[19], In 2020, Smith was one of six political experts named as fellows by the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. Adam Wren: In the beginning, you scored the contract for this book based on your high-profile turn as a senior communications adviser to Pete Buttigieg. I worked in states like South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia. On Sunday, Bill de Blasio put out a statement in a New York Post story in his own name defending himself against the portrait you paint of him in your book as obsessively paranoid. If you were working for him, and a book like yours came out authored by someone else, how would you have advised him to address the situation? Smith: It made me want to be better at my job. They feel like if they dont respond within two minutes, that the crisis is going to fester. And you know what their problem is? And so when they feel like they are getting attacked, or their families are getting atttacked, they think staff can never talk to them on the level, and it is frustrating for principals, because they are like, You are just a kid, you dont know anything. But with me, I can tell them, This is what is going to happen, this is how we are going to deal with it. And when I began asking around to figure out who was behind that strategy, the same name kept coming up: Lis Smith. How Trump Took the Shine Off Washingtons Glitziest NightBy John F. Harris and Daniel Lippman. Wren: When you started working with Aftab Pureval did Pete feel like you were two-timing him with another Midwestern mayor of a river city with a funny name? . She recently appeared on Fox News and is catching the attention of other media outlets to further discuss the juicy details she spilled in her memoir. Disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, 54, and his new girlfriend Lis Smith, 31, may have enjoyed a relaxing family Christmas, but their cosy domesticity could soon be upset after it . That even in the age of Twitter, that especially in the age of Twitter, people dont really care about gaffes. [2] In 2014, she became a communication consultant for Adriano Espaillat's congressional campaign. We met at the Roxy Hotel in Tribeca. And especially on far-leftist DSA Twitter, Im basically just depicted as a mix between Lady Macbeth and Rasputin in a wig, that Im like some soulless political operatives. Youve got this hard-nosed New York-style political operative and this friendly Hoosier mayor, he said. Lis has absolutely no fear, said Jeff Smith, a former Missouri lawmaker who dated Smith for four years and considers her one of his closest friends. When I met him was right after Trump won the election, and Democrats are running around with their hair on fire for good reason. Wren: Youre often credited with vaulting Pete from the mayor of Indianas fourth-largest city to a member of Bidens cabinet. "[29] Lloyd Green, writing for The Guardian, called it "breezy and informative. Wren: What is your relationship with Pete like now? E! People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. In recent months you have made a name for yourself by working for this new crop of candidates out in the middle of the country: Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, Aftab Pureval and others. He was an incredible leader at Louisiana State University someone that team could rally around, and such a maturity to him. | Based on that experience, how should Democrats make gains in those kinds of states in 2022? Spitzer, at the time, was attempting to regain his footing in politics after resigning from his position in 2008. And he is as squeaky clean behind the scenes as he is in front of the camera. Lets just blow it out. Eliot Spitzer while working for incoming Mayor Bill de Blasio. Its really hard to do a hit piece on a guy who you are going to see the next morning over coffee and donuts. TV news executives are calling, she says, emailing, now complaining that Buttigieg isnt doing their shows often enough. Mistakes Ive made in my private life. ), Smith quipped. A photo and audio tour of the hosts driving the conversation. Buttigieg has gotten a number of lavish long-form features, so many that some have jokingly wondered whether Smith is getting paid by the profile. Inside the Shrinking Newsroom of the Paper That Shapes the PrimariesBy Tim Alberta. We are humble and kind, to quote Tim McGraw. Some are even in the White House, like Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher, who briefed the press not too long ago. When I was starting in politics, we didnt have women. Spitzer and Smith stayed together for more than two years, with the tabloids following them pretty much the whole time. He lives in New York. After the fundraiser, Buttigieg is going to rush off to 30 Rock to do Maddow, then in the morning New Day on CNN, and then fly to Iowa, then do Morning Joe when hes back. Like we saw with Hillary Clinton, women are sometimes held to a different standard. Wren: This book is in some ways a tell-all about the role of a political consultant. Eliot Spitzer wasted no time Wednesday in cozying up to his new girlfriend's family. Neither Eliot nor I was gonna win a gold medal in the not reckless competition at the Olympics. A lot of people thought that to beat Trump, you had to be Trump. People get stuck in a rut because something worked last cycle, and so they think it will work this cycle and it doesnt. I think thats probably the biggest misconception about me. Smith has been studying the effort, reaching out to reporters who were there, and has been in regular contact with John Weaver, who helped engineer it. I want political people to read this book, because I think its fun. In 2001, she graduated Bronxville High School. This is what day one looks like. The whole saga also taught her the rhythms of the New York tabloids, which have similarities to the national political press. [9][41] From 2013 to 2015, she had a relationship with her former boss, New York governor Eliot Spitzer. But you know, more importantly, through some trial and error, over this very long career, I learned the importance of letting candidates be candidates, right? Wren: What do you look for in a candidate? I fucking love John McCain. They are already well-known.. Elliot