Robert M. Shrum is the author of No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner. Mr. Shrum currently serves as a senior fellow at New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. He was at the center of progressive politics for more than a third of the century as a speechwriter, admaker, and strategist for 30 winning senate campaigns in addition to campaigns for governor across America and the mayors of virtually every major city. He served as senior advisor to the 2000 Gore and 2004 Kerry presidential campaigns. He has been a consultant overseas for the campaigns of Ehud Barak in Israel and the British Labour Party. He is a political analyst for MSNBC and appears regularly on Hardball.