http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/ en Copyright 2008 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:00:40 -0400 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.36 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Roughly one year ago, The Fix started to look at the closest advisers to each of the declared or potential presidential candidates -- the men and women tasked with winning the nomination for their White House hopeful. John McCain right, is embraced by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), left, as he greets supporters Feb. 12 after winning the Potomac Primary .(AP Photo) No one's inner circle has changed more over that period of time than the group surrounding the near-certain Republican nominee -- John McCain. When we first wrote about McCain's inner circle in May 2007 -- the list included a veritable who's who of well-regarded Republican strategists, a reflection of the sense at the time that the Arizona senator was the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. By the end of the summer, McCain's campaign was in disarray -- short on money and senior staff. In fact, of the 10 people http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/02/mccains_inner_circle_revisited.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/02/mccains_inner_circle_revisited.html Inner Circle Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:00:40 -0400 The buzz around New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's potential independent presidential candidacy continues to grow. Talk of a Bloomberg bid was rife on the Sunday talk shows, kicking off another week of speculation about his future plans. As always at The Fix, we aim to bring you inside the political game -- pulling back the curtain so you can see the machinery behind the public pronouncements. And what better way to do that than to detail the men and women Bloomberg depends on most. Like most Inner Circles, Bloomberg's is comprised of a mixture of longtime loyalists and political professionals. Unlike most Inner Circles, the Bloomberg team relies heavily on lifelong Democrats -- despite the fact that Bloomberg was elected twice as the Republican mayor of the Big Apple. Without further ado, the Bloomberg Inner Circle: * Patti Harris: Harris is a first among equals in Bloomberg's world, a http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/06/bloomberg_inner_circle.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/06/bloomberg_inner_circle.html Inner Circle Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:14:36 -0400 No candidate in the presidential race is the subject of more wild rumors than former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) Yesterday alone we heard of two senior political hires made by his campaign only to call the individuals involved to find out they weren't working for Thompson. In an attempt to provide some clarity amid the Fred fanaticism, we have culled out Thompson's Inner Circle, the small group of individuals advising the former Senator as he moves inexorably toward a run for president. A few notes before we start. The Thompson team lacks anyone from the upper echelons of George W. Bush's campaigns; former Republican National Committee Chairmen Ken Mehlman and Ed Gillespie as well as former White House political director Sara Taylor are the biggest free agents out there. One other obvious absence from Thompson's current team? A top-rate media consultant. Here's a look at Thompson's Inner Circle: *Jeri Thompson: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/06/inner_circle_fred_thompson.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/06/inner_circle_fred_thompson.html Inner Circle Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:20:44 -0400 Most politicians who have spent a long period of time on the national stage have a core group of advisers who have been with them through it all. Over the last few months, we've detailed the Inner Circles of a handful of 2008 presidential candidates including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, (R) and former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.). In that time, no candidate's Inner Circle has gone through as much transition as that of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Following a lackluster first fundraising quarter, McCain parted ways with finance director Carla Eudy and has also watched as former Straight Talk America executive director Craig Goldman and presidential political director Mike Dennehy have also left the campaign. Others who were close to McCain in 2000 -- like media consultants Mike Murphy and Greg Stevens -- are not this time http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/05/inner_circle_john_mccain.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/05/inner_circle_john_mccain.html Inner Circle Tue, 08 May 2007 13:55:27 -0400 Contrary to a report on a New Hampshire-based political blog, a top aide to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not jumping ship in favor of Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator thought to be considering his own White House run. Barbara Comstock, a member of Romney's Inner Circle, shepherded the governor around Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner and is intimately involved in Romney's preparation for next week's Republican debate in California, according to informed sources in Romney's world. Comstock will also be on the ground in California for last-minute debate prep as well as post-debate spin/analysis. Speculation of a Comstock departure likely grew from the close relationship she enjoys with Thompson's wife, Jeri. Comstock is also partner in a crisis-consulting firm with Mark Corallo, who is advising Thompson as he considers entering the race. Although Comstock appears to be staying put, it will be interesting to see which political http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/04/comstock_stays_put.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/04/comstock_stays_put.html Inner Circle Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:30:39 -0400 No Republican presidential candidate has been the subject of such intense media scrutiny in the past few weeks than former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.). Whether it's good news (his $23 million first-quarter haul) or bad (his hunting credentials), Romney has been the story. Mitt Romney speaks during an "Ask Mitt Anything" question-and-answer session last week in Derry, N.H. (Getty Images) That makes it a good time to look at the men and women charged with introducing Romney to a national audience. Here is a snapshot of Romney's Inner Circle: * Beth Myers: The first among equals, Myers is Romney's campaign manager and closest aide. She was Romney's chief of staff during much of his term as governor, after having served a stint as a top adviser to Massachusetts Treasurer Joe Malone. Myers -- like many top GOP operatives in the '08 campaigns -- is an acolyte of Karl Rove, having http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/04/inner_circle_mitt_romney.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/04/inner_circle_mitt_romney.html Inner Circle Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:00:36 -0400 Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign may be less than 48 hours old, but she already has a full stable of senior staffers in place. Here is a look at the people who will guide Clinton's White House bid. Patti Solis Doyle: Unquestionably a first among equals in Clinton's inner circle, Solis Doyle will manage the campaign. She has been with Clinton since her days as the first lady of Arkansas. Mike Henry: A newcomer to the Clinton circle, Henry will be deputy campaign manager. He made a name for himself by leading Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) to victory in 2005 and then overseeing Senate Democrats' national ad campaign in 2006. Howard Wolfson: Wolfson will oversee the communications operation for Clinton, reprising the role he played in her 2000 Senate race. Wolfson has deep roots in New York Democratic Party politics, having worked for Sen. Charles E. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/clintons_inner_circle.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/clintons_inner_circle.html Inner Circle Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:00:32 -0400 Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has a famously loyal group of advisers -- individuals who have stood by his side not just in political campaigns but also in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the Big Apple. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gestures as he speaks after receiving the Pete DuPont Individual Freedom Award last week in Wilmington, Del.(AP Photo) But as Giuliani prepares to run for president in 2008, he appears to be reaching outside of that small cadre. His most recent move was adding former Iowa Rep. Jim Nussle to his quickly expanding team. Nussle was the GOP nominee for governor in the state last year. One thing Giuliani's team currently lacks is a pollster or a media consultant. In past races he has used Frank Luntz as his pollster and Adam Goodman as his http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/giulianis_widening_circle_of_a.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/giulianis_widening_circle_of_a.html Inner Circle Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:20:09 -0400 In announcing his presidential exploratory committee today, Sen. Barack Obama said he will not make a final decision on whether or not to run for president until February 10. Whether or not he's officially in the race for the 2008 Democratic nomination, the Illinois senator already has recruited an impressive group to run his national effort. Barack Obama poses for a photograph at the St. Mark Cathedral in Harvey, Ill., after paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (AP) Obama's campaign will be headquartered in Chicago, and most -- if not all -- of the key players charged with managing his race have already moved or are in the process of moving to the Windy City. Here's the early look at Obama's inner circle: David Plouffe: A partner in AKP Media (the consulting firm that handled Obama's media in the 2004 Senate race), Plouffe is widely expected to serve http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/the_obama_inner_circle.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/the_obama_inner_circle.html Inner Circle Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:03:22 -0400 Sen. Chris Dodd (Conn.) formalized his plans to run the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination today, telling radio host Don Imus that he is a dark horse for the nomination but insisting he can compete with better-known candidates in the arena of ideas. Dodd made his presidential plans official this week. Above, Dodd talks with Sen. John Kerry during a Senate committee hearing. (AP Photo) Dodd's path from "who?" to "serious contender" will be guided by a stable of political advisers that represent a mix of old and new. Some -- like pollster Stan Greenberg and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) -- have been with Dodd for decades, while others -- Jim Jordan and Amos Hochstein -- are newcomers who were previously committed to ex-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner. Here's a look at Dodd's Inner Circle: * Rep. Rosa DeLauro: DeLauro is a longtime Dodd ally, serving as the senator's chief of staff http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/dodd_inner_circle.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/dodd_inner_circle.html Inner Circle Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:46:48 -0400 Ever since John Kerry came up short in his 2004 challenge to President Bush, his running mate -- John Edwards -- has been preparing for a second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, a decision he formalized Thursday in New Orleans and Des Moines. With a second run never really in doubt, Edwards has kept a small group of senior advisers close to him over the intervening years, and those individuals will once again form the core of the Edwards inner circle. Not everyone is back -- spokeswoman Kim Rubey has decided to head into the consulting world. But by and large those who advised Edwards in his surprisingly strong 2004 campaign for president are back for a second shot at the highest office in the land. Here's a look at Edwards's Inner Circle: * David Bonior: Bonior is a former congressman from Michigan who served stints as House majority http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/the_inner_circle_john_edwards.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/the_inner_circle_john_edwards.html Inner Circle Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:02:47 -0400 With the 2008 campaign unfolding faster than even The Fix imagined, it's time to roll out a new feature: The Inner Circle. Sen. Sam Brownback says he is seriously considering a 2008 presidential bid. (AP Photo) The Inner Circle will look at the political advisers closest to each of the candidates (declared or likely) for the 2008 nomination -- the Svengalis and experts personally charged with raising the money, crafting the message and managing the campaign infrastructure needed to elect the next president of the United States. While no candidate wins because he (or she) has the best senior staff, the importance of installing skilled and loyal people in the top jobs is an essential part of any winning campaign. Take George W. Bush's first White House run: He placed Karl Rove, Karen Hughes and Joe Allbaugh -- three longtime associates -- in key staff roles for the 2000 campaign. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/sam_brownbacks_inner_circle.html http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/sam_brownbacks_inner_circle.html Inner Circle Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:00:37 -0400