“There are three elements you need to have a successful operation. Clearly, you have to have a superior principal, and I’ve had that in Dick Durbin, Tom Daschle, and Barack Obama. Second, you have to have smart, hardworking staff people who understand policy and can figure out strategies to get things done. Third, you have to have an organization that is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Peter M. Rouse spent more than 30 years as chief of staff in Congressional offices, including the office of then-Senator Barack Obama. He now serves as counselor to President Obama, advising on matters of policy, organization, and strategic planning.