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Chuck Todd on MSNBC just said that Rove's role outside the WH will be as the guardian of Bush's legacy -- a role that he has played up to now with relish, as we all know. And that Rove will be more valuable outside the Beltway bubble, both to the WH and the GOP as an independent dirty tricks operator, and also as an outside the beltway informational source for those who are still on cocktail weenie circuit.
As reader Carl from L.A. astutely points out:
I saw a comment several months ago- I wish I could remember where- that predicted that Rove would resign within the next few months, for a simple reason: If Rove was going to make his pile through influence peddling, he needed to do it before Bush was gone and there was no influence to peddle.
Makes sense to me.
Greed is a powerful motivation, especially with this crowd. I'd say it certainly can't be counted out as a big factor, especially given the rushed timing. We'll keep an eye on where Rove's feet seem to land but, as always with this Beltway kabuki, the initial landing isn't likely the whole story -- not by a long shot.
Rick Perlstein comes up with some similar thoughts, in comparisons between Rove and Bush and the machinations of the Nixon White House. Makes for some very intriguing reading this morning, that's for sure. Much more to come, of that I am certain.
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a possible zed?
you got it, NZ…
Chickens, come on home!
Chuck Todd is full of spin!
Yea Christy!
Posts coming fast and furious… I figured the Lake would be hopping today, and I wonder why…*g*
is there a link somewhere to the press conferance?
I missed it
Rove went into the White House without a lot of money- he certainly wants to cash in somehow on his influence- which is on the wane- so that explanation makes sense.
perris @ 5
c-span.org has it
perris at 5 — I liveblogged the whole thing in the last thread. And ET had a link to the C-Span video in the comments. Plus, I’m certain C&L will have something soon.
perris @ 6
linky.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 9
Christy, what was your take on Rove’s demeanor?
gotta be an indictment coming. rove is too toxic to publicly help anyone’s campaign at this point and losing his security clearance seriously damages his ability to rat-fuck at the highest levels.
my optimism has been shattered before, but too much mud flying for rove to just walk away from his office in the white house. i suspect something comes down very soon…
Thom Hartman has the same opinion that Rove will go home and make millions.
rwcole @ 7
As I recall, when he took the WH job, he was forced to give up his political consultancy and its assets (primarily his mailing lists). Someone paid him fairly generously for it… $4 million sticks in my head as the price.
Rove is not going back to Texas - you can’t keep ‘em down on the farm after they’ve seen Paaaarie!
Ooh, I can bloghore here too and not even be off topic.
Here’s a list of the real reasons why Rove might be leaving.
I don’t think Rove is leaving because of money. If he wants, he certainly can be paid well by Fox News as a commentator. Also, Murdoch will pay him well for any books he might author, starting with a memoir.
the last thread someone mentioned that Fred Thompson is planning to announce on Labor Day — coincidence?
I’d buy this if they both hadn’t looked like they’d been hit by a train in the press release. If it was a matter of getting out while the going was good, they, or at least Rove, would have exuded the usual smarmy self-satisfied miasma…
G’morning all!
A questioner in Anne Kornblut’s chat this morning raised a good point:
Really, what college kid wants his dad to spend more time with him? This excuse, I think, doesn’t cut it.
I still think that Iran is the fuckery afoot. Ahmadinijhad (sp?) just fired two cabinet ministers - one was in charge of OIL.
Gas rices precipitously falling in US.
Rove announcement times for full week’s news cycle (that WSJ commentary didn’t write itself overnite).
Whatever it is, it is deliberately planned and timed.
But under the progressive radar flies the buildup of the base in Balad -northwest of Baghada - huge airport - hardened for full scale mil. ops, and a full service permanent hospital - both are staffed by AIR FORCE and Army. Consider the Army done - they are exhausted and their euqipment - what’s left of ot - is in terrible shape. Thyere aren’t any battle ready units at home to replace them. They’ll be truly dropping like flies any time now. The stories beginning to come out via the Guardian and BBC plainly state that the troops are weary. We know we’re sending troops back for redeployments with active mental illness and brain injuries - Bush is killing them off there so he doesn’t have to pay for their care here.
