The Chicago Tribune Reveals the Democrat 2012 Pitch to Independents

By Lee Cary

In a November 6 editorial that drew little attention, the Chicago Tribune revealed part of the Obama campaign strategy to attract independent voters in 2012. In comparison, a November 27 New York Times article is still attracting attention, particularly within conservative circles. It describes a growing consensus among senior Democrat strategists that the Obama campaign needs to essentially write off "white working-class voters" and focus on "voters who have gotten ahead on the basis of educational attainment ... and lower-income voters who are disproportionately African-American and Hispanic." Although the earlier Tribune editorial drew much less notice, it deserves attention for what it reveals about Obama's re-election strategy toward independent voters. The axis of Obama's campaign revolves around the two Davids -- David Plouffe, Obama's '08 campaign manager, and David Axelrod, Obama's '08 chief strategist. David P.'s office is in the White House. David A.'s desk is in Chicago. Plouffe and Axelrod worked together at AKPD, a firm started by Axelrod with the mission "to provide superior strategic and communications advice.... (Read Full Article)