Smith said she learned a hard lesson: Even a professional cant try to manage a personal crisis without help. Jason Bergman for POLITICO. | What is this new phase of your career about? But Smith is still sour that de Blasio let her hang out to dry. 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. Its really fun. Smith double majored in government and anthropology at Dartmouth College, graduating in 2005. On a cornier side, I think because he is such a good person, he made a lot of us better people throughout, because politics can be sort of a nasty business. 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. She orders a beer, downs it and orders another. How did that manifest itself with Pete, the first candidate youve ever advised who was approximately the same age as you? Smith starts texting me, wanting to know if Id seen the celebrities in the audience, including George Takei, Kal Penn and Kate McKinnon. And its something that forever Ill be thankful to him for. And when I began asking around to figure out who was behind that strategy, the same name kept coming up: Lis Smith. Eliot Spitzer's girlfriend Lis Smith, 31, has not been asked to take up a position in New York mayor Bill de Blasio's new City Hall team in the wake of her affair with the disgraced former governor. We knew the McKinsey stuff would be it, but he was bound by an NDA. Now she has carefully orchestrated her own books launch doling out choice anecdotes to her beloved New York tabloids: De Blasio didnt trust NYPD security to keep secrets, ex-aide Lis Smith claims, blared one headline, which elicited an on the record statement from De Blasio himself. Just before he was sworn in, de Blasio yielded to Peysers prodding and cut Smith loose just before he moved into the mayors office. I had a beerhe stuck to waterand we talked about his political ambitions and the state of the Democratic Party and why Trump won. He hung up and looked at me in horror, and then my phone started ringing. Tom Ford. This story has been shared 127,012 times. Her phone is literally exploding. There is a top political reporter for a major national newspaper apologizing for blowing off a meeting with Buttigieg earlier and trying to get one now, asking Smith, Will you ever forgive me?. They need to understand how the political process works. She then switched to de Blasios general election campaign for mayor. And if people like me dont get involved, then Im scared about the future of our country. A lot of people thought that to beat Trump, you had to be Trump. [9][41] From 2013 to 2015, she had a relationship with her former boss, New York governor Eliot Spitzer. She most recently worked as a senior advisor in communications to presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. And I talked about that in the book. Why would a Pete Buttigieg hire me? The photographer had captured Eliot and me exchanging loving looks as wed returned from a late-night dinner at a restaurant on my block.. I wasnt born yesterday. [2][9] She later worked as the spokeswoman for Bill de Blasio's mayoral run in 2013. What makes him such a magnet for criticism on both the left and the right? So many flacks lose their mind over inconsequential things, and have no sense of, This is good press, this is mediocre press, and this is awful press. That is something you know once you have been through awful press., As a flack, you dont always understand what it feels like to be a principal, what it feels like to be under scrutiny. I think thats probably the biggest misconception about me. Smith tried to outfox The Post by going to the Daily News as a pre-emptive strike in an effort to get a more favorable story planted about her relationship with Spitzer. What do I get if I pay for your consulting services? The candidate and the campaign manager dutifully board the aircraft, and just when it seems the door is about to close, as they start looking around nervously, in comes Smith, sunglasses and coat still on, laptop and cords dangling from her arms, phone pressed against her ear. He was out there. Smith: Oh, thats simple. It will hopefully make the cost of prescription drugs go down, or cut the price of insulin. Lis Smith, Buttigieg's top communications adviser . And someone needs to be. Smith: It made me want to be better at my job. The actress who is the daughter of the late Lisa Marie Presley and musician Danny Keough met. He shoots her a look and gives a mock shrug, as if it's an inside joke between the three of us, now old chums: I mean, a little I guess., Buttigieg makes an appearance on "The View." A few weeks ago, a couple of hundred people expressed interest in this event. Click here. There were, Smith guesses, probably 150 such meetings with the national press corps, and when he traveled across the country, speaking to local county party dinners and fundraisers across the Midwest and Great Plains, they would make time for one-on-ones with the local political press there, too. Smith: Im not going to touch that with a 10-foot pole. By ERIN BANCO, GARRETT M. GRAFF, LARA SELIGMAN, NAHAL TOOSI and ALEXANDER WARD. Less than 24 hours after announcing the end of his marriage, former Gov. [7] As communications director for the DGA, she oversaw gubernatorial campaign efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia. It was as horrible as Id anticipated and seeing the photos of Eliot and me taken in what wed thought were private moments was even more disturbing, knowing they were on display to anyone who cared to look, she writes in the 304-page tome. What we did is fucking ridiculous. The great media disruption comes for the Des Moines Register. Wren: One of the theses of Petes campaign was that mayors are on the front lines of democracy. | Elijah Nouvelage/REUTERS. Eliot Spitzer while working for incoming Mayor Bill de Blasio. This is what day one looks like. Lis knew that she had to build wide to build up, said Stephanie Cutter, who also worked on Obamas 2012 effort. He didnt feel the need to go out there and be the coolest guy or the hippest guy on stage. The thing with Terry McAuliffe is that hes in on the joke. I worked in states like South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia. And then what?, she thought to herself. He doesnt yell and scream, take the most extreme positions on issues, or tweet incendiary things. Pete helped pull back that part of me, because while that might work when youre dealing in the New York tabloids, that doesnt sell as well in the Des Moines Register. I am a liberal Democrat, but I was so into the McCain thing. How consequential was that looking back? Riley was joined by her husband Ben Smith-Petersen, who gave a touching speech at Lisa Marie's funeral, in which he revealed that they recently welcomed a daughter into the world. Sign up for POLITICO Magazines email of the weeks best, delivered to your inbox every Friday morning. 