX

  The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.

  abortion, 207–8, 225, 234, 238, 290

  Ackerman, Peter, 213, 214

  Adelson, Sheldon, 244, 257,
265–67, 452

  Affordable Care Act (ACA; Obamacare), 4, 13, 14, 39, 123, 137, 148, 167, 168, 218, 259, 326, 380, 385, 414, 415, 438, 440, 469

  constitutionality of, 325–26

  contraceptives and, 67–69, 84–85, 282

  Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) in, 415, 418, 422

  individual mandate in, 14, 259

  Perry and, 174, 180

  Romney and, 108, 259, 326

  Afghanistan War, 13, 38, 121, 243, 339, 376

  Ailes, Roger, 126, 193, 203

  Akin, Todd, 358

  Alexander, Lamar, 89, 405

  Alinsky, Saul, 247

  Allbaugh, Joe, 210, 239

  Al Qaeda, 55

  American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, 31, 32, 114, 115, 129, 304, 312, 314, 318, 323, 336, 427, 466

  American Jobs Act, 44–45

  Americans Elect, 213, 214

  Americans for Prosperity, 31

  Anderson, Scott, 147–52

  Anderson, Stan, 276

  Anderson Cooper 360, 291

  Apatow, Judd, 21, 22

  Arab Spring, 18

  Armey, Dick, 135, 275

  Ashcroft, John, 352

  Ashdown, Neil, 150–52, 154

  Atwater, Lee, 103

  Audacity of Hope, The (Obama), 59

  automobile industry, 13, 74, 138, 380, 454

  Romney’s op-ed on, 93–95, 138–39, 274

  Avatar, 225

  Awlaki, Anwar al-, 55

  Axelrod, David, 14–16, 21, 22, 29, 40, 50-52, 53, 54, 57, 71, 75, 84, 289, 291, 295, 297, 317, 318-19, 332, 338, 430, 432, 452, 460, 463, 470

  Biden and, 74, 75, 78

  Bill Clinton and, 58, 62–63, 381, 382

  at Boston rally, 319

  contraceptives issue and, 69

  Democratic National Convention and, 378, 381–83, 385, 387, 389

  Gibbs and, 48

  Huntsman and, 141, 147–48, 152

  Michelle Obama and, 34

  Obama-Romney debates and, 2, 3, 413, 415, 419, 422, 425, 435–38, 440, 443, 446

  Obama’s Osawatomie speech and, 79

  Ricketts Plan document and, 307, 308

  Ayers, Bill, 128–29

  Ayers, Nick, 150

  Pawlenty and, 166–68

  Ayotte, Kelly, 345, 408, 457

  Bachmann, Marcus, 168

  Bachmann, Michele, 111–12, 165–72, 176, 179, 186, 204, 235, 238, 240, 263

  in debate with Romney and Pawlenty, 165–68, 170

  Gingrich and, 228

  headaches suffered by, 170

  Palin compared with, 169

  Pawlenty and, 165–66

  Perry and, 171

  Rollins and, 169–72

  Bader, Jeff, 146–48, 151, 153

  Baier, Bret, 164, 222

  Bain Capital, 90, 94, 128, 176, 244–45, 248, 249, 261, 284, 289, 314–15, 317–21, 329–33, 335–38, 357, 358, 414–15, 445

  Booker’s remarks on, 315–17, 331

  Clinton’s remarks on Romney’s business career and, 319–20, 331, 380–81, 382

  Obama’s remarks on, 331–32

  outsourcing and, 317, 331–32, 336–37

  Republican National Convention and, 370

  Baker, Brian, 304–7

  Baker, Howard, 89

  Baker, James, III, 323, 324, 344

  Band, Doug, 60–61, 320, 379, 380

  Barbour, Haley, 105, 112, 116–22, 131, 132, 136, 150, 174, 196, 276–77, 336, 360, 403

  Huckabee and, 122

  Rove and, 116–17, 119

  Stevens and, 119–20

  Barbour, Marsha, 117, 121

  Barbour, Reeves, 121

  Barbour, Sterling, 121

  Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms (Rollins), 123

  Barnes, Fred, 323

  Barnett, Bob, 114, 436

  Barzun, Matthew, 312, 379

  Baucus, Max, 27

  Bauer, Bob, 50, 413

  Obama’s birth certificate and, 18–20

  Becerra, Xavier, 382–83

  Beck, Glenn, 143, 292

  Beeson, Rich, 190, 202, 240, 269–70, 281–82, 468

  Begala, Paul, 313, 314, 384, 385, 386

  Benenson, Joel, 4, 30, 50, 51, 297, 317, 415, 425, 431

  Bill Clinton and, 58, 61–62

  Obama-Romney debates and, 3, 413, 436

  Benghazi, 393–99, 414, 445–49, 453

  Berger, Sandy, 384

  Berman, Wayne, 278, 350

  Bernanke, Ben, 178, 188

  Biden, Beau, 70

  stroke suffered by, 73

  Biden, Hunter, 70, 73

  Biden, Jean, 72

  Biden, Jill, 73, 295

  Biden, Joe, 15, 22, 24, 25, 35, 50, 52, 66–79, 314, 358, 397, 413, 434, 469, 472, 473

