[img_assist|nid=102|title=Roger Lau|desc=Politicker Photo|link=none|align=left|width=410|height=317]

BOSTON -- If someone told Roger Lau, U.S. Sen. John Kerry's re-election campaign manager, he'd be directing the campaign of one of the biggest names in the Democratic Party 15 years ago, he wouldn't have believed it.

When Lau was 13, he dropped out of Bronx Science, a highly regarded prep school in New York City. Because his parents were too busy working several jobs, he was raised by his two sets of grandparents -- one that lived in Queens and another that lived in Brooklyn. The hour and half commute on the subway to the Bronx took its toll. And Lau didn't fit in at school.

After dropping out, Lau spent his teenage years working odd jobs to make some money, learning tough lessons about life outside the bubble of school before most teenagers had their learner's permit to drive. "I grew up on the streets," he said.

Struggling to make money and at the urging of his girlfriend at the time, Lau got his high school graduate equivalency degree and took the SAT when he was 18 and enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. There, while taking nine classes per semester and working three jobs, Lau saw an ad in a local paper to work in a U.S. senator's Springfield office. "To be honest, I didn't even know who he was at the time," Lau said of Kerry (D-Boston).

Nevertheless, he applied and Kerry's office took him in. It was an event that completely reshaped his life. "If I did not see that ad in the paper," he said, "I don't know what I'd be doing today.

Since that first internship, Lau, 30, has risen to become one of the state's top political operatives. He managed Niki Tsongas’ successful U.S. House campaign in Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District, played a large role in Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and worked for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in four states during the primary season.

Lau said his successes have helped him nurture strong relationships with all of his former bosses, calling most of them by their first names. But for Kerry, only "senator" is used. While he said he respects all of his former bosses and worked tirelessly to get them elected, he acknowledges a special connection and indebtedness to Kerry, whose office originally took him in.

"Because I had gone through what I had gone through, I was always interested in public service, in providing programs to help people," he said. "There are people who love campaigns and don't get me wrong I enjoy campaigns, but I am in this because, as corny and cheesy as it sounds, I love the public service aspect of it. I love constituent services and I love being able to help people as we could. And Senator Kerry's office took me in allowed me to do that and learn the process."

Putting aside his unique upbringing, Lau operates like a typical political operative -- in hyper-speed. His has a nice corner office Kerry's campaign offices at 129 Portland St., just down the way from the TDBanknorth Garden, but works on a huge disposable desk that is scattered with papers and empty soda and coffee cups. He often shifts his position in his chair and checks his BlackBerry, which is constantly vibrating. He keeps his Marlboro Lights, which he'll smoke one after another if outside long enough, guarded in the breast pocket of his shirt.

In spite of his uber-competitiveness, Lau stresses that more than anything else, he enjoys working campaigns because of the people. "I try to work with people as much as possible and I try to maintain that same outlook I had when I started, which is that I do like the human aspect of it," he said when asked about his management style. "I liked constituent services because I wanted to be in this business because I wanted to help people."

Lau's dedication has made a significant impression everyone he has worked with. "It was great working with Roger," said Tsongas (D-Lowell). "He brings such great energy to the campaign.

[img_assist|nid=103|title=Volunteer staffers work in U.S. Senator John Kerry's campaign office|desc=Politicker Photo|link=none|align=left|width=246|height=186]

"He enjoys people and people enjoy working with him," Tsongas added. "If I think of Roger I think of him standing out on the street on the phone constantly in touch with different leaders and various constituencies trying to stay connected."

Tsongas' campaign was the first that Lau worked from start to finish as the campaign manager. He said he found it to be a difficult role but one in which he learned to thrive.

"It was definitely humbling," he said when asked about being a campaign manager for the first time. "You sit there and think, 'Oh my god, every decision I make could be the difference between winning and losing.' But, eventually you learn. You have to work hard, you to follow up with people. Tip O'Neil's right. This business is about asking for support and showing people that you want it. I firmly believe that over 75 percent of winning just working for it."

After working for Tsongas, Lau worked for Clinton's presidential campaign in New Hampshire, as her state director in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and as her field director in Maine. Since last September, he has worked seven election days.

When his work on the Clinton campaign was done, the Kerry camp quickly courted Lau to return.

"I made it my business when I returned to the Senate office last year to bring him back as campaign manager," said Andrew O'Brien, Kerry's state director. "He has single handedly the best relationships, the best demeanor. He is absolutely the best ambassador for Senator Kerry in the state with our large Massachusetts political family."

"He's seasoned, he's smart, he's aggressive," he went on. "And he's a good guy."

Lau said he views this campaign, first in the primary against Ed O'Reilly and then in the general election against Republican Jeff Beatty, as an opportunity for Kerry to connect his constituency and talk about what he has accomplished in the Senate.

"This election isn't just about winning or losing its about reaching out to people and continuing to have that dialogue," he said. "And it's an opportunity to talk about the things he talked about in the presidential campaign and how he's going to be able to accomplish those things in the Senate."

And, Lau noted, he was eager to come back and help the senator. "The senator gave me my first shot, gave me my first job," he said. "He really helped create the opportunities I've had."

And the journey, he added, "has been awesome."