Writing an autobiography can be painful, I learned. It reminded me once again of the sacrifices I imposed over the years on my children—Lauren, Michael, and Ethan. Now that they are adults, the most blessed times of the year are those special occasions when we are all together. They, along with my daughter-in-law, Liz, and new granddaughter, Maelin, provide a joy no campaign could offer.
There is one more person who made this book, and so much more, possible.
Barack Obama has been a great friend and a dream client. He is not perfect, as no one is. But he is a thoroughly admirable person, who personifies the spirit of politics and public service in which I believe. For that, and our long association, I will always be grateful.
INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.
Abbas, Mahmoud, 291
Abdilaziz, Abdullah ibn, 404–5
Abdulmutallab, Umar Farouk, 398–99
Abedin, Huma, 242
Abramson, Jill, 102
ACLU, 400
Affordable Health Care Act (2010), 3, 216, 388–89, 457–58, 485; see also health care
Afghanistan:
Al Qaeda in, 392–93, 396, 406
Obama’s travel to, 291, 292, 451–52
strategic change in, 330
Taliban in, 392
war in, 3, 244, 390–97, 401–2, 403, 411, 416, 419–20, 452, 483
AFL-CIO, 229
Agrella, Don, 40–41
Ailes, Roger, 424–25, 453
AKPD Message and Media, 167, 198–99
Al Qaeda:
in Afghanistan, 392–93, 396, 406
drone strikes against, 397
and Guantánamo, 400
and Iraq, 3, 130
in Pakistan, 230, 244, 397
in Somalia, 397
and terrorism, 397–98, 471
in Yemen, 397
American International Group (AIG), 309, 359–60
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), 364, 380, 414
and earmarks, 345–46
and executive bonuses, 360
and House Republican Caucus, 353–54
management of, 448
and media focus, 355
name of, 337
passage of, 354
purpose of, 334
and Senate Democratic Caucus, 337
as stimulus plan, 334–35, 337, 345, 353–55
and tax cuts, 335, 337
Arab Spring, 408–9
Arafat, Yasser, 63
Arvey, Jacob, 31
Ashcroft, John, 142
Asia, Obama’s travel to, 413–14
Atwater, Lee, 257–58
Auschwitz, 409–10
Austin, Jerry, 105
automotive industry, 361–64, 450, 451, 483, 487
Axelrod, David:
and AKPD Message and Media, 167, 198–99
as campaign consultant, 74–75, 89, 91, 100, 116, 124, 148, 166, 182, 207, 220, 221, 233, 243, 248, 268, 453–54
childhood of, 17–18
debating Washington move, 325–27, 337
epilogue of, 479–88
forming Axelrod and Associates, 69
and health care, 369–70, 371, 373, 388–89
and his father’s death, 35–37, 38, 114
and his mother’s death, 479–80
as Keeper of the Message, 220, 429, 452–53
leaving the White House, 430–31
and Obama’s reelection campaign, 453–57, 476–78
as outsider, 435–40
as “public face,” 347–48
returning to public service, 440–41, 478
on the road, 243–44, 322, 435
Secret Service detail of, 344, 435
as senior adviser, 329, 336, 343–50, 356, 387, 481
and transition period, 329, 334, 336
Axelrod, Ethan (son), 86, 99, 114, 130, 245, 247, 249, 480
Axelrod, Joan (sister), 16, 18, 36, 176–77, 189, 253
Axelrod, Joseph (father), 13–14, 15–18, 23–24, 29, 35–37, 38, 114
Axelrod, Lauren (daughter):
birth of, 50
epilepsy of, 50–51, 68, 86, 98, 99, 112–13, 114, 275, 369, 388
good health of, 480
at Misericordia, 114–15, 127, 326, 337
Axelrod, Liz (Mike’s wife), 480
Axelrod, Maelin (granddaughter), 480
Axelrod, Michael (son), 60, 68, 81, 99, 111, 480
Axelrod, Morris (grandfather), 13, 14
Axelrod, Myril Davidson (mother), 15–18, 36, 479–80
Axelrod, Susan Landau (wife):
after the campaigns, 480
and cancer, 113–14, 115, 201
courtship and marriage, 45–46
and CURE, 113, 117, 193, 201, 475
and family, 8, 50–51, 60, 61, 68, 98–99, 114, 369
and health care, 369–70, 388
and husband’s outsider status, 436, 437
and husband’s Washington assignment, 326–27
and Lauren’s epilepsy, 50–51, 112–13, 114, 127, 326, 369
and political campaigns, 60, 61, 68, 98, 113, 130, 149–50, 153, 154, 200–201, 245, 247, 249, 283, 319–20, 478
and war, 201, 397
Axelrod and Associates:
growth of, 100, 111
startup of, 69, 73–75
Axelrod family, emigrating to U.S., 14–16
Bai, Matt, 469
