The brains behind President Obama‘s 2008 election campaign are already strategizing how to re-energize the youth and minority vote for 2012. Their answer: partner with Jay-Z.
“I can’t believe you’ve finally heard the chatter about him replacing Larry Summers,” Deputy White House Press Secretary William Burton told us. “In all seriousness, keep in mind he was pretty active during the 2008 election, so I don’t think it’d surprise anyone that he would be involved again. But it’s a little premature.”
An insider says strategists feel comfortable with Jay-Z because he’s a respectable celebrity who can reignite their message of hope. Jay-Z also seems to sing the same tune as Obama. Asked by Forbes what words will come to mind 50 years from now when people say Jay-Z, he rambled:
“I hope to inspire . . . I guess Obama took this thing already, but just the hope of how far we can make it and the hope in knowing how far you can go from where you started if you really apply yourself and stay true to who you are.”