The name David Axelrod has been pretty much recognized in Chicago's political circles for decades and has, in fact, been fairly well-known among city and state residents.
When he took on the job as chief strategist for the Obama campaign, Axelrod's notoriety increased. When Barack Obama won his bid for the White House, millions of Americans recognized that his strategist helped make it happen.
Now, President-elect Obama has tapped his homeboy to be his senior advisor at the White House.
"You've been a part of so many campaigns; Mayor Daley's (for instance)," NBC5's Mary Ann Ahern said during NBC5 program "City Desk."
"Will you miss that?" she asked.
"This is the epitome of that work," Axelrod said.
The trip to Washington will take Axelrod from the life he's established in Chicago over 30-some years.
Born and raised in New York, Axelrod came to Chicago in 1973 to attend the University of Chicago. He studied political science there and met his wife, Susan Landau, a business student. The two have three children.
He spent eight years as a reporter for The Chicago Tribune, beginning as an intern with the paper shortly after graduating from the UofC.
Axelrod talked about the naming of an Obama cabinet, including the appointment of Sen. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, the federal bailout and the vision of Barack Obama.
Axelrod spoke highly of Eric Holder -- who, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would be the first African-American to head the U.S. Justice Department as the Attorney General -- and Sen. Tom Daschle, who Obama has chosen for the position of secretary of health and human.
He said the two will be part of a team that will take Obama's vision and make it happen.
Axelrod resisted making any headlines in his "City Desk" interview, but assured the hosts that an announcement regarding the Secretary of the Treasury would be coming soon.
