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Jim Messina
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations
In office January 20, 2009 – January 26, 2011
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Blake Gottesman
Succeeded by	Alyssa Mastromonaco
Personal details
Born	(1969-10-29) October 29, 1969 (age 55) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Montana (BA)

Jim Messina (born October 29, 1969) is an American political adviser who was the White House deputy chief of staff for operations under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011 and served as the campaign manager for Obama's successful 2012 re-election campaign. He is the CEO of the Messina Group.

Messina became President Obama's White House deputy chief of staff and earned the nickname "the fixer." Dan Pfeiffer called Messina "the most powerful person in Washington that you haven't heard of." Messina was integral to the passage on the Affordable Care Act and was widely credited with the effort to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.

In January 2013, the Obama administration announced the launch of Organizing for Action, an advocacy organization that would promote President Obama's policies, with Jim Messina as national chair. That same year, Messina became co-chair of Priorities USA Action.

In various roles he has advised a number of international campaigns and candidates, including former UK prime minister David Cameron, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi, and UK prime minister Theresa May.

Early life and education

Messina was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Boise, Idaho. He graduated from Boise High School in 1988 and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and journalism from the University of Montana in 1993. In 1993, as a college senior, Messina managed Dan Kemmis's successful re-election bid for mayor of Missoula, Montana.

Career

Prior to first Obama campaign

In 1995, Messina was hired by Democratic U.S. senator Max Baucus of Montana. They describe their relationship as father-son-like. In 2002, he ran Baucus's 2002 re-election campaign. Messina "refused to let Baucus attend any debate that didn't include a third-party candidate whose skin had turned blue from drinking an anti-infection solution", which was a distraction to help take attention away from the more credible Republican candidate. Messina was purportedly responsible for creating an ad for Baucus that observers considered homophobic.

In 2005, he re-united with Baucus and became his chief of staff. Messina was integral in devising the Democratic strategy that prevented the allowance of private accounts within Social Security. Messina was credited by The New York Times Magazine as the brains behind the defeat of President Bush's plan.

Messina has also been involved with other political campaigns from Alaska to New York, including serving as an advisor to Montana state senator Jon Tester's successful election in 2006. In 1999, he became chief of staff to Democratic U.S. congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy of New York. He then became chief of staff to U.S. senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, from 2002 to 2004. In 2004, he made $80,510 and in 2005 made $128,936.

Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008

Messina was hired as National Chief of Staff for the Obama campaign in the 2008 general election. He was credited with leading the efforts to staff up for the general election and controlled a $750 million budget.

After Obama won, Messina was named Director of Personnel for the Obama-Biden Transition team, helping Obama pick his cabinet.

Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012

Messina was Obama's campaign manager during the 2012 presidential election. In January 2011, Messina left his job at the White House and began "a rolling series of personal seminars with the CEOs and senior executives of companies that included Apple, Facebook, Zynga, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and DreamWorks". His goal, he said, was to learn everything he could about "organizational growth, emerging technologies, marketing", to better serve the President in his role as campaign manager during the 2012 re-election campaign.

For his work, the American Political Consultant's association named him the International Strategist of the Year.

After second Obama campaign

In January 2013, Messina became head of Organizing for Action (OFA), using the Obama For America database and other resources to support President Obama's legislative agenda in his second term. While OFA was formed in 2009 by the President-elect, it was reformed as a political-action non-profit group in January, 2013.

He founded The Messina Group, a full-service consulting firm with offices in Washington, New York, San Francisco, and London.

In August 2013, Messina signed on as a consultant to the British Conservative Party, helping them successfully fend off a challenge from the Labour Party in 2015. "Whereas British pollsters consistently missed that the Tories were moving into pole position, Messina's internal numbers showed for weeks they were on course to be the largest party."

While some were surprised by Messina's move to work with the Tories, The Daily Telegraph pointed out that "this makes more sense when you consider that Mr Cameron's policies – such as support for gay marriage and confronting climate change – would probably make him a centrist Democrat in the United States." The combination of "data-driven ground game, relentless messaging and sophisticated social media is Mr Messina's signature", and as stated in The Daily Telegraph, is what Mr. Messina brought to the Cameron campaign, ultimately aiding in a stunning victory for the Conservatives. In a statement, Messina also added his personal admiration for Prime Minister David Cameron.

In January 2016, Messina was hired by Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi as campaign's advisor for the constitutional referendum in December. The campaign was unsuccessful and Renzi was forced to resign as prime minister in its wake. Messina received 400,000 euros for his advice.

In June 2016, Messina began working with Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, using data and targeted social media that ultimately helped Rajoy win a bigger than expected victory in that year's elections and take charge of a minority government in October of that year.

Messina worked with Prime Minister Theresa May as a campaign strategist for the 2017 United Kingdom general election. Theresa May and the Conservatives suffered a very underwhelming performance, in which she successfully remained prime minister, however, did not manage to keep Conservatives in the majority. For May, the election has been called a "disastrous gamble".

Personal life

Messina has Italian ancestry; in 2013 he received the Machiavelli Award as the Italian American Democrat of the Year.

References

1. "Obama's People". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
2. "Obama makes early appointments". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 17, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
3. Tapper, Jake (January 27, 2011). "Jay Carney Picked as New White House Press Secretary". ABC News. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
4. Zeleny, Jeff (April 2, 2011). "An Obama Insider, Running the Race From Afar". The New York Times.
5. "The Messina Group". Retrieved July 24, 2017.
6. Huey, Caitlin (April 11, 2011). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jim Messina". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
7. "Jim Messina, Obama's Enforcer". The Nation. March 30, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
8. Kirkpatrick, David D. (August 6, 2009). "White House Affirms Deal on Drug Cost". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
9. Gerstein, Josh. "White House sets 'don't ask' strategy session - Josh Gerstein". Politico. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
10. "Obama unveils 'Organizing for Action'". Politico. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
11. "Obama campaign to support super PAC fundraising". Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
12. Jacobs, Ben (May 8, 2015). "Does David Cameron's win mean Jim Messina is better than David Axelrod?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
13. ^ "May Hires Jim Messina for U.K. Conservative Election Team". Bloomberg.com. April 24, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
14. "Messina Honored". School of Journalism, University of Montana. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
15. "Obama Hires Boise High Graduate as Chief of Staff". New West Boise. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
16. "How to get an Obama staff job - Andie Coller". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
17. Thrush, Glenn. "Can Jim Messina get it done for President Obama? - Page 3". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
18. Hastings, Michael (June 15, 2012). "Obama Campaign Manager Behind Anti-Gay Ad". BuzzFeed. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
19. ^ Kornblut, Anne E. (February 21, 2009). "Low-Profile Aide Messina Tackles Obama's Tough Political Problems". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
20. Bai, Matt (July 17, 2005). "The Framing Wars". The New York Times Magazine. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
21. "James A. Messina relationship map". Muckety. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
22. — President Truman. "James A. Messina (Jim) - Congressional Staffer Salary Data". Legistorm.com. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
23. "Making a name". Missoula News. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
24. "Battle Plans". The New Yorker. November 9, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
25. Coller, Andie. "How to get an Obama staff job". Politico. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
26. ^ "Obama's CEO: Jim Messina Has a President to Sell". Bloomberg.com. June 15, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
27. "2013 Pollie Award Winners". theaapc.org. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
28. "JIM MESSINA opens The Messina Group, with focus on Obama and progressives -- GEITHNER plans no-fee college tour on the craft of crisis response -- BIG WIN FOR MAYOR BLOOMBERG in Chicago race". Politico. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
29. "The Messina Group". Retrieved April 8, 2015.
30. "Jim Messina signs on as campaign adviser to Conservatives — in Britain". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
31. ^ "Jim Messina interview: how the pollsters got it wrong and why Labour lost". Coffee House. May 12, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
32. "American Way: can Jim Messina do for David Cameron what he did for Barack Obama?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
33. Erlanger, Steven; Castle, Stephen (May 8, 2015). "David Cameron and Conservatives Get Majority in British Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
34. Stratton, Allegra (August 2, 2013). "Tories hire Obama campaign chief Jim Messina". BBC News. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
35. Renzi assume Jim Messina per risolvere i problemi del Pd (come consigliato dal Foglio mesi fa) Archived 2016-09-12 at the Wayback Machine.
36. "Italy's Matteo Renzi loses vote and offers resignation". BBC News. December 5, 2016.
37. "Referendum, Jim Messina pagato 400 mila euro dal Pd per la campagna per il sì". The Huffington Post (in Italian). October 5, 2016.
38. "El secreto mejor guardado del triunfo de Rajoy: Big Data, Facebook y la gurú de Obama". Marketing Directo (in European Spanish). July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
39. "Believe it or not, but the Tories are running an energetic election campaign – you just can't see it". New Statesman. May 10, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
40. Castle, Stephen (June 12, 2017). "Theresa May Battles to Hold On as U.K. Prime Minister". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
41. "Analysis | Theresa May's disastrous gamble on the future of Britain". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
42. "Jim Messina to receive Machiavelli Award as the Italian American Democrat of the Year at Inaugural Reception Sunday". Italian Americans News. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.

