David Axelrod swears he’s not trying to spin anyone—even as the veteran political operative makes the familiar argument that Chicago needs a tough-guy mayor, that his old pal Rahm Emanuel is that guy, and that the city could face grave consequences if voters don’t understand that.
As a media strategist, Axelrod has been crafting political narratives for decades, and in places the book turns into a campaign ad for the Obama presidency. Overall, though, it’s an engaging read, propelled by colorful characters, revealing snapshots, and Axelrod’s wry sense of humor.
But that’s not how it went down this time around: Emanuel received just 45 percent of the vote in his reelection bid on February 24, forcing him into an April 7 runoff with Cook County commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Let’s go back to the spring of 1984, when you quit your job as a political reporter at the Tribune to work directly in politics. The day you showed up for your new gig with Paul Simon’s Senate campaign, you witnessed a young staffer yelling at a donor over the phone for not sending a big enough check. This, of course, was Rahm Emanuel, whose intensity—some would say his bullying—remains an issue.
In your memoir you recall the racially charged mayoral campaigns of the 1980s. In 1983, for instance, Republican Bernie Epton used the slogan “Before It’s Too Late,” which was a not-so-subtle message to white voters that he was an alternative to the black candidate, Harold Washington. The city and its politics have made progress, but recently Senator Mark Kirk warned that Chicago could go the way of Detroit if Mayor Emanuel isn’t reelected. How is that different from what Epton said?
He enjoys politics, but he doesn’t always enjoy the politics of Washington. Those are different things. I’ve never worked with anyone who more enjoyed being out with regular folks—being out on the campaign trail, going to town diners, meeting people, making speeches.
By David Axelrod (Penguin Press)