Spitzer (pictured), the election of Donald Trump and former Maryland Gov. Hes been a guest on BuzzFeeds morning news show, been featured on Vices nightly news show and sat down with a couple of the guys from Barstool Sports. Although Smith and Spitzer attempted to keep the affair under wraps, a photographer for the New York Post spotted the pair at her SoHo walkup apartment, exchanging loving looks.. Smith: One of the things Ive learned over my time in politics is that youve got to let your candidates be themselves. Fantasy football we were competitive about that. | Scott Olson/Getty Images, Lis has an insurgent mentality, said Axelrod, a top aide for both of President Obamas campaigns. This includes with her own boss. Mistakes that Ive made with media. Jeff Smith, her former boyfriend, recalls one time when he was running for office, his campaign managers phone rang. From the second I met Pete, I knew that there was something special about him. I want Republicans to read this book. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Its sad, but our politics isnt built to deal with people who are reasonable. Andrew Cuomo, had turned into a Nicorette-chomping ahole who ruined the lives of his staffers after letting national fame get to his head during the coronavirus pandemic. Win or lose, she's turned an unknown into a serious . Rather than going after Pete, Harris trained her fire on Biden.. Smith: Im not going to say who. Lis knew that she had to build wide to build up, said Stephanie Cutter, who also worked on Obamas 2012 effort. All Rights Reserved. After news broke on the relationship, more photos were released, and Smith was eventually forced to come clean to fellow campaign members about the love match she had formed with Spitzer. She was also communications director for Dan Seals' 2008 Illinois House race. Theres a public Terry and a private Terry. While working for the Obama campaign she met David Axelrod, whom Smith considers a mentor. Even people like Terry McAuliffe and Claire McCaskill, who both have outsized personalities. Wren: Much has been made about Trump Derangement Syndrome this idea that, true or not, he scrambles rational political responses from otherwise reasonable people. Because it would drive me nuts during the campaign hearing all his wonky, wonky talk about infrastructure, about roads, about smart sewers. But I compartmentalized this knowledge like other things in my life. He doesnt yell and scream, take the most extreme positions on issues, or tweet incendiary things. [44] She describes herself as an "oyster-tarian," which she defines as a vegetarian who will eat oysters. The problem with a lot of people, not just candidates, but anyone in life who is caught up in a crisis is that they react. Pete and I, you can probably tell are pretty laid-back, pretty low-key, I guess what you would call pretty Midwestern, said Mike Schmuhl, Buttigiegs campaign manager, who sounds like the host of a classical-music radio station who just returned from a yoga retreat. It wasnt really until 2012 when I worked for Barack Obama that I did find a really strong female mentor in Stephanie Cutter and I learned so much about my job, so much about politics, so much about how to effectively communicate from Stephanie Cutter. From the second I met Pete, I knew that there was something special about him. She is practically shaking with excess energy. February 5, 2020 younolly Biography 0. He is in talks to do a Fox News town hall in the coming weeks, building off the surprise success of Bernie Sanders appearance on Fox, and in the past couple of weeks has also been on Ellen and The View, as well as Preet Bhararas podcast, The Intercepts podcast and The New Yorkers podcast. Shes had some very forceful moments as vice president. ", Before they get in the car, I ask Buttigieg if Smith is being helpful in his campaign. The final indignity, she said, is that de Blasios team team wanted the statement to say her departure was unrelated to her dating Spitzer. And the fact that hes everywhere, from cable TV to Ebony to your local NPR show to your favorite sports podcast, means that a guy with no name recognition is suddenly hard to avoid. [26][27][28] Philip Elliott of Time praised its transparency and wrote that it "may just rewrite the template for what a political memoir can be. We just had the Supreme Court decision on abortion. Smith has made a name for herself in recent months by working with a new crop of candidates in the middle of the country, including Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (center). The former New York mayor later divorced his wife and was spotted in places like Montego Bay and a Knicks game cozying up with Smith. I would say that these days, my vetting skills are maybe a little savvier. And if people like me dont get involved, then Im scared about the future of our country. [8], In 2012, she became director of the rapid response team for Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. If Im going to be honest about other people and their shortcomings, its really important for me to be honest about myself and my own shortcomings, Smith told me. What else was the oppo they were dropping? And its something that forever Ill be thankful to him for. I want him on everything, she told me. [6] She became communications director for the Democratic Governors Association in 2011. But they did teach me the importance of always making sure that candidates are reflecting the values of their voters. Im joking. In a crisis, the most important thing to do is to pause, to take a step back and get all the facts, and game out your response. While the affair may have been fun while it lasted, the two reportedly split in 2015, it cost Smith her job. Weaver says that recreating that atmosphere in the days of Twitter, and in the days when the national political press corps has metastasized into a constantly hungry and multiheaded beast equipped with cell phones, is 10 times harder than when his team tried it in 1999. After 20 campaigns flacking for candidates such as Transportation Secretary and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, former Virginia Gov. Tim Miller, my friend, wrote a great book weeks ago, where he talks about the