Double Down: Game Change 2012 (75 page)

Then there was Hillary Clinton. Four years earlier, Obama had defied all expectations—and the advice of his own people—by bringing Clinton onto his team. The alliance seemed tenuous and fraught, but it had worked out better than anyone save Obama himself ever expected; he and his former rival proved effective partners. Now, at the close of 2012, with Hillary ready to depart her perch at the State Department, Obama’s relationship with the Clintons had reached a new and unforeseen phase. On election night, the instant that Obama hung up with Romney, he turned to Messina and said, “Get Bill on the phone.” Amazingly, The One and the Big Dog had become something like friends.

In the weeks that followed, Obama provided the tea-leaf readers with much to study. A round of golf with 42 at Andrews saw 44 skipping out early
on the back nine to maintain a one-stroke lead—that was how Clinton told it, anyway, with a big smile on his face. Next came a joint
60 Minutes
interview with Hillary, in which Obama praised her lavishly, calling her “one of the finest secretary of states we’ve had.” Once upon a time, not all that long ago, the Obamas and the Clintons had been the Montagues and the Capulets. Now, more and more, it seemed as if the four most popular political figures in the country—Barack and Michelle, Hillary and Bill—were part of the same powerful family.

No president in memory had cared less about party succession than Obama. The idea that he would place a thumb on the scale if both Clinton and Biden sought their party’s 2016 nomination was inconceivable. Yet for the two likely Democratic front-runners in the campaign to come, 44 would be ever present. They would seek to replicate his team’s skills at raising money and moving votes. They would woo his rising coalition. They would pray that he delivered them a robust economy. They would strive to defend his record, which they had helped to forge. Neither Hillary nor Joe was really the gambling type. But for good or ill, if they sought the Oval Office, they would have no choice but to double down on Barack Obama.

Michelle and Barack Obama. The first lady, hugely popular with the American public, was a formidable force inside the White House and out on the campaign trail.

Photography by Christopher Anderson

Mitt and Ann Romney. Famously devoted to his wife of four decades, Mitt felt most comfortable and confident when Ann was at his side, prompting his team to adjust her campaign schedule accordingly.

Jon Huntsman, with his wife, Mary Kaye and daughters, Liddy (left) and Abby (right). The former Utah governor and Obama’s ambassador to China entered the race with loads of promise, but his campaign collapsed in a mass of contradictions and confusion.

Newt and Callista Gingrich. The former House speaker and 1990s GOP icon, mellowed by marriage to Callista, was unnerved by Romney’s massive money machine and reverted to his prickly, irrepressible disposition in the face of the onslaught.

Michele Bachmann. The congresswoman from Minnesota dazzled in early debates but saw her efforts crumble when Rick Perry joined the race.

Rick Santorum. Operating on a shoestring budget, the former senator from Pennsylvania enjoyed a sudden burst of momentum and press attention that led to a surprise victory in the Iowa caucuses.

Herman Cain. With his charming affect and zingy 9-9-9 tax slogan, the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO had a brief run at first place in the polls but was brought down by scandal.

Rick Perry. As a presidential contender, the handsome Texas governor seemed to have it all—until he declared his candidacy and stepped onto the debate stage.

Chris Christie. The New Jersey governor was nicknamed “Big Boy” by George W. Bush— reflecting his outsize personality, physicality, and political potential. Christie considered his own 2012 presidential bid before endorsing Romney.

Paul Ryan. Mitt Romney tapped the young Wisconsin congressman as his running mate for his keen intelligence, Capitol Hill experience, and ability to energize conservative voters.