That leaves the Air Force - home to the fundamental christianists/dominionists leadership. They are itching to drop some loads on Iran.
Condi and Gates aren’t having much impact - if they were, the Army would be slowly reducing troop presence and getting the surviving troops home for leaves and some PR R&R. Ain’t happening.
Methinks that Cheney is in the fix for Iran, and that it will be the September surprise.
Top story on Fox
Taliban release two hostages
The mine
Karl Rove resigns to spend more time…
Ed Gillespie - the most important Bushie you have never heard of - will succeed Rove.
Do you hear that sound? It is a huge collective sigh of relief from the many un corrupt people on the right. Another malign polip has been removed from the Repub party colon.
In the book he’ll be writing:
Rove on his future plans:
I have problems with the whole Chuck Todd take. It smacks of “It’s always good for the Republicans.” Rove stays, Bush has his strong and loyal adviser. Rove leaves, Bush has a strong voice outside the bubble.
The simple fact of the matter is that Rove in leaving will lose his proximity and easy access to Bush, both of which are essential in the White House power games of this Administration. Bush has lost his major political adviser. Rove is about to lose most of his influence.
What intrigues us all here today is what could have triggered such an obvious lose-lose situation for this Administration.
Oh, and parenthetically where is Dick Cheney today?
There was talk in the spring that Rove might run the Bush library, which strikes me as odd, especially for someone without a college degree. But it’s certainly a way to guard the legacy (thinking of Hugh Hewitt at the Nixon sarcophagus).
CHS: ..Rove will be more valuable outside the Beltway bubble, both to the WH and the GOP as an independent dirty tricks operator, and also as an outside the beltway informational source for those who are still on cocktail weenie circuit.
Exactly. Harder to run afoul of government election oversight regs if you aren’t directing caging stunts from in the White House…And for the added bonus, he’ll end up as a ‘political analyst’ on the WSJ Op/Ed pages and on FNC…
He’s nowhere near done…Just trying to fade into the background, where he’ll be less visible and more effective at counter-campaigning.
So Rove says that there have been discussions of his leaving for about a year now. Discussions like “Damn, Karl, how ya gonna skate on this one? ‘Cause if you don’t, ya know…”(?)
Something serious is on the way; one that Karl couldn’t see a way to skate through.
Or maybe he’s just looking for speaker-fees for a retirement fund; but the presser had a definite downer-vibe to it. I don’t see Karl crying at the idea of making money - but if his ass is truly on the line - yeah, that’d make him cry.
This could be really BIG:
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/8/13/02514/7489
But who will rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast? No one could possibly fill Rove’s shoes.
I think it’s becoming clear even to the members of the GOP that Rove is not a political genius. He’s divided his party, oversaw huge electoral defeats and is teetering on the brink of being exposed for stealing elections.
What Rove is is a master of manipulating the message. His skill is crafting perceptions and controlling the corporate journamalists—catapulting the propaganda as it were. He is like a super-effective PR flack or marketing sleazebag. But he’s certainly not a competent policy maker.
I just wonder why Rove’s departure is so sudden. The only people who announce their departure within weeks are usually no more than one step ahead of the law or are being fired. Normal resignations come with a timeframe measured in months for orderly transition. I don’t believe for a second that Bush and Rove have been talking about this for some time. Maybe Daddy’s men are moving in to try and salvage Junior’s doomed legacy, and Rove is part of the house cleaning.
Here’s Adam Nagourney’s take in the Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08.....in.html?hp
including Rove’s nod to the base:
“Similarly, Mr. Rove and the party have been studying the Democratic candidates and trying to identify their biggest vulnerabilities, in preparation for the kind of concerted early attack that Mr. Rove directed against John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, in 2004.
To that end, Mr. Rove’s description of Hillary Rodham Clinton as “fatally flawed” in his interview with the Journal did not seem like idle chatter.”
Yesterday the Times or the Post began Rove’s work in an article about Clinton’s negatives.
