How This Happened

In this book, Dereje Tessema discusses what it took to "perfect the science of presidential campaigning" by providing a compelling analysis of how the Obama campaign built the organization from the ground up based on a unique cultural and knowledge management system; use of transformational leadership and emotional intelligence techniques to empower team members, voters, and volunteers; use of various information sources and analytical techniques to triangulate the massive data gathered; and use of custom-tailored messages using social media and wireless technologies to communicate with specific groups of voters. Tessema examines the positive and negative impacts of these variables on the 2012 presidential election as well as the strategies, tools, and techniques used by the Obama campaign to address them. Looking into the next four years and beyond, Tessema shares his perspective on the two-party gridlock, the role of government in society, the impact of the change in racial composition and demography of the American population, as well as lessons learned from this election.