David Axelrod Quotes
Politically, it may not be the right thing to do, but sometimes proceeding with one's responsibilities can have personal costs.
In 1989 the Commissioner came under severe personal attack from the medical industry for his efforts at medical cost containment.
David Axelrod, Health Commissioner, New York State, Quoted in New York Times, May 30, 1989
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Stimson had been asked by party leaders to run for Governor of New York. He sought advice from his old colleagues of the Theodore Roosevelt Administration. This quotation illustrates two interesting things. First, that the governor of the State of New York was considered by most as the second most powerful public position in the nation. Second, like Roosevelt himself, Stimson was from a very wealthy family and was also an accomplished attorney. Prior to Roosevelt, men of this class had not entered politics for many generations. When route told him that if he were defeated “ so much the better for you personally” he was not referring to the fact that Stimson could make much more money which he could but to the fact that he would not have the hard work, hassle and aggravation of public life.
Yet he fought very hard to get the speakership and keep it. It was particularly frustrating for him however as he had the Tea Party wing of his party who just wanted to stop and reduce government and its spending and would not compromise on issues. So he could not even negotiate for his majority in the House as without the Tea Party, he did not have a majority.
David M. Axelrod is an American political consultant and analyst and former White House official. He is best known for being the chief strategist for Barack Obama's presidential campaigns. After Obama's election, Axelrod was appointed as Senior Advisor to the President. He left the position in early 2011 and became the Senior Strategist for Obama's successful re-election campaign in 2012. Axelrod wrote for the Chicago Tribune, and joined CNN as Senior Political Commentator in 2015. As of December 2019, Axelrod serves as the director of the non-partisan University of Chicago Institute of Politics. His memoir is titled Believer: My Forty Years in Politics.
