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David Axelrod

Author

Senior Political Commentator, CNN, and Host, The Axe Files; Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics; Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama (2009-2011)

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About

Gender: Male

Nationality: United States

Languages: English

Travels from: United States

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Website

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biography Highlights

One of the greatest political strategists in recent American history, David Axelrod offers an insider’s perspective into the major issues of the day.

Biography

David Axelrod is a preeminent American political strategist and commentator and the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Axelrod was the founding director of the University of Chicago’s non-partisan Institute of Politics. He currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Chicago, as a senior political commentator for CNN, and as a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. He is the host of “The Axe Files,” a top-rated podcast featuring in depth conversations with public figures across the political spectrum. A former political writer for the Chicago Tribune, Axelrod produced media strategy and advertising for 150 campaigns across the U.S., culminating in President Obama’s historic elections. Axelrod is also the author of The New York Times best-selling memoir, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics.

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The Road Ahead

Joe Biden assumed office at one of the most consequential moments in American history. As the president charts a path toward recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and twin economic crisis, he also faces a unique set of political challenges with a narrow margin in Congress and an increasingly polarized electorate. As the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama—who came to office facing his own set of crises—Axelrod shares his unique insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Biden administration.

Available: In person, Virtually

Witness to History: Leadership Lessons from a Presidential Advisor

From the financial crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the fight for health care reform, the Obama Administration was tested with issues of enormous consequences. As President Obama’s senior advisor, David Axelrod worked 20 feet from the Oval Office. He shares his thoughts on leadership as someone who was in the room as monumental decisions were made affecting the lives of millions of people around the world. Drawing on his years as a top strategist and spokesman, Axelrod gives audiences a behind-the-scenes look at life in the White House and shares what he has learned from his experiences on the world stage.

Available: In person, Virtually

The Evolving Media and Political Landscape

The 24/7 news cycle, social media, and a culture where information is currency have completely changed the face of politics—in some cases for better and in others for worse. A veteran strategist who started out his career as a newspaperman for The Chicago Tribune, David Axelrod reflects on the changes that have taken root in the media and what they mean for the direction of our political discourse at home and abroad. Has our desire for soundbites drowned out thoughtful discussion? Does a culture that embraces talking heads over substance make us less apt to listen to opposing viewpoints? How can we better use new media to advance issues of immense importance to our future? Axelrod shares the answers to these questions as he reflects on a rapidly shifting media and political landscape.

Available: In person, Virtually

David'S

TESTIMONIALS

Mr. Axelrod gave a very interesting and informative talk about his involvement in politics, the passing of the Affordable Care Act, and why it is important for students to get involved and stay involved in politics. Many students approached us after the event thanking Mr. Axelrod for a great talk and an overall successful event!

Universities and Colleges

David Axelrod and Ari Fleischer were great together! The speakers were gifted at sharing what they experienced and how they worked within the White House. They were perfect with the students. Texas A&M University

Universities and Colleges

Books

Believer: My Forty Years in Politics

David Axelrod has always been a believer. Whether as a young journalist investigating city corruption, a campaign consultant guiding underdog candidates against entrenched orthodoxy, or as senior adviser to the president during one of the worst crises in American history, Axelrod held fast to his faith in the power of stories to unite diverse communities and ignite transformative political change. Now this legendary strategist, the mastermind behind Barack Obama’s historic election campaigns, shares a wealth of stories from his forty-year journey through the inner workings of American democracy. Believer is the tale of a political life well lived, of a man who never gave up on the deepest promises our country has to offer. The heart of Believer is Axelrod’s twenty-year friendship with Barack Obama, a warm partnership that inspired both men even as it propelled each to great heights. Taking a chance on an unlikely candidate for the U.S. Senate, Axelrod ultimately collaborated closely Obama on his political campaigns, and served as the invaluable strategist who contributed to the tremendous victories in 2008 and 2012. Switching careers again, Axelrod served as senior adviser to the president during one of the most challenging periods in national history: working at Obama’s side as he battled an economic disaster; navigated America through two wars; and fought to reform health care, the financial sector, and our gridlocked political institutions. In Believer, Axelrod offers a deeper and richer profile of this extraordinary figure—who in just four years vaulted from the Illinois State Senate to the Oval Office—from the perspective of one who was at his side every step of the way. Spanning forty years that include corruption and transformation, turmoil and progress, Believer takes readers behind the closed doors of politics even as it offers a thrilling call to democratic action. Axelrod’s Believer is a powerful and inspiring memoir enlivened by the charm and candor of one of the greatest political strategists in recent American history.

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