Steve Elmendorf
Steve Elmendorf
Steven A. Elmendorf, a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., was a senior advisor to House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt for 12 years, serving as his chief of staff after 1997. Elmendorf was also deputy campaign manager for U.S. Senator John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president...
figure large lots morning offer people point talking view wake whether
A large part of it is getting a sense from the candidates' point of view of whether or not they really want to do this. Lots of people want to be president, but they've got to figure out: 'What do I have to offer that's going to make people want me to be president?' It's not something people wake up with one morning crystallized in their head. A lot of it comes from being out there, talking to people, test-driving their message.
acting build figure good major partisan program side stomach
I just don't think there will be a stomach for a major partisan program on one side or the other. You are going to have to figure out some things that let each side know that the other is acting in good faith, and build a relationship--which could take some time.
compelling dead finish iowa message second third weak
I think Kerry's dead because I don't think he has anything to say. Message has something to do with this, and I don't think he has anything interesting or compelling to say. He's a weak third in Iowa and a weak second in New Hampshire, and I think if you finish third in Iowa and a weak second in New Hampshire, you're through.
party speak worried
No congressional party is ever going to speak with one voice. It?s not possible. And I?m not worried about that.
hold lower power run standard voters
We're not in power. We don't run anything. So the standard by which voters hold us to is lower than the president's party.
blame chance charge extent house party voters win worried
They're in charge of the government. To the extent voters get worried about this, they're going to blame the party in control. I really think there's a chance we could win the House in 2006.
anybody candidate considered debate national needs wants
I think anybody who wants to be considered a significant national candidate needs to be out getting into the debate on policy.
groups size spending
Not many other groups of this size are spending $40 million. I think it will have an impact.
party winning important
The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections,
lying people answers
Clearly Democrats are not united in what is the critique of what we're doing there and what is the answer to what we do next. The difficulty of coming to a unified position is that for a lot of people who voted for it, they have to decide whether they can admit that they were misled.