# What's David Plouffe going to do now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275 "2008-11-05T15:45:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/1 "2008-11-05T15:45:14Z")
Will he have a position in the Obama administration? Or go back to managing other candidates’ campaigns? Or what? I’ve heard a lot about how brilliantly he managed Obama’s campaign, but not much about what’s next for him. (Sorry if this is in the wrong place, mods; I wasn’t sure where to put it.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/2 "2008-11-05T15:47:47Z")
This will probably make some Dopers nauseous, but I imagine he’ll have a position in Obama’s administration that is analogous or identical to the position Rove had in the Bush White House until recently, which was Deputy Chief of Staff. Plouffe has reportedly become very close with Obama, so I imagine he’ll stay part of his team. But he’s going to be in extraordinarily high demand as an adviser to future Democratic campaigns probably _for decades_. In all likelihood I expect he’ll end up working with the next Democratic nominee. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/3 "2008-11-05T15:48:56Z")
I hope he stops e-mailing to ask for money. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/4 "2008-11-05T15:52:08Z")
I think **Marley** hit the nail on the head. He may have a position in the Obama Administration, but he’ll be in the highest demand for future dems, and undoubtedly the 2012 relection of Obama. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/5 "2008-11-05T15:54:25Z")
First, he’s going to learn how to change diapers. Then, he’s going to move on to burping techniques. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/6 "2008-11-05T16:03:18Z")
> [@C3](#): > > First, he’s going to learn how to change diapers. Then, he’s going to move on to burping techniques. Is this a subtle joke about how Plouffe has to manage Obama, or did Plouffe just have a baby, or none of the above, or what? Sorry, I think I’ve been whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/7 "2008-11-05T16:06:50Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Is this a subtle joke about how Plouffe has to manage Obama, or did Plouffe just have a baby, or none of the above, or what? Sorry, I think I’ve been whooshed. His wife is four days overdue with their first baby. He made it clear that he’d be at her side if she went into labor during the last few days of the campaign. She still hasn’t had the baby, yet, though! Poor guy still won’t be able to take his much-needed nap! ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/8 "2008-11-07T17:17:07Z")
They had their baby! I was wrong - this is their _second_ child, a baby girl. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/9 "2008-11-07T17:18:34Z")
Oh, and there’s some speculation that Plouffe, who is from Delaware, will be appointed to fill Biden’s Senate seat. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/10 "2008-11-07T17:21:10Z")
> [@C3](#): > > Oh, and there’s some speculation that Plouffe, who is from Delaware, will be appointed to fill Biden’s Senate seat. Oooh, that’d feel a little weird. Biden’s son is much better qualified, even given the nepotism issue and his service in Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/11 "2008-11-07T17:43:53Z")
The most likely outcome, should he want it, is for Plouffe to become Obama’s Political Director in the White House. It’s an unofficial/official position and the one that Rove had prior to becoming Deputy Chief of Staff. His job would be to keep an eye on his principle’s political positioning and to provide advice on such. Alternately, he cuts ties, announces ‘Plouffe and Assoc. Political Consulting’ and flights right up to multi-millionaire working on campaigns all over the country. The guys stock is THAT high right now. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/12 "2008-11-07T17:46:46Z")
When one’s stock is this high, about the last thing he should do is become the jr. Senator from Delaware. Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/13 "2008-11-07T17:56:40Z")
[Here’s](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/plouffe_to_the_senate.html) the speculation about the Senate seat, which Plouffe sort of dismisses. He says he will not be part of the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/14 "2008-11-07T18:07:53Z")
Pretty much anything he damn well pleases. He just made his rep BIGTIME, he’s set for life, he can pick and choose. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/15 "2008-11-07T18:09:34Z")
It’s probably also worth noting here that chief campaign strategist David Axelrod is going to be a senior adviser to Obama. But Axelrod is a good deal older than Plouffe, so they could have different plans and priorities and such. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/16 "2008-11-08T07:41:27Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > I hope he stops e-mailing to ask for money. 😃 That’s actually a very interesting question. I wonder if I have to cancel my reoccurring contribution? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/17 "2008-11-08T07:54:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This will probably make some Dopers nauseous, but I imagine he’ll have a position in Obama’s administration that is analogous or identical to the position Rove had in the Bush White House until recently, which was Deputy Chief of Staff. Plouffe has reportedly become very close with Obama, so I imagine he’ll stay part of his team. But he’s going to be in extraordinarily high demand as an adviser to future Democratic campaigns probably _for decades_. In all likelihood I expect he’ll end up working with the next Democratic nominee. Plouffe was Obama’s Campaign Manager, not his political strategist. They’re different jobs. Strategists…well…strategize. Campaign managers handle the nuts and bolts of running the campaign. Rove was a strategist, not a manager. Obama’s “Rove” is David Axelrod, who reportedly will have some sort of advisory role in the Obama administration. I don’t know what Plouffe will do, but a Senate run is rumored, as noted above. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/18 "2008-11-08T12:42:53Z")
OK, this may or may not answer the question, but the fact is that Plouffe has a job. He [runs a consulting company](http://www.akpmedia.com/) along with Axelrod and I presume he’ll go on running that company, making a lot more money than me, and doing really well at his job. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-david-plouffe-going-to-do-now/471275/19 "2008-11-08T13:11:42Z")
What I want to know is, what will the [BarackObama.com](http://BarackObama.com) webmaster do? Whoever it is, that person never has to have a real job again. Just give a few hundred grand consultations a year.