April 19, 2007
More On Joe Trippi And John Edwards
Some points about Joe Trippi and John Edwards:
# Trippi remains a hero to the Netroots. Justifiably. Opinions diverge when his fellow political strategists are polled, but many veteran strategists agree that Trippi is among the most brilliant, creative thinkers in politics.
# Trippi will be the first to tell you that he's not the best manager of personnel; in this role, he won’t have to manage anyone… just give advice.
# He's a big personality, and his reputation took a hit after 2004; That he would be asked to join a major Democratic campaign today, (and perhaps having chosen among several trying to recruit him, means that his standing has been rehabilitated.
# Edwards's strategy team includes pollster Harrison Hickman, deputy manager Jonathan Prince, longtime adviser Miles Lackey, senior adviser Chris Chafe, senior adviser Nick Baldick, political director David Medina and manager David Bonior. Elizabeth Edwards remains first among equals. It's not clear how well this team will work together in the long run, but if Trippi was asked to come aboard, it's safe to say that John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards are confident that everyone will play nicely.
# It's not entirely clear what role Trippi will play in developing Edwards's Internet activism capacity. Ex-Moveon.Org Advocacy Dir. Ben Brandzel and Kerry/Edwards '04 Internet Development Dir. Aaron Meyers head up the Internet department, while Dean alum Matt Gross advises the e-team.
# Trippi will also help create Edwards's television, internet and radio ads, joining consultant Marius Penczner .
# Two statements from the campaign: Bonior: "
We couldn't be more excited to have Joe join our team. He's creative, passionate, committed and shares John Edwards' vision of an America that works for all of us."
Prince said,
"Joe is a true believer who has never been the kind of guy who sits around and waits for somebody else to bring about the change he believes we need. And that's what our campaign is about. That's the challenge John and Elizabeth have laid before all of us. I'm glad Joe Trippi is one of those who's ready to take it up."
[MARC AMBINDER]
Posted at 03:50 PM
Comments
This is very good news for the Edwards campaign, but it really shouldn't be a surprise since the campaign brought on Trippi's most senior staffer from his firm, Daren Berringer to be their national field director a few weeks back. They have worked like dogs upsetting several incumbent Republicans together so this should really make things interesting. Trippi has trained him well.
Catherine | 04.19.07 04:47 PM
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Will John Edwards be this year's Wes Clark? That's the question for me.
http://www.brunoandtheprofessor.com/2007/04/is_john_edwards_this_years_wes_clark.php
Frank | 04.19.07 06:37 PM
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Did Trippi decide he wanted back in the game and approach Edwards or was Edwards pursuing Trippi? Also, you throw out "perhaps having chosen among several trying to recruit him. Obviously, you have no evidence that any other campaigns were trying to recruit him, so why bring it up? And last, is there really any other campaign that really would have been interested in Trippi? None that I can think of, maybe you can.
Linda Tinjum | 04.19.07 07:08 PM
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Prince nailed it - Joe is a true believer and he has a unique ability to get people to do the impossible. A very smart move by Edwards IMHO.
John Pettitt | 04.19.07 07:22 PM
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John Edwards is the best choice and adding Joe Trippi is brilliant no matter who's idea it was. Joe sure didnt' make Dean crash and burn, he was masterful in that campaign. This race is the tortoise and the hare, watch out HIllary, John is climbing the hill.
Julie K. Smith | 04.20.07 01:00 PM
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I have been supporting John Edwards, but bringing Trippi on board gives me pause.
I don't blame him for Dean's crash-and-burn, and I don't care whether or not he is a competent manager of personnel. I do care that his financial dealings with the Dean campaign were at the very least a conflict of interest and unethical.
To trumpet his involvement with the campaign as "unpaid" and "volunteer" in nature and then to make tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars by running ad buys through his company and taking a commission was sleazy. That those ad buys exhausted Dean's campaign coffers months before the first primary makes one question the motivation for their premature placement.
Bringing Trippi on board reflects Edwards' sound reasoning that the internet will be even more important in 2008 than it was in 2004. Unfortunately, it also reflects an "ends justifies the means" attitude that disappoints me.
Steve Spain | 05.07.07 11:11 AM
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