Bain Capital, 454, 456, 468
Balz, Dan, 153, 280
Barnett, Robert, 116, 471
Bauer, Bob, 295, 327
Bayh, Birch, 296
Bayh, Evan, 207, 295, 296, 298, 299
Beame, Abe, 19, 29
Begala, Paul, 96
Belcher, Cornell, 258
Bell, Christie, 112
Benenson, Joel, 338, 470
on campaign team, 206, 207, 233, 349
and forecasts, 253–54, 290
and polls, 206, 250, 253, 289, 307, 416, 457
Benghazi, Libya, 471–72
Bennett, Abner, 23
Berlin, Obama’s speech in, 292–94
Berlin Airlift, 292, 293
Berlin Wall, fall of, 410
Berman, Jeff, 256
Bernanke, Ben, 332, 368
Bernardini, Chuck, 73
Bernstein, Carl, 28
Berry, Jessie, 1, 9, 18
Bhutto, Benazir, 243–44
Biden, Beau, 297
Biden, Jill, 297
Biden, Joe, 437–38
and Afghanistan, 393, 419
and Congress, 167, 371, 428, 429, 485
and debates, 231, 282, 314, 470
and the economy, 353, 371
and health care, 371
and Palin, 304–5, 314
and primary campaign (2008), 241, 250, 298
and reelection campaign, 448–49, 452–53, 469–70
as running mate, 281–82, 295, 296–98, 316–17
talkativeness of, 167, 297–98
and transition period, 332
Biederman, Jack, 13
Bilandic, Michael, 43–45, 58
Binder, David:
and campaign team, 207, 349
and focus groups, 206–7, 227, 289, 295, 303, 380, 416, 473
bin Laden, Osama, 3, 230, 231, 392, 404
death of, 437–38, 451, 471
Black Panthers, 28, 33, 122
Blago
jevich, Rod, 109–11, 117, 124, 125, 129–30, 271, 328–29
Blatchford, Frank, 42
Blitzer, Wolf, 244, 320
Bloom, Ronald, 362
Bloomberg, Michael, 423, 424
Boccieri, John, 427
Boehner, John, 7, 311, 485
Bohannon, Murvin “Bo,” 29–30
Bolten, Josh, 310
Bousquet, Steve, 172
BP, oil spill of, 416–19
Bradley, Bill, 76
Branstad, Terry, 128
Brennan, John O., 398
Brown, Cleveland, 435
Brown, Jerry, 97, 98
Brown, Scott, 367, 383
Browner, Carol, 416–17
Brundtland, Gro Harlem, 402
Bruni, Carla, 425, 430
Buchenwald, Obama’s visit to, 409
Burke, Ed, 46, 47, 58, 78, 80
Burns, George, 154
Burrell, George R., 141–42
Burton, Bill, 397
Bush, George H. W., 95, 169, 336, 425, 482
Bush, George W.:
and Cheney, 141, 300, 403, 484
divisive politics of, 194
and Hillary’s primary campaign, 229
and McCain, 197, 281, 289–90
and Obama campaign issues, 194–95, 197, 226
partisan anger toward, 141, 379
and previous campaigns (2000), 197; (2004), 464
and Putin, 410
and transition period, 339
Bush administration:
and the economy, 148, 289, 308–12, 333, 334, 335, 352, 354, 362, 366, 428, 450
and foreign relations, 230, 362, 404, 410
and Justice Department, 349
and Katrina, 169, 171
and tax cuts, 428, 450
and terrorism, 399
and transition period, 335–37
unilateralism of, 292, 293, 300, 403
and war, 129, 152, 171, 186, 289, 392, 397
Business Roundtable, 455–56
Button, Wendy, 209
Byrne, Jane:
and Bilandic, 43–45
as Chicago mayor, 46–50, 52, 53–54, 58
documentary about, 56
and Harold Washington, 55–56, 78, 79
and mayoral campaigns, 43–45, 46, 54, 55–56, 78, 79
and McMullen, 44, 46, 49
and R. J. Daley, 43, 44
and R. M. Daley, 46–50, 53–54, 55
Caddell, Pat, 75, 79, 104
Cahill, Mary Beth, 155
cap-and-trade bill, 373
Capone, Al, 53, 79
Carey, Bernard, 33
Carson, Jon, 262
Carter, Colin, 208–9
Carter, Jimmy, 47–48, 65, 336, 379, 380, 438
Carville, James, 96–97, 417
Casey, Bob, 96
Castellaneta, Dan, 73
Cheney, Dick, 141, 300, 403, 484
Chertoff, Michael, 338
Chew, Charlie, 48
Chicago:
Democratic National Conventions in (1968), 20, 22, 24, 28, 33, 107, 322, 480; (1996), 107
mayoral elections (1983), 55-58; (1989), 85–91, 179
organized crime in, 32
police brutality in, 30, 86
politics in, 26–28, 30–35, 52–54, 88–89, 180–81, 271–72, 329
racial issues in, 33, 85, 86, 88
Chicago City Council, 57–58, 78, 80, 85, 147
Chicago Daily News, 44
Chicago Seven, 33
Chicago Sun-Times, 167
Chicago Tribune:
author’s departure from, 61, 68
author’s internship in, 34, 38–39, 40–43
author’s job in, 42–45, 48–49, 51–53, 59, 60
economic pressures on, 51–53, 59
investigative reporting in, 110–11
political reporting in, 175
reporter shot by mob, 53
China:
Obama’s travel to, 413–14
outsourcing jobs to, 456
Christie, Chris, 475
Chrysler Corporation, 361–64
Chu, Steven, 418–19
