The returns are in: Axelrod a winner as consultant

It has been David Axelrod's year.

At the age of 33, the tall, dark-haired Oak Park Democrat iswinning plaudits as one of the nation's more accomplished politicalconsultants. In the Midwest, he is known as the master of the game.Within Chicago's political consulting corps, he is the dominantforce.

Axelrod has just scored two notable victories. He was a majorarchitect of Richard M. Daley's election as the 45th mayor ofChicago, shaping the strategy and the message that produced alandslide victory. And, in Indiana, he was the media guru who joltedthe Bush administration by winning Dan Quayle's old congressionalseat for Democrat Jill Long. Republican National Chairman LeeAtwater paid tribute to Axelrod's hard-hitting TV spots that linkedher GOP opponent to high taxes.

When Daley, then running for a third term as state's attorney,signed Axelrod last fall as his media consultant, it signalled thatDaley had bigger things in mind. Axelrod was former Mayor HaroldWashington's political consultant in his 1987 re-election bid.Former Mayor Jane M. Byrne said Axelrod's attack commercials were adecisive factor in her narrow loss to Washington.

It is a measure of Axelrod's reputation that he has beenrecruited locally by every serious mayoral contender in the last twoelections, with the exception of Past Eddie, for whom he would notwork on principle.

His spots for Daley were more distinctive than those produced byout-of-towners Ray Strother and Bob Squier for Daley in previouscampaigns. Axelrod also deserves much of the credit for Daley'simproved debating performances.

Axelrod is the first local political consultant whose spots havebeen featured on "Face the Nation" and in Time magazine. Evenopponents acknowledge that he's witty and clever.

In contrast to the Beltway hired guns, Axelrod doesn't giveshort shrift to his clients. He is on the ground as an activeparticipant in every campaign that he undertakes. He also works onlyfor Democrats.

Ever since he was a kid in New York, Axelrod has been addictedto politics. He worked as a volunteer in Robert F. Kennedy's 1964U.S. Senate campaign and in John V. Lindsay's New York mayoral bidsin the 1960s.

Moving to Chicago in 1972 to study political science at theUniversity of Chicago, Axelrod wrote a political column for the HydePark Herald. After graduation, he joined the Chicago Tribune andquickly became one of the town's top political reporters. A 1984Axelrod scoop about a controversial Gary Hart TV spot had significantimpact on the Democratic race.

He quit the newspaper game in 1984 to take over Paul Simon'sfaltering Senate bid. By sharpening Simon's message and accentuatingthree-term Republican incumbent Charles Percy's negatives, Axelrodengineered Simon's upset victory.

In a profession renowned for blue smoke and mirrors, Axelrod isrespected for his blunt advice. He warned Simon that a 1988presidential candidacy could jeopardize his re-election chances tothe Senate. But when Simon ran, Axelrod produced the spots that tookSimon to the top of Iowa polls. Simon, though, wouldn't come up witha sharp enough message to win.

Simon may face an uphill re-election fight without Axelrod.Rep. Lynn Martin (R-Ill.), a prospective Simon rival next year,penned Axelrod a note last week, confiding, "Whatever the reason, I'msure glad you won't be with Paul Simon."

Steve Neal is the Chicago Sun-Times political editor.