David Plouffe

I'm not sure how to rate this. It delivered on everything I expected: an inside look at Obama's campaign, especially the revolutionary volunteer network and use of technology. Plouffe is a total political history nerd and sometimes he's so confident in his readers' knowledge that he neglects to mention campaign results and percentages, so much so that I occasionally had to consult Google to get a fuller picture. It was fun recounting the highs and lows of the campaign, winning Iowa, Sarah show more Palin's ascendancy, Rev. Wright, though the book wasn't focused on telling these stories. The best bits were the unexpected insights into Obama's character. It made me more appreciative and trusting of our president, an especially welcome reaction in such a difficult political climate. show less

5503. The Audacity to Win The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, by David Plouffe (read 2 Oct 2017) I know, I should have read this when it came out in 2009 but since I did not I am glad I read it now. There was some advantage in reading it now rather than in 2009 since as I was reading I kept thinking the author should not be telling all things he was setting out since I thought it would be helpful to the Republicans. But reading it now I took solace in the fact show more that Obama was re-elected in 2012 so things the book told did not prevent the excellent result of the 2012 election. The author was the manager of Obama's campaign in 2008 and the book sets out the trials and triumphs of 2008, including an account of the grueling contest with Hillary. In 2008 Obama was not my first choice for the Democratic nomination but I supported him in the Iowa caucus that year because I feared that Hillary could not be elected and I felt it was essential that the Democrats regain the White House. The book tells of the 2008 campaign and shows that the author was indeed crucial to the victory of Obama. I am not a political scientist and this book would probably be better appreciated by a political scientist, but I was impressed by what a strenuous job running a presidential campaign is and how intense the pressure is for all the time that the process is proceeding. show less

The election of Barack Obama in 2008 looked to be the most amazing upset. As a young and vibrant black senator with negligible experience who would not only have to go in and carry all the states won by John Kerry back in the 2004 election but make inroads into traditionally red states Obama did not seem to have an obvious path to victory. This book shows how the impossible was achieved, not just defeating McCain but triumphing over the other must beat candidate, Hilary Clinton.

Beating show more Clinton was quite an achievement and nearly the first half of the book is dedicated to the first year spent almost entirely in Iowa building up a phenomenal grass roots base and putting Obama on the map. Winning Iowa would mean building up the momentum that, a long way down the line, finally brought him the nomination. His path to victory was built upon expanding the electorate, registering new voters, appealing to moderate republicans and campaigning in the counties and areas of the states which would maximise his delegate count and thus secure him the nomination.

The book shows Obama to be better organised, better prepared, better disciplined, better financed and running to a better strategy than either Clinton or McCain. There is a lot to admire in the way they fought these campaigns, the grass roots organisations they built up rather than relying on in-state old party king-makers, the use of new media to communicate with members and supporters and often to break news directly to the party first is all commendable. One cannot help but feel that they these are people who know the system and played to the system. Against Clinton the focus of the campaigning was winning the delegates and against McCain it was about playing the board making the best electoral college arithmetic and arrive at the magical number 270. At no point do you feel that winning the popular vote was a real concern and I guess that just means that they were smart but one cannot help but consider the efficacy of an electoral system that would allow the popular vote to be a secondary concern.

A very interesting dose of insight!
http://paolosinterweblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/audacity-to-win-by-david-plouffe.h... show less

Written by campaign manager for Barack Obama, the author provides the reader with step-by-step instructions for how to beat Trump in 2020. Of course, this was written before the pandemic and economic crash that is dictating a new norm in presidential campaigns. However, it still is valid in many ways, especially stressing the importance of the volunteers who make up the "ground game." I loved this book.