Part of the Fall 2025 Levitt Lecture

David Axelrod is a preeminent American political strategist and commentator and the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Axelrod was the founding director of the University of Chicago's non-partisan Institute of Politics. He currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Chicago, as a senior political commentator for CNN, and as a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. He is the host of "The Axe Files," a top-rated podcast featuring in depth conversations with public figures across the political spectrum. A former political writer for the Chicago Tribune, Axelrod produced media strategy and advertising for 150 campaigns across the U.S., culminating in President Obama’s historic elections. He is also the author of The New York Times best-selling memoir, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, March 31 at 10:00 a.m.

David Aexlrod Website