Churchill, Winston, 459
Ciccone, F. Richard, 51, 52, 54
Civil Rights Act, 18, 481
Clay, Ray, 239
Claypool, Forrest, 64, 202
and Axelrod and Associates, 69, 73, 75
and Cook County Commissioners, 111, 179–80
and school choice, 154
Clemons, Steve, 385
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 91–92
Clinton, Bill:
administration of, 328, 329
followers of, 105, 107, 423
and health care, 371, 374, 376
and Hillary’s campaigns, 116, 196, 244, 257–58, 259, 260, 266, 287, 290
and Katrina, 169
and midterm elections, 327, 444
and Obama’s economic package, 429
and Obama’s reelection campaign, 454–55, 461–62, 469, 475, 477
opponents of, 379
and party unity, 283
personality of, 459, 461
presidency of, 106
presidential campaigns of, (1992), 63-64, 95-100; (1996), 206, 282
reelection campaign of, 107–9
speeches of, 109, 461–62
and transition period, 336
Clinton, Hillary:
and Bill’s campaigns, 97–98
and debates, 223, 231, 235–36, 251, 471
and Democratic convention (2008), 300–301
and epilepsy research, 113, 115, 193, 201
and foreign travel, 406
and fund-raising, 191, 204, 219, 288
and health care, 222, 370, 371
and Katrina, 169
law firm of, 97
and Obama’s reelection campaign, 448–49
and party unity, 283, 287–89, 301
as possible presidential candidate (2008), 175, 181, 182, 183–84, 187, 191–92, 196–97, 201, 219
and presidential primaries (2008), 223, 226, 229, 231–34, 236, 237–38, 240–42, 244, 245, 248, 250–57, 262–64, 266–67, 275, 277–79, 282–83, 288–89, 354, 463, 475
as secretary of state, 330–31, 448
senatorial campaign of, 115–16, 164
as U.S. Senator, 167
Coakley, Martha, 383–84, 388
Coburn, Tom, 310
Collins, Cardiss, 32
Collins, George, 32
Congress, U.S.:
and Afghanistan, 396
and Biden, 167, 371, 428, 429, 458
and bipartisanship, 385, 483
and business lobby, 368, 416, 426
debt limit, 3, 438
and earmarks, 345–46, 353, 481
and the economy, 440, 442, 443, 444
factionalism in, 380, 382–83, 384, 426, 442, 482, 483, 487
and financial reform (Dodd-Frank), 367, 368, 420
Founders’ vision of, 382
and health care, 373, 374–76, 378, 379–83, 384–85, 388–89, 397, 415
House Republican Caucus, 353–54
lame-duck session, 427–30
and midterm election (2010), 421, 426–28
opposition in, 354–55, 364, 368, 380, 382, 446, 459, 483–84
reelection as focus of, 344–45, 381, 485
Senate Democratic Caucus, 337, 381, 384–85
and stimulus plan, 334–35, 337, 345, 353–55, 358–59
and successes, 415
and taxes, 428–29
and Tea Party, 378, 426, 427, 46
0
and Volcker Rule, 368
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), 366–67
Cranston, Alan, 64
Crimson Creative Group, 208–9
Crouse, Timothy, 28
Cruise, Tom, 206
Cuban missile crisis, 18, 410, 411
Cuomo, Mario, 64–65, 160, 206, 444
CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy), 113, 117, 193, 201, 475
Cutter, Stephanie, 462
Daley, Bill, 87, 422
Daley, Maggie, 87–88, 90
Daley, Patrick, 87
Daley, Richard J. “Dick” (father):
and Byrne, 43, 44
death of, 86
ill health of, 27
and JFK, 24, 27, 47, 481
political machine of, 24, 26, 27–28, 31, 32, 57, 481
and racial issues, 30, 33, 86
supporters of, 58, 75, 77
Daley, Richard M. “Rich” (son), 107, 123
and Bilandic, 44–45
and Byrne, 46–50, 53–54, 55
and Claypool/Stroger race, 179–81
and fourth term, 122
mayoralty campaigns (1983), 55-56; (1989), 86–91, 179
political organization of, 56, 96
popularity of, 91
as state’s attorney, 47, 48, 86
stepping down, 423
supporters of, 78, 102, 120, 190
Daschle, Tom, 165, 199, 372
Davidson, Gertrude, 15
Davidson, Louis, 15
Davis, Danny, 123, 135
Davis, Gray, 128
Dean, Howard, 151–52, 153, 178, 226
de Blasio, Bill, 116
Deese, Brian, 362
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), 447
Del Cecato, John, 167, 199, 228, 263
Demers, Jim, 288
Democratic National Convention:
(1968), 20, 22, 24, 28, 33, 107, 322, 480
(1984), 64–65, 160
(1996), 107
(2004), 155–60, 443
(2008), 300–302
(2012), 460–62
Democratic state convention, Florida (2005), 171–72
Des Moines Register, 218, 240, 246–47
Believer: My Forty Years in Politics Page 62