Anita Dunn is a communications consultant and political strategist who worked as an adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She has also worked on the campaigns of John Flenn, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, and John Kerry.The Buying of the President 2008: Anita Dunn Interview (February 12, 2007) Dunn began her political career working for White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan under the presidency of Jimmy Carter.Squier Knapp Dunn Communications: Anita Dunn
Dunn on Obama's Airplane
In October 2008, three reporters working for newspapers that had endorsed John McCain were not allowed seats on Obama's campaign airplane. The newspapers, The Washington Times, The New York Post and The Dallas Morning News, claimed that being removed from the airplane was a result of the McCain endorsements. However, Dunn told ABC that other conservative papers will still allowed seats on the airplane and that the eliminations were simply an issue of available space.ABC News: Obama Boots Reporters From Conservative Papers (October 31, 2008)
Quote
"Unfortunately, demand for seats on the plane during this final weekend has far exceeded supply, and because of logistical issues we made the decision not to add a second plane. This means we've had to make hard and unpleasant for all concerned decisions about limiting some news organizations and in some cases not being in a position to offer space to news organizations altogether." — Dunn on not allowing some newspapers spots on Obama's airplaneABC News: Obama Boots Reporters From Conservative Papers (October 31, 2008)
"I think that the decision to run for the presidency ultimately comes down to a very personal decision. No one ever believes that, because they think it is ultimately political. But it's not. If you think you want to run for president, you're going to be pretty realistic about what you personally will have to do. It doesn't matter if you're a top-tier candidate or a bottom-tier candidate. The physical wear-and-tear on your body and your family, the emotional and stress level wear-and-tear on you and your family, is the same. People say it's worse for front-runners; I personally think it's bad for everybody. There's something very debilitating about waking up every morning and reading you can't win, or you're a laughingstock, or people are saying your best friends are questioning your judgment. I think that's as debilitating as being flyspecked every day." — Dunn in a 2007 interviewThe Buying of the President 2008: Anita Dunn Interview (February 12, 2007)
