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Re: Axelrod

folks our actions will not change him. so we should not have that expectation. On Fri, Jan 9, 2015 at 8:17 AM, Huma Abedin <huma@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > He has said this to her and repeated to me several times. > And until she sees him, it won't be tempered. And even after she sees him, > she has to be prepared. > > Sent ! > > On Jan 9, 2015, at 8:15 AM, "Nick Merrill" <nmerrill@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > > > http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/david-axelrod-hillary-clinton-elections-114101.html > > > Axelrod: Clinton 'wasn't a very good candidate' in 2007 (Politico) > > By Jonathan Topaz > > January 8, 2015 > > *Politico* > > > > David Axelrod on Thursday jabbed at Hillary Clinton, saying that she > wasn't a very strong candidate during the first part of her campaign for > the 2008 presidential nomination. > > > > The chief strategist for Barack Obama's first presidential campaign said > that Clinton, who lost to Obama in the Democratic primary that year, was > too cautious during the early stages, when she was considered the > prohibitive favorite. > > > > "When you play not to lose, you often lose. And my perception of Secretary > Clinton was that she wasn't a very good candidate in 2007," Axelrod said at > a Thursday evening event at the University of Chicago Institute of > Politics, where he serves as director. The comments preceded a conversation > with outgoing Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who has said repeatedly that > he is considering a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. > > > > Axelrod said he thought that once Clinton came in third in the 2008 Iowa > caucuses, she became a much more formidable candidate. > > > > "[O]nce she wasn't the frontrunner anymore, once she was fighting for her > place, she threw all the caution away and I think she started relating to > voters in a much more visceral way that reflected who she really is," > Axelrod said. "If I had any advice for her, it would be: Be that person." > After Iowa, Clinton rebounded to win the New Hampshire primary, setting off > a neck-and-neck contest with Obama that didn't end for nearly five more > months. > > > > Axelrod also said that Clinton failed to provide a convincing rationale > for her candidacy in her unsuccessful bid, echoing a criticism he made in > November. "In 2007, the mistake they made was they allowed the candidacy to > get out ahead of the rationale for it," he said of Clinton's team. > > > > "It wasn't clear what the campaign was about. And I think campaigns have > to be about something," Axelrod added. > > > > The strategist, who served for a time as White House senior adviser during > Obama's first term, said that presidential candidates on both sides in 2016 > will need to fashion a message on middle-class economic issues and stagnant > wages. > > > > Clinton has not yet made a public decision on whether she will run for the > Democratic nomination. Axelrod said he doesn't believe she has made up her > mind, but that if she chooses to run, she will be in a "more dominant" > position to win the primary than any candidate in his lifetime. > > > > Still, Axelrod said that Clinton proved she was "vulnerable" in her > primary loss to Obama and that she will need to avoid the "inevitability > trap" to earn the 2016 nod. > > > > On Jan 8, 2015, at 9:23 AM, Huma Abedin <huma@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > > Right > ------------------------------ > *From:* Cheryl Mills <cheryl.mills@gmail.com> > *Sent:* Thursday, January 8, 2015 9:22:29 AM > *To:* Huma Abedin > *Cc:* Philippe Reines; John Podesta; Robby; Nick Merrill; Huma Abedin; > Dan Schwerin; Jake Sullivan > *Subject:* Re: Axelrod > > she doesn't have inevitabiliy language - the media does > > On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 9:04 AM, Huma Abedin <huma@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > >> We can have a longer conversation about Axelrod. I downloaded to Robby. >> We shouldn't be under any illusions that he will start saying only >> positive things. >> He's not looking for a job in 2016, he sees himself in a different role >> now and feels he needs to say what he thinks (lots of obama people have >> said they don't like ready for hillary or her inevitability language) >> otherwise he won't be credible. >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Cheryl Mills <cheryl.mills@gmail.com> >> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 7, 2015 8:58:33 PM >> *To:* Huma Abedin >> *Cc:* Philippe Reines; John Podesta; Robby Mook; Nick Merrill; Huma >> Abedin; Dan Schwerin; Jake Sullivan >> *Subject:* Re: Axelrod >> >> what is odd is that - she did more than reach out to him when she left >> - she went a did a fundraiser for his charitable enterprise. >> >> then he still said/tweeted less than kind things. >> >> so the notion that it is coming somehow related to her not having >> spoken to him strike me a hollow in light of some of his comments given her >> generosity to him as one of her first appearances. >> >> On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 11:18 AM, Huma Abedin <huma@hrcoffice.com> wrote: >> >>> Just wanted to follow-up on this original note. >>> >>> As you may have seen, Ax tweeted this a short while ago: >..Smart of >>> @HillaryClinton to be counseling with @benensonj. He was brilliant, >>> essential player in @BarackObama wins! >>> >>> He called me last night to give us a heads up that O'Malley and Webb >>> have both asked to speak at his institute. We got into a conversation about >>> his public comments. He assured me that he is 100 percent supportive of HRC >>> and that she will be the nominee and understands that we might be >>> frustrated with what he has said. I sense that he is disappointed that we >>> have talked to everyone else in Obama world except for him and I assured >>> him that HRC would be in touch soon. I think we are now in a good place >>> with him but she needs to call him and I conveyed that to her. Will try to >>> get it done this week. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> *From:* Philippe Reines [mailto:pir@hrcoffice.com] >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, December 17, 2014 10:35 PM >>> *To:* CDM; John Podesta; Robby Mook; Nick Merrill; Huma Abedin; Dan >>> Schwerin; Jake Sullivan >>> *Subject:* Axelrod >>> >>> >>> >>> We had discussed the utility of reaching out to David Axelrod, but Is he >>> on HRC's - or anyone's -- call sheet? I hate to reward bad behavior, but >>> this seems like one headache we could easily neutralize. >>> >>> >>> >>> *Axelrod on Hillary: 'Ready for What?'* >>> >>> By Peter Sullivan >>> >>> December 16, 2014 >>> >>> *The Hill* >>> >>> >>> >>> David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, said Tuesday that >>> Hillary Clinton needs to establish a rationale for her presidential >>> candidacy, saying when he hears "Ready for Hillary," he thinks, "Ready for >>> what?" >>> >>> >>> >>> "What happened in 2008 was that Hillary's candidacy got out in front of >>> any rationale for it, and the danger is that that's happening again," >>> Axelrod, who was a top adviser to Barack Obama's come-from-behind win over >>> Clinton in 2008, said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." >>> >>> "You hear Ready for Hillary; it's like, 'Ready for what?' " >>> >>> >>> >>> Axelrod said Clinton could be using the time before she announces her >>> candidacy to decide the answer to that question. >>> >>> >>> >>> "Now Hillary's task is to define what it is that she's running for and >>> running about," Axelrod said. "And what would the future look like under >>> another President Clinton, and I suspect that's what she's taking her time >>> working through now, but she has to answer that question." >>> >>> >>> >>> Liberal groups have been pushing forward with an effort to convince Sen. >>> Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to challenge Clinton from the left on economic >>> issues. >>> >>> >>> >>> MoveOn.org, one of the groups, announced Monday that it has passed >>> 100,000 signatures on its "Run Warren Run" petition. Warren insists she is >>> not running but always phrases the denial in the present tense, which some >>> see as leaving the door open. >>> >>> >>> >>> Asked if there is an opening for Warren, Axelrod said, "I suppose there >>> is." >>> >>> >>> >>> "My suspicion is that what she's doing is trying to influence how >>> Hillary frames her candidacy and the issues she focuses on," Axelrod said. >>> "I think Elizabeth is very sincere about her concerns about what's >>> happening in the American economy, and Hillary hasn't yet said what exactly >>> her program will be, what she's running on. I think Elizabeth knows she's >>> got maximum leverage by still being in the conversation." >>> >>> >>> >>> Many of Axelrod's fellow Obama campaign alumni are now working for >>> Clinton's campaign-in-waiting in some capacity. Jim Messina, Obama's 2012 >>> campaign manager, for example, signed on as co-chairman of the pro-Clinton >>> super-PAC Priorities USA. >>> >>> >>> >>> Two more top campaign aides, Mitch Stewart and Jeremy Bird, have joined >>> Ready for Hillary. >>> >>> >>> >> >> >