The power strategists behind the winning presidential campaigns of the past two decades are headed to the stage at MSU’s Michigan Political Leadership Program’s dinner and breakfast in March.
Jim Messina, mastermind behind President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election, and Karl Rove, President George W. Bush’s senior adviser and deputy chief of staff, will be the speakers at MPLP’s 2016 fundraising events March 3-4.
MPLP is one of the nation’s premiere political leadership programs, training 24 competitively chosen Fellows each year to take part in 10 months of a specially designed leadership curriculum.
Training sends the Fellows around the state for a series of lectures, events and hands-on activities on such topics as personal leadership, campaign finance, policy analysis, social media and ethics. Sessions are led by two co-directors – one Democrat and one Republican – and feature some of the state’s leading analysts and top elected officials.
The March 3 dinner, at Laurel Manor Banquet and Conference Center in Livonia, and March 4 breakfast at the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids raise majority support for the multipartisan program. MPLP is also supported by the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation of Midland, along with associations, corporations, labor organizations, alumni and individuals.
This year marks the 21st annual MPLP dinner and 14th annual MPLP breakfast.
Messina served as Obama’s deputy chief of staff from 2009 to 2011 and was campaign manager for the president’s 2012 re-election campaign. He was director of personnel as part of the presidential transition team.
Prior to joining the president’s staff and campaign, Messina worked in congressional campaigns. He’s now president and CEO of The Messina Group, a strategic consulting firm.
Rove served as Bush’s senior adviser from 2000 to 2007 and deputy chief of staff from 2004 to 2007. At the White House, he played key roles, overseeing the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Prior to his service with the president, Rove was president of Karl Rove + Co., a Texas-based firm specializing in work for Republican candidates, nonpartisan causes and nonprofit groups. He now writes weekly op-ed column for the Wall Street Journal, contributes to Fox News and is author of a forthcoming book “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.”