GOP debate: David Axelrod says candidates in ‘race to the right’

With Republicans holding their third presidential debate of the month Thursday night, in Florida, President Obama’s top campaign advisor said the GOP contenders appear to be in a “race to the right” to appease tea party conservatives.

David Axelrod, an Obama strategist and former White House advisor, contended the Republicans are all embracing an economic strategy of less regulation and business incentives similar to what he said helped lead to the recession.

“In terms of economics, the thing that’s been sort of stunning is how thoroughly they’ve embraced the same economic policies that got us into the mess in the first place—tax cuts for the very wealthy, corporate tax loopholes for, like, the oil industry, rolling back Wall Street reforms and letting Wall Street write its own rules again,” Axelrod said.

“This is exactly how we got into the problem we’re in. They’re in a race to the right to try to cater to the tea party element of their party, but I don’t think that they’re offering a very hopeful blueprint for the future and we have a very distinct one and I’m looking forward to that debate,” he said.

Axelrod also disputed comments author Ron Suskind made earlier this week to WLS-AM (890) in which Suskind contended Obama was close to firing his then chief of staff and now current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Suskind, author of the book “Confidence Men,” has come in for sharp criticism from current and former members of the Obama administration. He told the radio station that “Rahm was a hard-to-control guy for the president. He was going this way and that. At one point he was very close to being fired. In February of 2010, very close.”

Asked by reporters if Emanuel’s job status in the Obama administration had been in jeopardy, Axelrod said, “Never. Never.”

“Rahm was an enormously positive force in the White House and much of what we accomplished, particularly in those early days when we were teetering on the brink of a depression, was absolutely pivotal. And the president recognized that,” Axelrod said. “Rahm provided strong leadership and direction in the White House and that was well appreciated by the president.”

Axelrod spoke to reporters after appearing at a fundraiser for former Veterans Affairs assistant secretary Tammy Duckworth, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress in the new northwest suburban 8th District. Also seeking the seat is Raja Krishnamoorthi, a former state deputy treasurer and unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic treasurer nomination last year, who has a potent fundraising base.

Axelrod said that while he considers Krishnamoorthi “a friend of mine,” he regrets that a primary contest is taking place because “I think a lot of resources are going to be squandered unnecessarily” to Duckworth’s detriment.

The current 8th District congressman and controversial Republican tea party favorite, U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, told supporters yesterday he will seek reelection in the new suburban and exurban 14th District, challenging fellow freshman GOP U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren.