David Axelrod

David Axelrod was born on February 22, 1955 in New York in a Jewish family, belonging to the middle class. His father, Joseph Axelrod, was a psychologist, mother reconciled Axelrod in 1940 was a journalist for the PM - left political newspaper, and then began working in the advertising business. His parents first separated, when David was five years old, and finally divorced in 1968. Axelrod, along with his sister Joan was left to live with his mother. Axelrod's father, whom he later called his "best friend and hero, committed suicide when his son was nineteen years old.

Axelrod showed early interest in politics. For example, in the thirteen years he sold the icons in the election campaign of Senator from New York, Robert Kennedy (Robert F. Kennedy), which is expected to become the single candidate of the Democratic Party's U.S. presidential election, but was shot in June 1968.

. After high school Axelrod joined the University of Chicago (University of Chicago) and the same summer, until he moved to Chicago, found a job as a reporter in a Manhattan newspaper, The Villager
. While studying at the university he majored in political science. As undergraduates Axelrod moonlighting as a political columnist in The Hyde Park Herald. After graduation in 1976 he received a summer internship opportunity in the Chicago Tribune, after which the Chicago newspaper offered him a permanent job.

. In post Chicago Tribune reporter, Axelrod, from time to time commented on the election campaigns of political outsiders
. In 1979 he took up the campaign coverage Jane Byrne (Jane M. Byrne) - a little-known the candidate for Mayor of Chicago. His articles have become an important factor in the victory Byrne, who won the election, becoming the first woman - Chicago Mayor. This, in turn, positively influenced the career of the Axelrod, a political analyst who took the place of Chicago Tribune.

. At the age of twenty-seven years, Axelrod became bureau chief in the Chicago Tribune the city administration of Chicago, combining this position with the responsibilities of the political observer
. However, . desperation to make a decent career in the Chicago Tribune, . In 1984 he joined the senatorial election campaign a member of the House of Representatives from Illinois Paul Simon (Paul Simon) as the head of the Department of Public Relations,
. Just a few weeks Axelrod was appointed as one of the leaders of the campaign headquarters Democrat Simon, . Ahead of the election race Republican Charles Percy (Charles Percy), . previously been elected three times, Senator.,

. In 1985, Axelrod opened his own political consulting company Axelrod & Associates now known as AKP & D Message and Media
. In 1987 he successfully participated in the election campaign's first black mayor of Chicago Harold Washington (Harold Washington), re-elected for second term. In addition, Axelrod has long remained a strategist in the team Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (Richard M. Daley), elected to the presidency in 1989 and successfully re-elected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007.

. In 2004, a spokesman Axelrod participated in the campaign Democrat John Edwards (John Edwards), run for U.S. president
. The results of preliminary elections Edwards did not get enough votes, the only round of primaries, which he won, was held in South Carolina.

. In 2006, Axelrod consulted the election headquarters Eliot Spitzer, who won his election by the Governor of the State of New York, and Divela Patrick (Deval Patrick), who was elected governor of Massachusetts.

. Axelrod seriously thought about how to refuse to participate in the election campaigns of candidates for U.S. president, as five of them were his former clients
. They were Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Christopher Dodd (Christopher Dodd) and Tom Vilsek (Tom Vilsack). Nevertheless, after some hesitation Axelrod decided to participate in the election campaign, Obama became the chief strategist election headquarters.

The main theme of the campaign Axelrod suggested the idea of change. As the results, it is not wrong. The campaign headquarters of Hillary Clinton, Obama's main rival in the primaries, made a bet on the experience and credibility of its leader, and lost. June 7, 2008 Clinton said the cease-election campaign and urged voters to support Obama, who became the single candidate of the Democratic Party.

. He campaigned under the leadership of Axelrod had several distinctive features
. Obama, for example, refused to use state funds to finance his campaign, as well as to take money from lobbyists. Despite all this, in summer 2008 election fund Obama's more than twice as fund Republican candidate John McCain. All Obama has collected donations amounting to more than $ 750 million. For pre-election campaign team Axelrod actively used the Internet and SMS-messages. In addition, Obama received the support of prominent cultural figures of the U.S., among them Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Berry.

. On the day of the presidential election on Nov. 4, 2008 Obama received 51 percent of the vote and 300 electoral votes, which ensured him a landslide victory over Republican McCain
. Voter turnout was the highest in the United States since 1908 and amounted to approximately 64 per cent.

Shortly after Obama is elected U.S. president Axelrod has been named future senior advisor to the president. Commenting on this appointment, Axelrod suggested that it would perform functions similar to those which he performed during the election campaign, Obama. Axelrod assumed the post of senior adviser to the White House immediately after the inauguration of Obama, held January 20, 2009.

His future wife, Susan Landau (Susan Landau) Axelrod met at the University of Chicago. They married in 1979. In the couple have three children and it is known that their daughter, Lauren (Lauren) suffers from epilepsy. Axelrod's wife became president, and he himself - an honorary member of the advisory board of public charitable organization Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE), the mission to assist research in the treatment of epilepsy.