danger of getting sucked up in the game. You can unsubscribe at any time and you can contact us here. The spotlight turns to Kamala Harris, the only Black candidate on stage. It was a long shot. That fall, Spitzer and Smith started dating, which led to the New York City tabloids staking out her apartment to watch the pair coming and going. My advice is just go out there more, communicate more. He was attempting a comeback by running for the modest job of New York City comptroller, and when the vote came in, he pulled in a respectable 48 percent, even though the entire citys political establishment was against him. It might not get you the votes, but I am not the political director. He laid out his case for how a millennial municipal official from a town the size of a New York City Council district could somehow seize the Democratic nomination. It was total bullst. One thing I find incredibly admirable about him is what you see is what you get. Oftentimes its not going to be found in Washington, D.C. Jul. And although Smith would never say it, it plays on political reporters' narcissism, too. And if I can help you with my experience, my profile, my contacts, to do that, then I will do it. Maybe they wont focus on the former reigning champion [Spitzer], for once. The "Dame of Dish" passed away on Sunday. It was in 2013, the time when Smith was working for the de Blasio campaign, that she began dating Eliot Spitzer. Wren: Tell me about that five percent credited to you. There is this thing that I have to be very honest with, because maybe I had been seen as a little radioactive because I had unwillingly had my private life spread all over the tabloids, more established candidates might not have hired me. Its about getting to know people and them getting to know you, Buttigieg says when I see him after the Brooklyn fundraiser, where he at least pretends to recall our earlier meeting and what we talked about. He's on his way into a black car to do Maddow. It was a reporter from BuzzFeed News, waiting to take my place. So the Post is about to report that Im dating Eliot Spitzer. My mood changed when the Post story popped. None of those races were particularly easy. And it was the first time Id worked in politics that Id ever felt that way. Market Realist is a registered trademark. In the car, wed go back and forth on random trivia, and pulling up things on Google. He weighed in after the Supreme Court decision. The writer from Indianapolis Monthly who went for a jog with Buttigieg three months before his feature landed, the Washington Post Magazine writer who sat down in a Virginia soul food joint with Mayor Pete long before he declared his presidential bid and the Yahoo News feature writer who crammed into the corner seat of a midtown Manhattan caf with him months ago. Details of that relationship were first brought to light by various media outlets and then, in Smiths recently debuted memoir, Any Given Tuesday: A Political Love Story. She recalled tellingde Blasio chief of staff Phil Walzak over drinks that she and Spitzer were a couple. It will hopefully make the cost of prescription drugs go down, or cut the price of insulin. Wren: How is Harris doing as a communicator? Smith plotted the rollout of Pete Buttigiegs longshot presidential campaign. In a tweet shared on July 20, 2022, Jeff praised Smith for the publication of her insightful book., Talked @Morning_Joe about why I wrote Any Given Tuesday: "More than ever we need people to believe in the political processPolitics is more important than ever. Its a role that clearly lends itself to his skill set. Hes someone I ask for advice. The guy didnt have time to say hello before Smith could hear screaming over the line. Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images. I should know: Last October, I had my own intimate, off-the-record encounter with Mayor Pete. They know who they are and will not let consultants, pundits, whoever, change them. Read on for more details on the relationship that cost Smith her job, who she has dated since, and what shes up to these days. I am a liberal Democrat, but I was so into the McCain thing. Between 1987 and 2013, Spitzer had been married to Silda Wall Spitzer. If Id thought things couldnt have gotten worse, I was wrong, she said. Weve seen a lot of cataclysmic things happen. Yeah, I guess Id fallen in love with slightly problematic guy It wasnt like I was dating Ted BundyEliot was the former governor and attorney general of New York State, Smith said, referring to the serial killer. She orders a beer, downs it and orders another. He was a once-in-a-generation talent, someone who perfectly met the moment. And then what?, she thought to herself. Through the DNC race and afterward, Smith treated the national political press like it was another constituency that needed to be courted. And you dont know who is actually going to attack you. Wren: Theres a part of Pete that is a little wonky, a little square. I thought you had cancer or something. He motioned to the bartender again`Well take two shots of Jameson on top of that roundbefore turning back to me and clearing his throat. Politics is really personal to me. [Smiths voice breaks here.] Still, she said, I wasnt exactly a PR neophyte. Martin OMalley, who got like 1 percent in the Iowa Caucuses. I had gone through this awful breakup [with former New York Gov. This story has been shared 151,667 times. Wren: One of your legacies is the coaching tree, to use an apt football metaphor, that you left behind on the Pete campaign. Lis Smith, a Democratic communications operative, has written a memoir that pulls back the curtain on how campaigns are won and lost. In a clip from her memoir shared by Fox News, Smith slammed de Blasio for leaving her out to dry after firing her over the affair. Cuomoresigned last August amid claims of sexual harassment and misconduct. Politics is literally a matter of life and death. Smith says thats worth it. What do I get if I pay for your consulting services? The savvy strategist then had to figure out how to break the news to de Blasio and his camp, as their soon-to-be City Hall press secretary was now at the center of her own juicy tabloid scandal. 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