  Bill Clinton and, 74–75

  contraceptives issue and, 67–69, 84–85

  Daley and, 66–67, 77–78

  death of first wife and daughter in automobile accident, 73

  Democratic National Convention speech of, 389–90

  gay marriage issue and, 294, 295–96, 298–300

  job switch with Hillary Clinton discussed, 75, 78

  and leak of Obama’s list, 64

  on Meet the Press, 295–96, 298, 299

  Obama’s relationship with, 71–74, 299–300

  Obama’s selection as running mate, 71, 76

  pamphlet idea of, 74–75

  political approach of, 67

  political career of, 76, 77

  Ryan’s debate with, 369, 403, 432–34

  Sheekey and, 75–76

  strategy group of, 70, 76–77

  “Uncle Joe Syndrome” and, 71–72, 75, 76

  Biden, Maisy, 73

  Biden Owens, Valerie, 70

  Binder, David, 50

  Bin Laden, Osama, 10

  death of, 22–23, 26, 55, 297, 394, 450

  birtherism, 10–12, 18–23

  Trump and, 10, 12, 18–23, 127–29, 184, 264, 362

  Biundo, Mike, 268, 271

  Black, Charlie, 220, 363

  Blankfein, Lloyd, 29, 30, 327

  Blitzer, Wolf, 256, 384

  Block, Mark, 208

  Bloomberg, Michael, 61, 75–76, 141

  Huntsman and, 213

  Blunt, Roy, 282–83

  Boehner, John, 18, 24–27, 33–34, 36, 38, 45–46, 128, 230, 277, 457

  payroll tax cut extension and, 81–82

  Booker, Cory, 315–17, 320, 321, 331, 383

  Boren, David, 214

  Boston Globe, 337

  Bowles, Erskine, 214

  BP oil spill, 9, 100, 440

  Brabender, John, 280, 281, 292

  Bradley, Bill, 213

  Branstad, Terry, 100

  Brazile, Donna, 384

  Brokaw, Tom, 193, 376

  Brooks, David, 41, 403, 433

  Brown, John, 79

  Brown, Scott, 100

  Brown, Tina, 162–63

  Bruni-Sarkozy, Carla, 48

  Buffett, Warren, 38, 143

  Burton, Bill, 313–14

  Bush, Barbara, 115, 157, 178, 179, 196, 209

  Bush, George H. W., 14, 103, 109, 115, 178, 196, 220, 362, 388, 394, 413, 444

  Huntsman and, 142, 143, 157

  Romney endorsed by, 231

  Bush, George W., 12, 14, 17, 23, 32, 41, 60, 76, 89, 90, 95, 99, 103, 116, 128, 131, 181, 193, 196, 210, 220, 227, 249, 280, 290, 297, 301, 316, 325, 328, 349, 362, 367, 388, 394, 398, 405, 413, 435, 471

  Christie and, 189, 198

  Daniels and, 134, 135

  Huntsman and, 142, 146

  Perry and, 178–79, 181, 209

  Rove and, 31, 113, 114

  Bush, Jeb, 102, 106, 116, 118, 132, 179, 283, 323

  Bush, Laura, 49, 134, 135

  Cain, Herman, 111–12, 186, 204, 206–8, 219, 220, 228, 235, 263

  Huntsman and, 211

  Perry and, 208–9

  sexual harassment accusations against, 208, 211, 219

 
Cairo, 393–98

  Cameron, David, 341

  Cantor, Eric, 46, 414

  Carney, Dave, 173–75, 178, 184, 185, 209, 210, 216, 217

  Carney, Jay, 11, 50, 76, 82, 296, 299, 398, 416, 419

  Carr, Howie, 282

  Carrk, Tony, 443

  Carter, Jimmy, 23, 402, 413

  Carville, James, 16, 49, 50, 102, 313

  Castro, Julian, 382

  Chaffetz, Jason, 144, 162

  Chen, Lanhee, 109, 136–37, 272, 273, 328, 352, 393–96

  Cheney, Dick, 76, 103, 135, 143, 344, 362, 405

  Childs, Edith, 461–63

  China, 244

  Huntsman as ambassador to, 140, 146–48, 151–55, 161, 162

  offshoring of jobs to, 331, 454

  Christie, Andrew, 194, 202

  Christie, Bridget, 199

  Christie, Chris, 118, 127, 135, 139, 189–205, 251, 276–77, 349–50, 408

  billionaires and, 192–94, 200, 203, 205

  Bush and, 189

  decision not to run, 203–4

  Hurricane Sandy and, 455, 457

  Kissinger and, 194–95

  Langone and, 193–96, 198, 200, 203, 205

  Murdoch and, 193, 200, 203

  Obama and, 199, 201, 204, 205, 365, 366, 455–57

  political career of, 189–90

  as possible Romney running mate, 345, 346, 348–56, 363–64

  Reagan Library speech of, 200–202

  Republican National Convention speech of, 361, 363–67

  Romney and, 190–92, 204–5, 206, 254–55, 350–51, 365, 367, 410–11, 456, 457, 466