The Audacity to Win

Book excerpt: The inside story of a brilliant campaign, with lessons on how the Democrats can secure victory in the future--from the author of A Citizen's Guide to Beating Donald Trump. Since David Plouffe helped design the plan that brought candidate Obama to the White House, the lessons of that plan have become only more relevant. Today, conservative forces led by figures like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck threaten to derail the tremendous promise of Democrats' recent gains, making the next election—and the ones beyond it—even more crucial. Plouffe explains the secrets to winning elections in contemporary politics, and shows how Democrats can build on the historic campaign of 2008 to keep the country on the right path. Featuring a new chapter on the challenges of 2010, The Audacity to Win is political writing at its boldest and most essential.