Not too stray too far into tin foil hatland, but there is definitely something stinky going on with this “resignation.” Rove doesn’t quit (I’m gonna fuck him like he’s never been fucked…!!!”) so it’s doubtful he was forced out.
No, this is political stratergery. What the endgame is, I have no clue.
I do think it is no coincidence that Rove’s resignation and the Atlantic article (thanks, Biodun) came out at the same time. Someone said Ralston’s singing. And Powell could still put a stake through the heart of W’s Iraq disaster if he does speak out when that movie (I forgot its name) comes out in the next week or so. Somehow Rove needs to be on the outside of the Administration if W’s going to fight the shit that’s going to be flying his way soon. And if past is prologue, the Toxic Texas Twins will fight (and I’m not talking about Jenna and not-Jenna!)
Too many gathering storm clouds for a simple “want to spend more time with my family” resignation.
$.02
TeddySanFran @ 26
Odd? It’s the Bush Library. It’ll be an amusement park on the site of the brush ranch.
Rove has a talent.
I think he’s about to put his talent to use in some other way.
TeddySanFran @ 19
Mr. and Mrs. Rove made regular trips to visit the son last school year. They’ve kept in close touch with the son. “More family time” is a red herring.
Ghostman
From the Office of Patrick Leahy:
emptywheel came up with a list of possible motivations:
http://thenexthurrah.typepad.c.....ses-w.html
but greed somehow fits Karl even better than scurrying away from danger or having a disagreement over political principles.
Bush library, yet another oxymoron.
Boston, please leave your comment again. The spam filter ate it and I got rid of it before I saw it was from somebody I know.
Hugh @ 39
but not a Bush Liebrary
Hugh @ 39
They’ll need extra high shelves for all the popup books.
The Bush Library: One medium sized room containing “The Works of the president” - containing hundreds of signing statements and assorted coloring books. Which leads directly to the door labeled “The Accomplishments and Wisdom of the president”. This door will also be known as “Exit”.
LS @ 28
“… shaking the machine for loose screws.”
Give it a good shake and Douglas Feith falls out of it, holding hands with Dick Cheney….
One of the Bush blowhards this morning brought up the subject of the dejection in the Bush camp when they thought they had lost Florida. Of course, they did lose Florida but were able to steal it without much of a hitch.
OT but not sure if it has been already noted:
Pelosi and (Whip)James Clyburn touring New Orleans today and tomorrow.
http://blog.nola.com/times-pic.....s_rec.html
Also, gosh I wish I could find some women bloggers who knew anything about this Rove resignation… *g*
There isn’t MUCH more to come. One incident cooked up by the king, martial law, and the Internet goes away with our Constitution. Courtsy of the King and the So-called Democratic Congress, which is in on the whole thing. Pelosi and Reid were never what they said they were. Just rich people whose job it was to finish wrecking the Constitution. There won’t be elections, and even if there are, they’ll be fixed, just like the last two. Watch.
travy @ 12
yes a small yet important point there.
Will KKkarl have to cough up the security clearance that should not have had finally?
And one good rat fucking deserves another, take it away Mr. Leahy.
Once Rove is removed from the seat of power all of his magic is over.
The curtain has been pulled-back and the pale, flaccid and blubbering loser is trying to convince the world that everything is peachy-keen.
No sir.
All this talk about him having more power or leeway is bullshit.
Now what about all of those people who have been ratfu*ked over the years and were in terror of having him exact retribution?
He no longer has the cover of executive privilege.
His pasty mug said it all. He’s in deep doo-doo.
-GSD
mc @ 33:
You know I was wondering the same thing. I read that article just yesterday afternoon. This morning I woke up to NPR’s Morning Edition hearing Steve Inskeep talking about Rove resigning. Eerie.
who is this shill on msnbc promoting the “fact” that Rove has always been successful?
Kill your television.
-GSD
rwcole @ 7
In Craig Unger’s House of Bush, House of Saud, the author points out that Poppy and Babs had a surprisingly low net worth (a mil or so, IIRC) b4 Poppy signed up as Raygun VP.
