David Axelrod, the longtime political consultant and commentator now serving as director of the UChicago Institute of Politics, has a unique perspective on civil-military relations. In 2004, Mr. Axelrod joined the U.S. Senate campaign of a young Illinois state senator named Barack Obama. Just four years later, he and his team of strategists orchestrated Mr. Obama’s historic campaign for the presidency. Then during the first two years of the administration, Mr. Axelrod served as a White House Senior Adviser, coordinating policy and communications -- where, among many other things, he observed the U.S. military and its role in a complex government.

Mr. Axelrod joined Thomas and Nick for a special live episode before an audience of professors and graduate students at the Harris School of Public Policy. They discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, political considerations in the national security process, the sometimes-tense relationship between the Pentagon and the White House, and Mr. Axelrod’s role as a political adviser. Also discussed: the USS JOHN McCAIN controversy, President Obama’s Nobel Prize, and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.

Podcast Production Credit:

Thomas Krasnican, host
Nick Paraiso, host
Haz Yano, producer
Julian Lake, engineer and producer
Aishwarya Kumar, producer
Mary Martha Maclay, producer

Special thanks to ret. Admiral Mike Mullen, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Golby, Captain Mike Robinson, Samantha Neal, the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and to everyone at Harris who came out and supported this live taping!