Possible Axelrod White House role debated

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Should Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Barack Obama win the White House, political consultant David Axelrod could join the administration, pundits say.

Axelrod, based in Chicago, is considered the architect of Obama's front-running campaign, and his advice will surely by sought by the U.S. senator from Illinois should he win on Nov. 4. But whether he can be enticed to join Obama's White House staff remains to be seen, the Washington publication Politico reported Monday.

"I think he'll do it," James Carville, Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign manager, told Politico. "Obama trusts him and he cares about policy."

Others, however, said Axelrod may want to remain outside of the administration, hoping to avoid a repeat the experience of U.S. President George Bush's political adviser Karl Rove. Rove became Bush's deputy chief of staff and attracted controversy by conducting what critics contend was a politicization of domestic policy.

"I'm not sure the Rove model is a great model," Bob Shrum, who was John Kerry's chief adviser, told Politico, saying Bush's "overpoliticization of the White House staff is a cautionary tale."

Axelrod declined to comment for the story, Politico said.