David Axelrod: podcast appearances and interviews

David M. Axelrod, born on February 22, 1955, is an American political consultant and analyst. He is a member of the Democratic Party and has held various roles in politics and media. Axelrod began his career as a political reporter for the Chicago Tribune and later contributed to Paul Simon's successful 1984 U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois. He founded a political consultancy firm and established a reputation as a prominent Democratic strategist, working with clients such as Chicago Mayors Harold Washington and Richard M. Daley, serving as a longtime advisor to both. His national profile grew as he advised candidates including John Edwards in 2004 and Rahm Emanuel in 2006. Axelrod played a central role in the 2008 presidential election as the chief strategist for Barack Obama, whom he had known since the early 1990s. Following Obama's victory, he was appointed senior advisor to the president. Axelrod left this White House position in early 2011 to lead Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign as senior strategist. After the campaign, he retired from consulting and served as director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics from 2012 until 2023. Since 2015, Axelrod has been a senior political commentator on CNN. He is also affiliated with the Feliciano School of Business as an economist and author.