Karl Rove. David Axelrod. James Carville. Three of the most brilliant minds in politics, led their candidates through successful campaigns and then just… stopped. I figured at first maybe it was the work and stress, but no, Bob Shrum and Joe Trippi just keep on trucking along, working for multiple failed campaigns.
Do they just like cashing in? Do they fear that a subsequent loss would tarnish their brand, whereas the operatives who keep on losing have nothing to lose by continuing to work for campaigns, and when they get their big win they’ll get a job for a news network?
Probably exhaustion, and maybe that they only work for people they are very very close to. The guys that keep on trucking might just be the ones who like the constant game and spin.
That applies to Rove and maybe Axelrod, but Carville was a hired hand who had just brought a Senate candidate back from a 40 point deficit to in a race no one thought it possible to win. Then he takes his Presidential candidate from third to first. I guess you can’t ever top that.