Related News
Obama turns to former campaign manager for help
Source: Agencies |
January 24, 2010, Sunday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
PRESIDENT Barack Obama has asked David Plouffe, an architect of his 2008 election victory, to help improve Democratic fortunes in the November congressional elections where the party faces a tough battle.
A White House official confirmed media reports about Plouffe taking on an expanded role as outside adviser, days after Democrats suffered a major defeat in a Massachusetts special Senate election.
The Washington Post quoted White House allies as saying the move was "less about the Massachusetts election and more about the fact that the election year is heating up and Plouffe has more free time following the publication of his election memoir late last year."
Plouffe, who was Obama's campaign manager in 2008, will oversee the House of Representatives, Senate and governors' races after Obama ordered a review of the Democratic political operation, The New York Times quoted aides as saying.
Democrats are regrouping after Massachusetts voters on Tuesday elected Republican Scott Brown to fill the Senate seat long held by Democratic liberal icon Edward Kennedy.
The loss stripped the Democrats of the crucial 60th Senate vote needed to overcome Republican procedural hurdles and dealt a stunning blow to Obama's legislative agenda, including his efforts to enact an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system.
Democrats face growing voter discontent over Obama's handling of the economy and double-digit unemployment. If the party loses its majority in either the Senate or the House this November, Obama will have a much harder time trying to get his ambitious legislative agenda enacted.
"We are turning the corner to a much more political season," a senior adviser to Obama, David Axelrod, told the Times.
"We are going to evaluate what we need to do to get timely intelligence and early warnings so we don't face situations like we did in Massachusetts," Axelrod said.
The Times said Obama had summoned Plouffe to the Oval Office just hours before the polls closed in Massachusetts and asked him to assume the new role.
A White House official confirmed media reports about Plouffe taking on an expanded role as outside adviser, days after Democrats suffered a major defeat in a Massachusetts special Senate election.
The Washington Post quoted White House allies as saying the move was "less about the Massachusetts election and more about the fact that the election year is heating up and Plouffe has more free time following the publication of his election memoir late last year."
Plouffe, who was Obama's campaign manager in 2008, will oversee the House of Representatives, Senate and governors' races after Obama ordered a review of the Democratic political operation, The New York Times quoted aides as saying.
Democrats are regrouping after Massachusetts voters on Tuesday elected Republican Scott Brown to fill the Senate seat long held by Democratic liberal icon Edward Kennedy.
The loss stripped the Democrats of the crucial 60th Senate vote needed to overcome Republican procedural hurdles and dealt a stunning blow to Obama's legislative agenda, including his efforts to enact an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system.
Democrats face growing voter discontent over Obama's handling of the economy and double-digit unemployment. If the party loses its majority in either the Senate or the House this November, Obama will have a much harder time trying to get his ambitious legislative agenda enacted.
"We are turning the corner to a much more political season," a senior adviser to Obama, David Axelrod, told the Times.
"We are going to evaluate what we need to do to get timely intelligence and early warnings so we don't face situations like we did in Massachusetts," Axelrod said.
The Times said Obama had summoned Plouffe to the Oval Office just hours before the polls closed in Massachusetts and asked him to assume the new role.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
