Obama's chief strategist is the candidate's close friend and most influential adviser.
Axelrod's soft-spoken manner and slightly disheveled appearance--stand clear when he's digging into a bowl of chips and guacamole--can make him seem a bit like a bumbling history professor. But within the campaign's inner circle, no one's voice matters more. "He understands Barack's voice and the kind of campaign Barack wants to run," says campaign manager David Plouffe. The campaign's big-think architect, Axelrod recruited the pollsters and ad makers, and watches over their work, reviewing ads, shaping strategy, editing speeches and crafting the overall "message." Born and raised in ...