Grover Norquist
The Strategist
The long view, patient, analytical, playing several moves ahead.
Grover Norquist is a prominent conservative activist known for his advocacy of lower taxes and limited government. This interview reveals his strategic approach to coalition-building and policy reform, as he navigates complex political landscapes to promote his vision of economic freedom.
“No, I started doing comedy because a friend of mine is now at C span, he said, I'm going to go do five minutes at the DC improv. Would you like to come? I said, sure. So I went with him. And he did his five minutes. And I said, well, how do you get onto the stage as an amateur to do five minutes?”
“Yeah, no, no, there were many. But Bush, if he'd not said, I'm running, I'm going to govern and run as Reagan, I don't think would have been competitive. He started behind. And so he did get elected in 88, promising not to raise taxes. Then in 90, he raised taxes and dramatically increased spending.”
“It was central, but it also came at the right time. When Reagan came into Washington, DC, he was one of a handful of Reagan Republicans in Washington. There are only a few congressmen or senators who would have defined themselves as Reagan Republicans, maybe Laxalt.”
“Yes and no, but you have to plan ahead. So Candace Boyer, who works with me, you send her an email say Candace, I want to talk about this on this Wednesday. It gets on the agenda. I, during the week, when I run into people, whenever I see somebody with a good project or a good thing, I say, could you present on that on a Wednesday?”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 150 - Grover Norquist
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