David Plouffe, (l) and David Axelrod (r) at the 2008 Democratic convention at a breakfast for reporters sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor (photo by Lynn Sweet)
WASHINGTON–David Plouffe, the soft-spoken Obama presidential campaign manager, is stepping up his White House role, advising on the 2010 races as Democrats are reeling in the wake of the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat last Tuesday.
Plouffe is a senior advisor at the Chicago based political firm AKPD Message and Media, the company founded by David Axelrod, now a White House Senior Advisor. Plouffe took on advisor status at the firm after the 2008 presidential election. During the past year, he wrote a book, The Audacity to Win and has been out on the lecture circuit.
“David is value added, we love him and he has been off writing a book for a year. We are happy to have his talents back with us on a more regular basis,” Axelrod told CNN’s John King on “State of the Union.” Over at NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett told host David Gregory used the same phrase, saying Plouffe is “value added” to the White House political operation.
“David Plouffe has been a regular adviser to the president throughout the course of the year. He ran a magnificent campaign. He’s been off writing a book and on a book tour, and now that that’s running to a close the president asked him to come back. The president has full support of his team, and that team will work closely with David Plouffe. He’s value added, and we’re delighted to have him back,” Jarrett said.