With Carlyle Group and other inside track deals, Poppy Bush, et al, are worth billions.
I’m guessing that Karl got some good tips and got to throw in some of his chips…
That does not preclude Karl selling influence at this point…I’m just thinking Karl is probably worth many millions already by now. I know I would be. Military Contractors, Oil Services Companies, Big Oil - pre-Dubya were huge bargains. Looky what Dubya has done. Its worked out quite well for them.
OldCoastie @ 50
Overall, once he started his own consulting firm, he has been quite successful at getting his candidates elected.
Success as a human being and a citizen, umm, not so much.
I also have problems with the idea that Rove is leaving because he can be more effective elsewhere. He is at the apex position of political operatives. He is the chief political adviser to the President. Anything else will be a major demotion.
As for money, Rove is not exactly a pauper and 2008 is probably not the best for Republican political operatives in general and for Karl Rove in particular. Besides wingnut welfare was made for the likes of Rove, if for no other reason than to keep his mouth shut.
Karl HAS been pretty damned successful- Gettin this piece of shit elected twice as governor and twice to the presidency is not an accomplishment that should be taken lightly- he also managed to build the majority in congress- until 06 when the walls started tumbling.
I’d give him good marks as a political operative—very BAD marks as a human being.
Teddy SF —- I think that the Bushies think New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi are as fixed as they need to be.
Hugh @ 25
“Bush has lost his major political adviser. Rove is about to lose most of his influence.“
This is the bottom line to me..regardless of why what when how
Rove has been a target of all of us Progressives for 6 years now, so I’m going to drink a beer or five before I start getting too paranoid about the “other shoe”
:-)
Rove’s net worth is put at somewhere between 1.5 million and 6 million- don’t know why the range is noted.
1.5 million is nothing- 6 is enough to live very comfortably for life- but NOT in the style of the class of people he would like to be associated with..
Was talking to one of these about a job once- he said “Wealth starts at 100 million”. That’s what Rover wants.
OldCoastie @ 51
He also said, defending the rove legacy - “during the bush/rove admin, we have been relatively prosperous, and we have been safe.”
I guess he forgot about 9/11, anthrax, katrina, no health care and failing infrastructure.
rwcole @ 59
Documentable net worth, I’m guessing.
rove will still be in bushco life - just changed his job for a new slot - he’ll still be bushco’s brain - old dog new trick….he’ll be free to really make moves - wait for it
In the picture up at nbcnews.com Bush and Rove both look to be on the verge of tears. I agree with those who think that something very bad is coming down.
Andrew Sullivan opines on Rove:
While he spins. The man’s legacy is a conservative movement largely discredited and disunited, a president with lower consistent approval ratings than any in modern history, a generational shift to the Democrats, a resurgent al Qaeda, an endless catastrophe in Iraq, a long hard struggle in Afghanistan, a fiscal legacy that means bankrupting America within a decade, and the poisoning of American religion with politics and vice-versa. For this, he got two terms of power - which the GOP used mainly to enrich themselves, their clients and to expand government’s reach and and drain on the productive sector. In the re-election, the president with a relatively strong economy, and a war in progress, managed to eke out 51 percent. Why? Because Rove preferred to divide the country and get his 51 percent, than unite it and get America’s 60. In a time of grave danger and war, Rove picked party over country. Such a choice was and remains despicable.
-GSD
TeddySanFran @ 20
exactly. Amid all the buzz and speculation, I must say that the pure lamery of that excuse really stands out.
Hell, they can put a man on the moon…..they can put a moron in the white house…..surely they could have come up with a better explanation than that. Surely they don’t take us all for fools….!
Oh…..uh, strike that.
Most retirement counselors advise taking no more than 4% of your nest egg out annually- to maintain principle and to gain enough to beat inflation..
$1.5 million would give Rover 60k a year- poverty for a gooper pol.
$6 million would give him $240K–that’s a nice number- but not enough to become a mover and a shaker.