External links

• Organizing for Action Archived August 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
• Jim Messina at The Harry Walker Agency
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Jim Messina collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina official White House site (archived)
• Obama's CEO: Jim Messina Has a President to Sell, Joshua Green, Bloomberg Businessweek, June 14, 2012

v t e Obama administration personnel
v t e Cabinet and cabinet-level Office Name Term Office Name Term Secretary of State John Kerry 2013–2017 Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew 2013–2017 Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter 2015–2017 Attorney General Loretta Lynch 2015–2017 Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell 2013–2017 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack 2009–2017 Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker 2013–2017 Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez 2013–2017 Secretary of Health and   Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2014–2017 Secretary of Education Secretary of Transportation John King Jr. Anthony Foxx 2016–2017 2013–2017 Secretary of Housing and Urban   Development Julian Castro 2014–2017 Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald 2014–2017 Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz 2013–2017 Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson 2013–2017 Vice President Joe Biden 2009–2017 White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough 2013–2017 Director of the Office of Management and   Budget Shaun Donovan 2014–2017 Administrator of the Environmental   Protection Agency Gina McCarthy 2013–2017 Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power 2013–2017 Chair of the Council of Economic   Advisers Jason Furman 2013–2017 Trade Representative Michael Froman 2013–2017 Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet 2014–2017 Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet
v t e Executive Office of the President Office Name Term Office Name Term White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10 Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13 William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17 Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10 Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14 Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17 Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17 Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009–13 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009 Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10 Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12 John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009 Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009 David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15 Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17 Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11 Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14 Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16 Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17 Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11 Director, Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13 Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17 Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11 Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13 David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17 Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11 Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13 Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17 Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13 Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17 Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11 Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13 Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16 Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016 Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17 Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11 Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16 Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13 Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14 Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15 Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17 Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11 Director, Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12 Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13 Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17 Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11 White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15 Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17 Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11 Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14 White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17 Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17 Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11 Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15 Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17 Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17 Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12 Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17 Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10 Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12 Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13 Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14 White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014 Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17 Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11 Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14 Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17 Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13 Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17 White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon† 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14 Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17 Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14 Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15 Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17 † Remained from previous administration.
v t e Office of the Vice President Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Vice President Steve Ricchetti Counsel to the Vice President Cynthia Hogan Counselor to the Vice President Mike Donilon Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison Evan Ryan Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications Shailagh Murray Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President Shailagh Murray Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President Brian P. McKeon Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady Carlos Elizondo National Security Adviser to the Vice President Colin Kahl Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Second Lady Catherine M. Russell Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President Moises Vela Domestic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Terrell McSweeny Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Jared Bernstein Press Secretary to the Vice President Elizabeth Alexander Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President Annie Tomasini Director of Legislative Affairs Sudafi Henry Director of Communications for the Second Lady Courtney O’Donnell

• 1969 births
• American campaign managers
• American people of Italian descent
• Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign
• Living people
• Obama administration personnel
• University of Montana alumni
• White House Deputy Chiefs of Staff
• People from Denver
• People from Boise, Idaho
• Chiefs of staff to United States senators