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. Smith is now Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio's spokeswoman and is dating Spitzer. My observation, said Axelrod, who worked with Smith on Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, is that she is the quiet hero of his emergence.. Wren: Much has been made about Trump Derangement Syndrome this idea that, true or not, he scrambles rational political responses from otherwise reasonable people. I am humbled and flattered and appreciative of when people recognize the hard work I put in on our media strategy, and the fact that we employed a media strategy that was radically different from everyone else in the field. Smith said she felt violated after learning she was being followed. Smith ended up dropping most of her other clients, politicians and nonprofits alike. As someone who was a mayor who was on the ground, who knows how important this stuff is, hes a great messenger to send out there to these smaller media markets everywhere, where he can meet with the mayors, speak to them in their language, help make sure that theyre getting the resources they need. Smith: I think Ive got good relationships with people in the media. Lis Smith (born October 15, 1982) is an American political strategist affiliated with the Democratic Party. Tommy McArdle. Lisa Smith (soldier) Lisa Smith (born c. 1981) is a former Irish soldier who converted to Islam and later travelled to Syria during the Syrian Civil War to join the militant group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) during the Syrian Civil War. Click here. Wren: You write pretty transparently in the book about times youve been fooled by a candidate. In that same vein, I know that there were people in the transportation secretarys inner circle that thought his taking that position wasnt the best idea. There may be nobody more central to Mayor Petes media successbesides the candidate himself, and arguably his social-media-savvy husband, Chasten Buttigiegthan Smith, who serves as a communications adviser and all-around aide. Because even power needs a day off. The Democratic bench isnt going to be found on Meet the Press every Sunday, and its not going to be found on cable news. She has extensive experience in public affairs, media relations, and crisis communications at the local, state and national levels. Click here. (For the record, I can totally envision him sitting on the floor singing Kumbaya just not for me. Lis Smith Wiki Bio: Age, Husband, Net Worth, Children, Education, Career, Family, LinkedIn. Theyre out in country working on campaigns. While her work history list might be lengthy, her dating track record isnt very long. Not to be cheesy, but it is one of my proudest accomplishments. Pete Buttigieg emerges as Democratic rock star proclaimed Business Insider during the race. But Joe Biden is president today, and Kamala Harris is his vice president. At that point, reporters she had developed relationships with began to reach out, wondering what she was doing wasting her credibility on a little-known character who seemed like a step down the ladder of political prospects. I tell her that I have been calling around to former coworkers and associates, trying to get a sense of how she operates. She has advised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Montana Governor Steve Bullock, people who on paper at least are far more likely top-tier presidential contenders, and she served as a top aide for a number of Senate and gubernatorial races. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. When I met him was right after Trump won the election, and Democrats are running around with their hair on fire for good reason. 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? There are probably dozens of Mayor Petes out there across the country. 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. Lis Smith: My favorite was one person asking me if I lost a bet or something. And you dont know who is actually going to attack you. And there was not a better antidote to Trump than Pete in terms of style, in terms of life experience, and in terms of his worldview. 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. The final indignity, she said, is that de Blasios team team wanted the statement to say her departure was unrelated to her dating Spitzer. I was making the bet that I could run out the clock on disclosing our relationship until I got hired officially. Still, she still sought to rationalize her relationship with Spitzer. In some ways, he came across as a Midwestern dad before he was, in fact, a Midwestern dad. After the fundraiser, Smith and Buttigieg climb into an SUV and head to 30 Rock. [2], She worked on Tom Daschle's 2004 Senate campaign as a field organizer. A photo and audio tour of the hosts driving the conversation. Pete has no battle scars. There was only one path for us to break through. Ive always tried to be very grounded. What do all the good candidates youve worked for have in common, and what do the bad candidates have in common? I think thats always been part of Joe Bidens appeal. Smith: All the good candidates are comfortable in their own skin. Her plan is to emulate maybe the best-known and most successful insurgent move of recent campaign history: John McCains 2000 Straight Talk Express. Smith had moved to New York in 2013 to work for Eliot Spitzer, the disgraced former governor who had stepped down in a prostitution scandal. Maybe a story that would be 80-20 bad you can get down to 60-40 bad, and that little bit is worth it.. If Id thought things couldnt have gotten worse, I was wrong, she said. [2][3] During her time at Dartmouth, she volunteered for John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign. Obama had David Axelrod. Why? But it is kind of fascinating to watch., Smith met Buttigieg on the recommendation of Axelrod and former Maryland Governor Martin OMalley. She ran it like he was trying to be president, getting him in front of as many microphones as she could. My mood changed when the Post story popped. And as you saw on Fox News Sunday, as I went to bed last night, [his clip] has 8 million views. Wren: I want a window into how you advise candidates amid a crisis. Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten in February 2020. Hes going to sound so elitist. Or: Why does he have to answer every question with a proverb? Voters can smell when candidates are being authentic, and when candidates are not. With her signature black bob, dark sunglasses, and red lipstick, Lis Smith cuts a striking figure in the world of politics . Spitzer and Smith stayed together for more than two years, with the tabloids following them pretty much the whole time. He was a once-in-a-generation talent, someone who perfectly met the moment. His resignation came after it was discovered he had been involved with prostitutes. And if people like it they like it, and if they dont they were probably never going to vote for you anyway.. When Smith opens her laptop, there are saved tabs about Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, a YouTube video of a facial massage routine, kale recipes, a Time Out City Guide to Dubai and a 2012 Huffington Post article about how the Obama and Romney campaigns used Twitter. This isnt going as planned., She continued: As soon as I got Hari on the line, he filled me in. They feel like if they dont respond within two minutes, that the crisis is going to fester. Are you kidding me? This story has been shared 102,835 times. He was going up against George Bush, who had $50 million and he had $4 million, and so he just decides to tear up the playbook and put himself out there. which Politico Magazine excerpted last week. The Post ran the exclusive photos of Spitzer ducking in and out of the Soho walk-up. Between 1987 and 2013, Spitzer had been married to Silda Wall Spitzer. The "Dame of Dish" passed away on Sunday. Wren: You mentioned that some people might view you as radioactive. No. That cut both ways during the campaign for Buttigieg, particularly when a white police officer killed a Black man in South Bend. Smith: Yeah. I remember hearing from other consultants, Why is he going out there speaking seven languages? The Simpsons actress Yeardley Smith is newly married and she and her husband have quite the . But I love politics because it touches everything in our lives. Youve got this hard-nosed New York-style political operative and this friendly Hoosier mayor, he said. [13][14], Smith met Pete Buttigieg on the recommendations of Axelrod and OMalley when he was considering running for Democratic National Committee chair in 2017 and became a consultant for the campaign. Well, of course someone running for president would need to talk about it with me first, right? Even TMZ got in the act LEO DICAPRIO OFFERED BUTTIGIEG HELP DURING 2020 RUN, trumpeted the chyron. Politics is literally a matter of life and death. And maybe I shouldve gone to law school. Whats especially important to me, is, you know, making sure to take a lot of young women under my wing. It is my passion. Except then it didnt. Smith: You never say never. This 35-Year-Old Mayor From Indiana Is Wowing National Democrats The New Republic declared. The tabloids followed the pair to Christmas at Smiths parents house in the upscale suburb of Bronxville. The guy didnt have time to say hello before Smith could hear screaming over the line. He has a clear social consciousness to him that you dont see in a lot of professional athletes. She is practically shaking with excess energy. Wren: This book is in some ways a tell-all about the role of a political consultant. And you just like have this moment, where youre like, Maybe this is it. How badly," she asks me, are you trying to fuck me over right now?, Interactive: The Lo-Fi Voices That Speak for AmericaBy M. Scott Mahaskey and Zack Stanton. By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or updates from POLITICO and you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service. Isis bride Lisa Smith's husband was British Jihadist Sajid Aslam During an investigation conducted by the Irish Mail on Sunday, she said that Aslam, the father of her daughter, is dead - having been killed in the past three months. The private Terry is a lot more low-key, and lot more humble, a lot more thoughtful. And no, politics is my love. The American, democratic campaign communication specialist Lis Smith is a well-known face in American politics. Before a debate, you have no idea how much gossip is going around. After McCaskill's win, she joined the 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial campaign of Bruce Lunsford and Greg Stumbo as traveling press secretary. Political strategist Lis Smith reveals in her new book how The Post exposed that she was dating prostitution-loving former Gov. [Smiths voice breaks here.] Whats that like? The bad candidates are people who are insecure, who put their finger in the wind, who dont trust their instincts enough and dont have the backbone to do the right things. | Martin OMalley, who got like 1 percent in the Iowa Caucuses. Smith marched him to the front of where the national and New York press were gathered, telling him, Are you ready for your first gaggle? He stayed until the matter was exhausted. Shes on her phone talking to another Buttigieg aide. So many flacks lose their mind over inconsequential things, and have no sense of, This is good press, this is mediocre press, and this is awful press. That is something you know once you have been through awful press.. And it was a running joke between us: I was like, I cant listen to you talk about smart sewers one more time, or I will lose my mind. He loves that stuff. How has it turned out so far? Its why in one day we do CBS Sunday Morning, The View, Teen Vogue and the New Yorker. 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