The man who helped engineer the campaign that brought President Obama to the White House said on Wednesday that he found a super PAC ad urging Vice President Joe Biden to run in 2016 “tasteless” and “exploitative.”
The advertisement, which the Draft Biden super PAC released Wednesday, was about how tragedies shaped his political career. It featured audio from a commencement speech that Biden gave during which he reflected on the car crash that killed his wife and daughter, and included a photo of his son, Beau Biden, who recently died from brain cancer.
Obama’s former adviser and strategist, David Axelrod, criticized the ad after it was released.
Am I alone in finding this Draft Biden ad tasteless? It’s powerful, but exploitative. Can’t believe he’d approve. http://t.co/HJuoWXDgAs
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) October 7, 2015
Axelrod is the director of the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and a senior political commentator for CNN. He told NBC’s “Today” show in August that he “would not” advise Biden to run for President.
Here’s the super PAC ad:
I think he’s correct.
I understand HRC just came out opting the TPP
Indeed it is tasteless. Pity is not a good enough reason to vote for any candidate.
I’m sorry to say it, and I’m grateful to David Axelrod, but he’s wrong. It doesn’t matter whether Joe B. would “approve.” This is recruiting. Doesn’t seem exploitative, either; it’s a direct appeal to Joe, not to you or me or to David.
She just came out opposing it, yes. Haven’t had a chance to read her statement yet.