Then again, I don't haunt the "corridors of Democratic power":
And no subject is more avidly considered in the corridors of Democratic power than the future role of his chief adviser, political consultant David Axelrod. Democrats who know the Chicago-based political consultant, the key architect of Obama's campaign and of his public image, say Axelrod has signaled that he'll seriously consider taking on a job in the administration. That decision would be a central choice in shaping an Obama White House, and determining the relationship between his style of governance and political strategy.
Snark aside, it is an interesting question, and I'm surprised I haven't seen it discussed anywhere else. As the article notes, there's a menu of possible jobs, from a formal member of the White House staff (Karl Rove was Bush's deputy chief of staff) to an independent consultant on retainer. That said, it's not clear how much difference where Axlerod is housed would make:
Axelrod would be expected to be a key adviser to Obama wherever he keeps his office, and his roots in Chicago are deep. "I'm proudly an outside-the-Beltway consultant," he told Politico last year. "David has never shown a desire to move to Washington, but it's hard to tell a president no," said a veteran of one White House political operation.
Axlerod hardly seems like a very threatening figure -- no matter what job he gets he won't be Karl Rove. And there's nothing wrong with presidents getting political advice; they practice politics. Still, for appearances if nothing else, it might not hurt to keep him at some distance.
What do you think?
--Sam Boyd