If Rove was off to work on more Repub fuckery, he would have been smug, not choked up. I think he knows something bad is going to come out - it might not even be about him. It may be something about US policy - or it might be about him personally or legally. He is definitely not a happy camper.
The California electoral problem must be deflected. Daily Kos has a call to action diary up on that.
Solai @ 63
Very bad for Little Boots and KKKarl is not a problem. The problem is if it is very bad for the rest of the country/world.
Solai @ 63
Once again, I say that a man who can manufacture reasons for an immoral war can manufacture tears. And Junior? Well, the poor overworked baby needs a vacation, dontcha know?!
Maybe they are afraid of Cheney’s Iran policy and Armafuckinggeddon.
twolf1 @ 60
All depends on who is “we.”
[egr bold]
Solai @ 63
In the picture up at nbcnews.com Bush and Rove both look to be on the verge of tears. I agree with those who think that something very bad is coming down.
My impression from the presser was that GWB was fine - it was just Karl who was really down. Overall though, the thing had a down-vibe; not what one would expect when one Republican is sending off another Repub to the land of big-money speaking gigs.
of course it could be a lot of things, karl leaving, but i don’t think it’s really anything significant. could be the guy is just ready to get out of the pressure cooker for a while even though i reckon he’ll jump back in it fairly quickly. there really isn’t much left for him to do for fuckwad between now and ‘09 and if he feels like cheney’s put the mongoose stare on fuckwad again he may just be bored and feel like he should take his toys and go home.
Squeeze-a-hugs to all the ladies of the lake…
Boy, the dreams one has after late-night news like that…
Looks like Rover is a quitter. What a loser.
ReBushlickens are like that… Quitters, losers.
barbara @ 68
Wasn’t Bush supposed to go directly to the “ranch” from the Grand meeting with the French prez? Why stop at the WH? I think this was sudden and maybe fatal for them all.
Maybe he is ill.
Rove tried to force the first historical realignment in the US in the 21st century–and failed miserably. I completey agree with Hugh that he was at the apex of political power: Only Chimpy was above him, and sometimes not even that. Rove also got the better of Darth in the Libby affair. And now he’s lost it. Yes: big demotion.
TeddySanFran beat me to it at #30. Who indeed will continue the extraordinary work that has been accomplished in rebuilding New Orleans? It seems to me that the whole question of NOLA dropped from w’s radar screen as soon as rover was put in charge. There really haven’t been any substantive references to NOLA in official statements since that day.
Barbara @69,
Why would Rove want to display the notion of weakness by tearing up?
Talk on MSM about lowering the drinking age… Last time the drinking age was lowered it was during the draft for VN… “How can we ask young men to die for their country if we do not trust them with a beer?”…Add that to UK paper reports of US troop fatigue…Bush -Cheney- go fight your own damn war. Send in your own damn children.
Rove got kicked out of his policy position prior to the 06 election cycle- so his current job is political director to a guy who will never run for office again. Could be below his dignity.
snarKassandra @ 40
Cassie, I haven’t been to your place yet. But here I commented that your insight into Rove continuing on from Texas without missing a beat as magnificent. And what I mean by that is that George and Karl saying good bye is not good bye for those two. They’ll keep talking no matter what.
Twain @ 75
Good point.
Milan River @ 80
You are so right. I smell a draft, and the drinking age thingy, and Lute’s comment is a sure sign they’re thinking about it.
cancer_cures @ 79
Oh, I was thinking humanity rather than weakness. Then I thought about that, had a good little laugh, and now waiting for the truth to emerge, as it always does with BushCo. Bwahahahahahahahaha!!
The drinking age is a state issue- although the feds can influence the states through tying highway funds to a change. It is not possible for the federal govt to change the drinking age.
I think Rove was genuinely choked up at the presser.
It could be because of something bad about to go down. But I can see it being for the simple fact he’s leaving a position and friends that he will miss - the guy is human - maybe not a great one, but human.
barbara @ 69
Barb, its hard to believe, but it appears that you and I are the only ones here who believe that Rove is capable of and did indeed fake his melancholy demeanor.
