David Axelrod: Obama A Leader On Immigration
David Axelrod has come to the president’s defense after Mitt Romney seized on comments that Washington can’t be changed from the inside, saying that Barack Obama meant he needed to enlist the American people to make real change.
Axelrod cited Obama’s leadership on immigration as an example of this bottom-up change, Today reported. During four years of fierce opposition from Republicans, Obama learned the only way he can make change is to gain strong grassroots support.
“That’s a lesson that’s he’s learned over these four years,” David Axelrod told Today’s Savannah Guthrie. “That was the lesson he learned from the standoff on the debt ceiling last summer and he’s been making that point consistently.”
Axelrod said the fact that Mitt Romney seized on the president’s comments shows “how he’s just cascading from one gratuitous attack to another instead of talking about to solutions to problems we face,” Axelrod added
The gridlock President Obama faces is evident in the fight to enact immigration reform, David Axelrod added. Though Obama has strong support for his initiatives, he has faced opposition at every turn.
“Every single Republican walked away because it became the policy of the Republican party to walk away from immigration reform. Hopefully, with the votes in November, people will say, ‘OK, let’s come back to the table and get this done,’” he said.
Despite the Republican interference, Obama was able to pass some pieces of immigration reform in just the way Axelrod noted. He was able to sign a measure that suspends deportation for people brought to America as children and raised here, though not the full DREAM act he had wanted.
“He did move on that so there’s no doubt that he’s exercised leadership,” Axelrod said.
Axelrod is guiding Obama through a campaign that has reached another gear lately. Obama has seized control of the race, helped by the missteps of the Mitt Romney campaign — including hastily made comments criticizing the president in the wake of attacks on Americans in Libya and Egypt and later by the release of an incriminating video that shows Romney apparently disregarding the 47 percent of Americans that pay no income tax.
Obama now has extended his lead, according to election blog FiveThirtyEight, and has gained ground in crucial swing states like Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.
David Axelrod will have the chance to further make his case for Obama this Sunday morning when he appears on ABC’s This Week opposite RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.



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Sep 23, 2012
He is appealing to the grassroots all right. Like over half of the people who don't want Obamacare? He had two years of a Democratically controlled congress in his first two years in office to pass legislation, but somehow it did not get through. The right is responsible–what a joke! Got to have someone to blame, right?
Sep 23, 2012
Realistically Obama's plate was kind of full the first 2 years, with the utter financial ruin dropped in his lap, and thus, he could only pay for so many things. Everything you get done in Washington takes money…and it took a pile of it to dig ourselves out of the Bush era. Even more than anyone knew about because the Bush tax cuts and the two wars were never officially listed on the books. How are you going to pay for promises when there's so much hidden from public view? Come on…you telling me the Republicans saying "NO" constantly at every turn are doing the American people any favors in Washington? Gridlock = Bias.
Sep 23, 2012
Every time I hear Axelrod speak I think what a moron!
Sep 23, 2012
Well Gary they may have been hidden from public view but they were not hidden from Obama and he is the person that told everyone HE would clean up this mess. He told us he would cut SPENDING but spent over 5 trillion which is a record. Are you telling me GWB didnt have the Democrats telling him "NO" at every turn? Please your excuses for Obama arnt any better than the Snake Oil Salesman Axelrod
Sep 23, 2012
Axelrod is part of the Chicago Political machine – the same criminal element that started in the early 20th century.
Obama had complete control of Congress for the first two years of his term. His own party would not pass a budget generated in the House, rejected by the Senate which proves that his own party smelled a rat. There were Americans that started to see the corruption and began the swing back with the election of Republicans, taking majority control of the House. Today, with Obama going on all of the TV shows was a brilliant way to take control of the TV Media and blog sites such as Huffington Post. I am glad to see that Yahoo has not give in completely to the Left through censorship as AOL/Huff Post has done.
America needs to find the 'adult' in the game, and that is obviously the businessman candidate, and not the self absorbed Democrat who is all about redistribution (through the gun slinging IRS) from those that produce to those that consume.
Sep 23, 2012
@ ted Quincel. I agree with you 100%
Sep 23, 2012
David Axelrod is an idiot and a bully. Anything he says can be automatically discredited simply by the fact it crossed his lips.
Sep 23, 2012
Axelrod is a slime of the highest order. Look at his backround. So sick of the whole thing. The murder
of an ambassador is an act of war and to hear the spin and lies to protect Obama's ignorance is a new low. Bring on the debates….God help us….
Sep 23, 2012
Gary, you really need to stop backing up these guys, vote for ever you want but as Ted eluded Dave has always played the role of the snake. From his early days of reporting at the Tribune to Simon's campaign, to when he started his own company he was never trustworthy. He passed his expert experience to Obama, this is why we have smoke and mirrors now. I would like to get at least a little honesty out of any politician yet with Dave at the wheel all you are going to get is his version of the truth.
Sep 23, 2012
A good commander gets people together and gets things done, for the greater good. Haven't seen that yet from the President
Sep 23, 2012
Oh, so THAT'S what Obama meant–that he needed the help of the American PEOPLE! Well, why didn't he SAY so? Shouldn't that be called being "inarticulate," and therefore is pretty much the very same thing that OBAMA said about ROMNEY, correct? After all, Obama is such a great SPEECHMAKER, right?
Sep 23, 2012
Sure..Obama is a leader on immigration….He's an immigrant himself! An illegal one to boot!
Sep 23, 2012
I wouldn't believe Axelrod if he said the sun was shining unless I went & checked on it. The guy is just another of the stooges in the Obama show. Wasserman, Carney, Cutter, Biden, Pelosi are just mouth pieces for Obama. They haven't any brains & are really just Animatronics.
Sep 23, 2012
Gary, wake up. Enough with the blame Bush…if it was so difficult how did he find time to ram healthcare down our throats. Obama had two solid years that the republicans had no vote! Seriously at what point in a job does blame end and ownership begin? Obama was elected on being the one to change it for the better in 3.5…here we are and the beggar is looking to keep his job. It is sad! Kind of like the drunken wife beater always comes back as he figures America will welcome him back. Good luck as the college graduates that cannot get jobs are going back to their parents houses to find more of the same…one or both parents out of work and the house in foreclosure. Seems like you have had a bit too much of the choom juice it is okay. Obamacare will help you…NOT!
Sep 23, 2012
As far as stopping deportation, the parents knew what they were doing when they crossed the boarders illegally and these kids of theirs are anchor babies in the hopes the parents can stay here. I'm not buying the "they're here for jobs" b.s. when I've seen my small town be run over with drugs that have come up from Mexico and the mexicans get on government assistance and we all pay for it. I can barely get by or get ahead myself without the government getting bigger, extorting my money to give to someone else. I'll never be able to afford my kids through college, so why should we give our college seats to kids whose parents weren't here legally to begin with, let a long put a dime into the system? Furthermore, a large amount of politicians who've come out of Chicago is usually corrupt…Chicago politicians have been that way for decades.
Sep 23, 2012
AxelROD is a Commie swine Deport him and the Oslumbos.
Sep 23, 2012
Romney and Ryan need to hold up the criminal trespass warning issued on July 1, 2009 banning entry into City Hall/public meetings. “Obama for America” co-chairman Castro conspires with San Antonio TX city attorney Michael Bernard (brother of White House Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard) and others to hide three decades of fraud/theft including massive misuse/theft of HUD funds. The ban was issued within days of evidence/proof concerning public/police corruption was delivered to City officials. They refuse to provide a reason, time limit, due process hearing, etc.
Co-chairman Castro bans AMERICAN citizens from City Hall/Council meetings, violates our Constitution/Bill of Rights, Open Meeting Acts, etc. while touting “rights” of illegal aliens?
Read “An Enemy of the State” published by the late R G Griffing on the “SA Lightning” website.
Follow the money!
Search YouTube
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Sep 23, 2012
Voters have but to ask a single question…….
Mr. President ;.
Three years ago you were presented with irrefutable proof of a HUD-Federal Grant scandal involving your “Obama for America” co-chairman Julian Castro and San Antonio TX City Attorney Michael Bernard – brother of your White House Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard. You were provided with a copy of the unconstitutional criminal trespass warning they issued on July 1, 2009 in an effort to hide the tens of millions of dollars of fraud/theft by banning participation in public meetings.
You replied with a personal note on November 17, 2009 stating “Thank you for sending me materials to review “ but then failed to take any action. Why?
Follow the money!
Search YouTube
v=N9VL1nPBeak
v=-LbPQNVotVA
v=9wVcy82mt7A
Sep 23, 2012
How many times do they go back to Bush? Clinton dumped a shitload of crap on him. Less money for intelligence, almost nothing done about the attacks on Americans outside the US.(Just like Obama) Obama has been a mess for this country.
Sep 23, 2012
TIM WHAT ACREW, A$$HOLEROD AS THE RINGLIAR WHAT A CIRCUS
Sep 23, 2012
you are an obvious ass.
Sep 23, 2012
Citizens and legal residents must fight against the illegal alien invasion.
If we all agree that the horrendous financial costs of illegal immigration have exploded out of control, then the only true answer is to vote for as many representatives of TEA PARTY. Under a House of Representatives or Senate run completely by either the Republican or Democratic parties, nothing will ever change? It never has and never will? By bringing in Tea Party leadership, who are representatives of “The People of the United States”; not the special interests, unions, Wall Street, churches or majority radical organizations as ACLU, La Raza, we have alternate future for our families.
I am not voting for Barack Obama, a disguised Socialist or directly for Mitt Romney as part of the elite? However, with no possible alternative I am voting for Romney, but concentrating that the more TEA PARTY candidates gain access by intelligent people voting them into the Congress. Not that the liberal-Socialist-Marxist editorial in the press, will inform you that the Tea is not just white people, but a whole conglomeration of people. Everybody now should know the financial penalty of illegal immigration? Just remember that any amnesty. The Presidents executive orders enact is just another giant magnet to draw even more illegal immigrants and migrants. They are very much aware by what they believe is the “promise land”, that the American taxpayer has absolutely no choice in paying for their entire needs, because the federal courts demand it. Whether its Obama’s Dream Act, Sanctuary Cities, Chain Migration or just plain old illegal immigrants dodging agents at the border or those arriving in America, as an intentional overstays; supposed visitor by plane or ferry.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano states it would be too costly to deport the underestimated 11 million illegal immigrant invaders? Nevertheless her agency stays tight-lipped about the rising 100 billion dollar plus figure, which is a forcibly extracted in taxes annually. There are very few issues that are not unrelated with these people who should never be here. However, it all goes back to the inattention of Democrats and Republicans who abused their oath of office, after the 1986 Immigration Control and Reform law with the original STATED PROMISE by the late Ted Kennedy “NO MORE AMNESTIES”. The bill found passage because of this PROMISE to the American people that no more amnesties? Let’s face it; has there ever been a PROMISE that hasn’t been broken by those in Washington? That’s why with the voting in more TEA PARTY Politicians, “The People’s Legislators have a much better chance at a filibuster to stop a vote on bad policy as that infernal mass amnesty.
In the 1986 immigration law the Democrats refused to appropriate the money, so nothing was done? Now we have over 20 million + aliens settled here as unfettered illegally immigration demanding the same rights as citizens. The passage of the Dream Act was the consequences of decades of unrestrained females arriving from all over the world, to have their babies on the U.S. taxpayer’s dime. Then hundreds of billions of dollars from then on to pay for free health care, free education and free everything and now under Obama food stamps for all. But why even bother with any tough laws, when there is no real punishment? I am absolutely sure there was no intention from either party to stop cheap labor for Republicans, or illegal voting collections as the ACORN backed Democrats. Don’t think for one minute, that this fraudulent activity couldn’t happen again as it already has? Not only this canvassing Voter Fraud, but our service men and women abroad are being subdued before the nationwide election to cast their vote. Of course the easiest vote to fraudulently pass is the absentee ballot. These methods of criminal activity are predominantly affected by the Liberal class, which can cause major negative situations in specifically close races. From what I understand the TEA PARTY will be overseeing irregularities around the country at this an election that could have series consequences for our nation.
If Obama wins a second term there is sure to be a comprehensive amnesty, with American taxpayers the losers, having even a larger hunk taken from the payroll check. And to be honest I am not even confident of the Republicans agenda, as that tends to flip-flop? But what I am sure about is the plan of the TEA PARTY if they can eject many Democrats and Republican incumbents and replace them? It’s already happening and by replacing incumbents in the Republican Party can politically persist that the “LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT (E-VERIFY) and the BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP LAW” finds passage and enacted to restrain more illegal alien invaders. They bring their unborn babies here, to live as parasites of the U.S. taxpayer. The children of illegal aliens had no say in coming to America, but by the enactment of the BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL, this incredulous expensive issue for taxpayers is solved.
Not one to be a conspiracy theorist, but something seems to be irregular with Obama’s zealots concealing his birth background, military service papers and even his university history. If you are open to reserving your judgment, go to the TEA PARTY.ORG and you can make a decision on this set of events. If you have a closed mind and vote for President Obama, you better be ready in forty five days to place upon all taxpayers the largest tax hike in years. Of course this will pay for all the usual issues as defense of this country, but other tax funds will be going to pay for a new Obama amnesty, free hospitalization to deliver illegal alien babies, their schooling, low income housing, school breakfast and lunch, welfare payments for the child that goes towards the parents illegal employment cash and many things that are denied lawful citizens and green card holders, plus we shouldn’t forget the “Freeloaders.” Not the sick infirm, but those who are cheating the system, allowing others to pay for the cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. Learn more about the corruption and rot in Washington at The People’s legal team at Judicial Watch.org.
Our country is going to the dogs with Marxist “Political Correctness” Cops cannot do their duty, without being threatened by the subversives of a Justice Department run by Eric Holder and his czars. The Obama administration has trodden the U.S. Constitution into the slime of their agenda for an outlaw government.
As a late note that ICE is refusing to arrest illegal aliens in Arizona, we better hope Mitt Romney wins the Presidency? Then immediately propose Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio as head of DHS and then these travesties of our immigration laws will stop. Period!
Sep 23, 2012
You tell em Gary
Sep 24, 2012
You are too dumb to recognize a good thing. It will come to you 20 yrs from now if you are still alive. Maybe your ignorance won't kill you early.
Sep 24, 2012
Great Job Axelrod. Obama will be reelected. I am so glad! So you fools who don't like it get use to the new America which will be a better plaace.
Sep 24, 2012
At least he's a smart one and had a point to make which would make you…
Sep 24, 2012
"You are dumb…" Thanks for adding to an intelligent discussion. Obamacare was not the best way to reform healthcare. Putting big government in charge of anything and you get the Canadian quality of healthcare. Sure it's universal if you survive long enough to get treated.
Also private sector is the home of innovation. Look at our military technology compared to the Russians – we had private contractors and they had government – don't bring up the Chinese as they steal everything they have from us.
Immigration – Obama has barely paid lip service to this issue – never bringing up any serious reforms that pass through congress AND yes that does matter since that is our system and he has to learn to play nice with others and that he can't always have his own way.
Sep 24, 2012
Just time for a change. When someone isn't working out, it's better to try someone else.