David Plouffe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Plouffe
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Official portrait, 2012
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| Senior Advisor to the President | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – January 25, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Axelrod |
| Succeeded by | Dan Pfeiffer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 27, 1967 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Olivia Morgan |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Delaware (BA) |
David Plouffe (born May 27, 1967) is an American political expert. He is famous for being the campaign manager for Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential election campaign. He also advised Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign.
Plouffe has worked as a consultant for the Democratic Party for many years. He was a partner at a company called AKPD Message and Media. This company helps political campaigns.
He was a senior advisor to President Obama from the start of his time in office. In 2011, he became a Senior Advisor to the President inside the White House. After leaving the White House, he worked for Uber as a Senior Vice President. He later became a strategic adviser for Uber. In 2017, he joined the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. This group works on policy and advocacy. In 2019, he joined the board of ACRONYM. This group focuses on digital campaigns.
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Early Life and Education
David Plouffe was born and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. He came from a working-class family. His mother was a stay-at-home parent. His father worked in a factory and later in marketing.
Plouffe went to St. Mark's High School. He left the University of Delaware in 1989 to work full-time in politics. He later finished his college degree in 2010.
Political Career
Plouffe started his political work in 1990. He worked for Senator Tom Harkin's re-election campaign. He also helped with Harkin's presidential campaign in 1992. That same year, he successfully managed Congressman John Olver's re-election campaign in Massachusetts.
Leading Obama's 2008 Campaign
Plouffe was the campaign manager for Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential campaign. Many people say he created the winning plan for the campaign. This plan focused on winning the first caucus in Iowa. It also aimed to get as many delegates as possible.
He is also praised for Obama's success in Iowa. He helped plan the campaign to last beyond Super Tuesday. The Chicago Tribune newspaper said Plouffe was the "mastermind" behind the strategy. He kept strict control over how the campaign shared information. This helped avoid public disagreements.
In June 2008, when Obama won the Democratic Party nomination, he thanked Plouffe. Obama called him "the unsung hero of this campaign." He said Plouffe built "the best political campaign... in the history of the United States."
After the 2008 Election
After the election, Plouffe became an advisor to the Obama administration. In 2009, he wrote a book called The Audacity to Win. This book shared his strategies from the 2008 campaign. It became a New York Times bestseller.
He also started giving paid speeches. In May 2009, he gave a speech at Cornell University.
Senior Advisor to the President (2011–2013)
In January 2011, Plouffe joined the White House full-time. He became the Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor. In this role, he helped create White House plans. He also helped share the president's message. He traveled with the president on trips both in the U.S. and overseas.
After President Obama was re-elected, Plouffe left the White House in January 2013. On his last day, President Obama praised him. He said Plouffe cared deeply about people and justice. Obama said, "were it not for him, we would not have been as effective a White House."
Career After the White House
After leaving the White House, Plouffe became a contributor for Bloomberg TV and ABC News. In April 2013, he was honored by the American Association of Political Consultants.
In 2014, Plouffe became the Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Uber. Uber was growing fast and facing many rules. Plouffe's job was to help the company with these challenges.
In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg hired Plouffe. He led policy and advocacy for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. This group works to solve big problems in society.
In 2019, Plouffe joined the board of directors for ACRONYM. He advises on their programs and helps with fundraising. Plouffe also hosts a podcast called Campaign HQ with David Plouffe.
Advising Kamala Harris in 2024
In August 2024, Plouffe joined the Kamala Harris campaign. He served as a senior advisor.
Books by David Plouffe
- Plouffe, David. The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, Viking Adult (November 3, 2009); ISBN: 978-0-670-02133-8
- A Citizen's Guide to Beating Donald Trump
Personal Life
David Plouffe is married to Olivia Morgan. She is an advisor to Maria Shriver's A Woman's Nation. She was also a director for former California Governor Gray Davis. The couple lives in San Francisco and has two children.
See also
- List of Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign staff members
- Organizing for America