Jeez, I think the notion of the influence peddling just seems way too innocuous, After all, there is always a big pocket to tuck a first rate crook into. His kind of peculiar “skill set” will serve him well in big business.
Something’s up.
rwcole @ 86
This is true. But it was changed at the time of Vietnam all over the place because of the draft age.
There is a lot of fed pressure re drinking age.
cancer_cures @ 79
All of this talk about him moving on to spearhead another victory?
The guy looked crushed.
Also, you are a SMART Republican and you are going to hire the adviser who ran the 2006 campaign, boasting about retaining the majority in both houses. Boasting about having “the math”?
You are going to hire a man who is THE representative of Mr. 26% or Mr. 34%?
-GSD
Mojo @ 58
I’m sorry, but Rove has not died, nor gone into exile someplace without phones, faxes or internets. So I don’t buy the fact that Bush has somehow “lost” him.
OTOH, if this is a sign that someone’s singing to a federal prosecutor or congressional committee, or some excrement is about to hit the fan for Republicans, it’s still good news, but I’m not ready to start celebrating anything just yet.
I know we’ve all been in dire need of some good news, and it’s normal to take a little glee in the news of this resignation, but lets not let our guard down. I’m not even convinced we’ve actually won a battle here, but even if we have it’s far from winning the war.
Niggling at back of mind stuff. If there is something truly abhorrent in the wind re Rove, what earthly difference does it make whether he was publicly integral to BushCo yesterday but not today? I can’t seem to get my wee brain around the p.r. implications of this staged tragedy and its clearly critical timing.
Rove’s flawed predictions:
I’d be worried if I were Hillary.
cancer_cures @ 79
He wants people to feel sorry for him (read Republican Party) IF he gets indicted.
Tahts a big IF. Rove is always playing pok*r (in the metaphorical sense).
Edited and released by Mods
If USA troops were not in Iraq, any issue about Iran would be moot.
hackworth @ 87
Well, I think he’s capable of it, but my question is what would be gained by that? Honestly, if this had been something they planned, I don’t see that they would have figured on needing a dog and pony show.
Plus as someone else pointed out, Junior actually made a WH stop instead of going straight on to the ranch. That to me speaks of a lack of planning, a lack of knowledge that itw as coming down..
Very, very interesting. So. When’s Abu resigning???
when a pol says its time to focus on family you just know some shit has hit the fan….. jus sayin ok
Catapulting the propaganda, part 73: we are being softened up to accept a military draft. Article in yesterday’s Parade magazine about lowering the drinking age includes discussion of what age kids can be taken into the military, and a photo of a young soldier.
[Print version, snl sorry no linky]
snarKassandra @ 57
I’ve been down there with my family and they ALL blame Democrats. BushCO is their hero and just couldn’t help what happened. The myth the White House put out, as are most myths, are stronger than facts. The Alamo says it all. History be damned it’s the myth that lives. And as for FEMA that was Clinton’s fault.
Karl ain’t going nowhere but up, up and up even if away. Other than Gandhi, I’d like to know what person when in a leadership position of power doesn’t use it for their own gain? I really don’t know of one. Humans just aren’t evolved enough to handle power over their fellow humans regardless of the position: Pope, Priest, CEO, President, Minister, etc.
Biodun @ 95
Karl is the queen of kabuki. The timing must have been fully discussed & planned. Just wait for the puppet master and the ‘08 election for the results.
juslin @ 98
Yeah, I’m sure Rove’s son really wants dad around campus.
Bushie @ 102
Theatre it is. Shakespeare.
anne @ 87
It’s not easy to give up the corner office next to the seat of power.
The Deciderer perhaps did not make the call. Cheney did it.
That’s why they both cry. Didn’t wanna do it. But Cheney said he had to go.
We all saw that Boehner cried in the senate on TV bf the vote to refund troops.
“Spending more time with my family” is classic DEECEE speak for -” I ain’t tellin ya why I’m gettin my ass out of Dodge”.
Of COURSE it’s a lie.
QuakerGirl @ 99</