Barack Obama

Tom Donilon, Serving Democratic Presidents For 30 Years

By Michael Scherer | @michaelscherer | October 15, 2010 | +

From President Jimmy Carter’s diary, Monday, August 11, 1980:

Monday evening the convention began. There were heated debates on the rules question. When the vote came we did better than we had anticipated, getting 1,935 votes–about a 700+ vote margin over Kennedy. He called me shortly afterward to say he was going to withdraw his name from contention. I asked him if he was going to endorse and be on the platform with me Thursday night. He said that would depend on how we worked out details of the platform. I pointed out there were a lot of differences between us and we couldn’t expect any substantial compatibility beyond what we already hammered out. He agreed and seemed to be in a good mood. Later, he announced his withdrawal from the campaign. This was a relief. It’s been a long, drawn-out, bitter confrontation between me and him.

Tom Donilon, a young computer and delegate management expert, did a superb job. As he walked through the crowd of people in our command headquarters, I could hear them shouting, “Donilon for president!”

For more on Donilon’s appointment as President Obama’s second National Security Adviser, see here.

Related Topics: Jimmy Carter, tom donilon, Barack Obama, White House

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  • destor23

    You know what’s been serving Democratic presidents even longer? You panderers at Time!

    Sorry, just wanted to try the other side. It’s kinda fun!

  • dsheehan5

    FTW!

  • dsheehan5

    (seriously, I laughed out loud at this one. In my imagination, I saw you grabbing Rusty’s tri-cornered hat, jumping up on the imaginary soap box in the town square, and shouting out in mock, proud indignation. It does kind sound like fun!)

  • freeinpa

    “Sorry, just wanted to try the other side. It’s kinda fun!”
    .
    And there is tons more material to work with!

  • hippooath

    “And there is tons more material to work with!”
    .
    Freeinpa, you are so right. That’s why most comedians are liberal, cause the other side supply such a wealth of material.

  • rwbbinla

    Maybe you should go to work for Monsters Inc, under the troll division, like newfreedom and freeinpa.

  • liberalmeltdown

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