First published 2009
David Plouffe sits at the center of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, steering strategy for two years as they navigate uncharted political territory. He faces the initial question of whether Obama should run at all, then guides the campaign through a brutal primary fight against Hillary Clinton. The general election against John McCain brings new challenges as Plouffe balances high-stakes political maneuvering with grassroots organizing. Digital technology transforms how they reach voters while a billion-dollar operation functions like a disciplined startup. Plouffe reveals the strategic decisions behind Obama's path to becoming America's first African American president. His account captures the tension between careful planning and split-second choices that shaped the race. The campaign reinvents political organizing and changes how democracy works in America.
Genres: biography, american, political-science, politics, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes, underdog
Setting: America
Period: 2008
400 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult