Double Down: Game Change 2012 by Mark Halperin, John Heilemann
Authors: Mark Halperin, John Heilemann
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Guggenheim. Band had told them repeatedly that Clinton would not agree. He doesn’t do videos anymore, Band said. “Don’t ask.”
The Obamans thanked Clinton profusely for giving them so much time. We’re happy to do another briefing whenever you like, they said. Finally, as they packed up their things and headed for the door, Axelrod and Messina, disregarding Band’s admonitions, popped the question.
There’s one more thing, Mr. President. We’re really trying to get this video done. We know you’re busy, incredibly busy, but we’d really appreciate it if you’d give us a little bit of time and we could get some footage of you.
“Absolutely,” Clinton said. “Love to.”
The Obamans would soon come to understand that an easy yes from Clinton always had strings attached. But for now they were triumphant. From LaGuardia, they headed back to Washington for another strategy meeting with Obama the next day. None expected the fury that would face them in the morning.
• • •
O ABMA EXHALED HEAVILY WHEN he learned the news. He was stunned, then angry, then disappointed, then hurt. “I can’t believe this,” Obama said. “This is exactly what I said couldn’t happen.”
Obama was in the Oval Office early that Thursday, November 10—and being told that his list had leaked. The details came from Plouffe and Messina, who had learned that two authors writing a book on the 2012 campaign knew all about the extraordinary session six weeks earlier; they had the whole roster of Obama’s regrets in copious detail.
“How could someone do this to me?” Obama asked. “If I can’t be honest with you people, how can we keep having these meetings?”
“Well, that’s the issue,” Plouffe replied, reminding Obama of the warning he’d been given at the outset. “I think we obviously can’t.”
The immediate problem was that the next session was scheduled to start in a few minutes, at 10:00 a.m. The group was assembling in the Roosevelt Room, while Obama was doing a slow burn across the hall. Maybe they should just cancel the thing, shut it down? No, Obama said. I want to go in there and say my piece.
He walked into the room looking stern, asked Messina to explain to every one what had occurred—and then laid into his team.
When we started having these meetings, Obama said, I told you that I trusted everyone in this room. But now somebody has betrayed that trust. The fact is, I can’t trust anybody here anymore. I was cautioned about there being too many people in the meetings. But I thought we were all in thetrenches together and that all of you should be included on every part of this journey. I’ve found these meetings helpful and productive, because everybody here has been able to speak openly. But I no longer feel I can do that. So unless and until the person who did this comes to me, tells me they did this, and apologizes, these meetings are over. I’m gonna be in the Oval Office. When somebody is ready to come forward and own up to this, you know where to find me.
With that, Obama stood up and walked out the door, leaving a crashing silence behind him.
Everyone in the room had seen the president upset before. The Mr. Cool caricature was largely accurate, but Obama had a temper. No one had experienced anything like this, though—the combination of bone-chilling iciness and simmering fury, the sense that he felt wounded, even violated, by his own people. For what seemed an eternity, they stared at their shoes. And then the voice of Biden broke the hush.
That guy is the most amazing guy, the VP said, with evident emotion. It’s been a privilege for me to serve under him. I would throw myself in front of a bus for him if he asked me to do it. This guy sticks up for everybody in this room. You make mistakes, he sticks up for you. He doesn’t always tell you to your face, but when he’s out talking to other people, he’s incredibly proud of you. He’s always got our back. And we have
The Obamans thanked Clinton profusely for giving them so much time. We’re happy to do another briefing whenever you like, they said. Finally, as they packed up their things and headed for the door, Axelrod and Messina, disregarding Band’s admonitions, popped the question.
There’s one more thing, Mr. President. We’re really trying to get this video done. We know you’re busy, incredibly busy, but we’d really appreciate it if you’d give us a little bit of time and we could get some footage of you.
“Absolutely,” Clinton said. “Love to.”
The Obamans would soon come to understand that an easy yes from Clinton always had strings attached. But for now they were triumphant. From LaGuardia, they headed back to Washington for another strategy meeting with Obama the next day. None expected the fury that would face them in the morning.
• • •
O ABMA EXHALED HEAVILY WHEN he learned the news. He was stunned, then angry, then disappointed, then hurt. “I can’t believe this,” Obama said. “This is exactly what I said couldn’t happen.”
Obama was in the Oval Office early that Thursday, November 10—and being told that his list had leaked. The details came from Plouffe and Messina, who had learned that two authors writing a book on the 2012 campaign knew all about the extraordinary session six weeks earlier; they had the whole roster of Obama’s regrets in copious detail.
“How could someone do this to me?” Obama asked. “If I can’t be honest with you people, how can we keep having these meetings?”
“Well, that’s the issue,” Plouffe replied, reminding Obama of the warning he’d been given at the outset. “I think we obviously can’t.”
The immediate problem was that the next session was scheduled to start in a few minutes, at 10:00 a.m. The group was assembling in the Roosevelt Room, while Obama was doing a slow burn across the hall. Maybe they should just cancel the thing, shut it down? No, Obama said. I want to go in there and say my piece.
He walked into the room looking stern, asked Messina to explain to every one what had occurred—and then laid into his team.
When we started having these meetings, Obama said, I told you that I trusted everyone in this room. But now somebody has betrayed that trust. The fact is, I can’t trust anybody here anymore. I was cautioned about there being too many people in the meetings. But I thought we were all in thetrenches together and that all of you should be included on every part of this journey. I’ve found these meetings helpful and productive, because everybody here has been able to speak openly. But I no longer feel I can do that. So unless and until the person who did this comes to me, tells me they did this, and apologizes, these meetings are over. I’m gonna be in the Oval Office. When somebody is ready to come forward and own up to this, you know where to find me.
With that, Obama stood up and walked out the door, leaving a crashing silence behind him.
Everyone in the room had seen the president upset before. The Mr. Cool caricature was largely accurate, but Obama had a temper. No one had experienced anything like this, though—the combination of bone-chilling iciness and simmering fury, the sense that he felt wounded, even violated, by his own people. For what seemed an eternity, they stared at their shoes. And then the voice of Biden broke the hush.
That guy is the most amazing guy, the VP said, with evident emotion. It’s been a privilege for me to serve under him. I would throw myself in front of a bus for him if he asked me to do it. This guy sticks up for everybody in this room. You make mistakes, he sticks up for you. He doesn’t always tell you to your face, but when he’s out talking to other people, he’s incredibly proud of you. He’s always got our back. And we have
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