Projo Politics Blog

Barack Obama's campaign manager, a tactics-and-strategy wizard with a reputation for throwing zingers at the opposition, has a Rhode Island connection.

David Plouffe is among the veterans of former House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt's staff who went over to work with Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committeee in 2000. Kennedy was committee chairman for that election cycle, when Democrats were trying to seize back control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans.

The effort fell short, but it was part of Plouffe's development as a master of the details of demographics and on-the-ground organizing that go into a national campaign.

And, as noted, his development as a master of the one-line blast at the opponent. This week, for example, Plouffe has not only assisted in Obama's introducton to the nation's prime-time television audience. He has tossed off barbs at McCain and other Republicans.

A favorite target, it seems, is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, whom Plouffe labeled a "job-killing machine,'' possibly warming up for the task of undermining a McCain ticket that might include Romney in the second slot.

Plouffe elaborated yesterday in a meeting with reporters, saying that the former governor "is an expert on things like Cayman Islands tax shelters.''

Along the way, Plouffe also boasted that Obama's national field organization is far superior to McCain's. "We're in 18 states,'' he said of Obama's army of organizers. In their door-to-door field work in those places, "we do not run into a John McCain field organization -- not in any meaningful way.''

Plouffe, by the way, is from Delaware, home of vice presidential nominee Joe Biden.

 Tags  David Plouffe Democratic Convention McCain Obama Patrick Kennedy Romney

---