Rove Resigns

August 13, 2007 4:31 AM

Karl Rove Resigns.The man known as “Bush's Brain” and whom Frontline called “The Architect” will leave office at the end of August.
posted by Ethereal Bligh (213 comments total)

Rats, sinking ships. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.
posted by yhbc at 4:39 AM on August 13, 2007 [8 favorites has favorites]

There was a "What went wrong?" Rove article in the Atlantic this month (apparently not online).
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 4:42 AM on August 13, 2007

I don't have anything more complicated to say other than "Hooray!"
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:43 AM on August 13, 2007

Well, rats are furry with whiskers; ships are metal-like, sometimes wooden..
posted by romanb at 4:44 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Isn't the Captain supposed to go down with the ship?
posted by hadjiboy at 4:45 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'd cheer, but I'm too busy mourning the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
posted by tommasz at 4:46 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

I'd cheer, but I'm too busy mourning the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Mere scraps of paper to neocons.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:48 AM on August 13, 2007

I just hope he's not leaving to go work for the Romney campaign.
posted by pjdoland at 4:49 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Years too late.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:50 AM on August 13, 2007

The thought of bombing Iran was too much even for Rove.
posted by notreally at 4:50 AM on August 13, 2007

So the whole "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav'n" thing didn't work out eh?
posted by Firas at 4:53 AM on August 13, 2007

Bush's Brain? I was expecting a much smaller man.

I tried to find the Triumph Insult Comic Dog's video of this but came up with nix.
posted by chillmost at 4:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

He screwed up the 2006 with "the" math and hasn't been able to pull Bush back up into even moderately hated territory, much less loved.

The only question I have is whether Congress can legally force him to talk now (even if you buy the argument that they couldn't before, which I don't). Of course, Congress is being run by the spineless Democrats, so even if they could force him I doubt they will.
posted by DU at 4:55 AM on August 13, 2007

DU : In theory, yes. In practice, Bush will claim executive privilege and (on past performance so far) Congress will harrumph a bit.

Hopefully Congress will wake up to the fact they have teeth at some point.
posted by kaemaril at 5:02 AM on August 13, 2007

However much I dislike the guy, if he did a cross-country tour of trick motorcycle jumping, I would go. Rove all looking majestic in his Evel Knievel jumpsuit, his mad bike tricked out with flames and shit, that'd be hella boss!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:05 AM on August 13, 2007 [13 favorites has favorites]

I'm firmly convinced he's not intending to rest on his dubious laurels. (Not to mention he went Univ of Utah, Univ of Texas and George Mason and never graduated from any of them.) Dollars to doughnuts says another scheme is in full swing to keep the regime purring full steam ahead.
posted by yoga at 5:05 AM on August 13, 2007 [8 favorites has favorites]

So, I guess the White House is just going to kick things into neutral and coast to the finish line now.
posted by oddman at 5:05 AM on August 13, 2007

Rove has no scheme. Notice we haven't heard a single thing from him since the 2006 debacle. Rove is not a popular man on either the left or the right.

The reason he's being ejected is probably because he can't make anything better at the WH and he might be about to make them worse. They need some "Karl who?" distance.
posted by DU at 5:18 AM on August 13, 2007

However much I dislike the guy, if he did a cross-country tour of trick motorcycle jumping, I would go.

I'd go ... if I knew I'd get to see him crash hard and die screaming.
posted by GrammarMoses at 5:19 AM on August 13, 2007 [5 favorites has favorites]

This is quite worrying though.

If something happens to Cheney who will be running the country?
posted by sien at 5:24 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

What is the symbolic opposite of ' . ' ??
posted by scblackman at 5:25 AM on August 13, 2007 [7 favorites has favorites]

When will the indictments be unsealed?

Seriously, now Patrick Fitzgerald can go after the motherfucker.

Or is this a setup for a pardon for Rove?
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:26 AM on August 13, 2007

I'm glad to see him go but we're not out of the woods as long as Bush is in office and Rove owns a telephone.
posted by SteveTheRed at 5:27 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

!
posted by DU at 5:31 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

*
posted by fleetmouse at 5:37 AM on August 13, 2007 [14 favorites has favorites]

Crypto-fascist politics of the man aside, Rove is one of the greatest direct marketers of his generation. From what I heard he could understand the significance of seemingly unimportant demographic differences on the same street when pitching his product (e.g. Republican candidates). It’s a shame he didn’t find a home selling something harmless like toothpaste – I’m sure he would have done well.

I remember reading of his terrifying theories of ignoring the centre and growing the core vote – which violates most rules of democratic politics (where the idea is to convince people to join your side, compromise, etc) but was successful for a time at finding more knuckle-dragging theocrats in Republican districts than anyone else thought possible. The fact that the shrill music needed to get such creatures out of the woods scares and upsets so many other people, including countless traditionally Republican voters was his 2006 undoing. Great article in the latest Economist on the troubles of the US right – As if Iraq wasn’t enough, classical ideological overreach (which poisoned the Democrats from the McGovern era until 1992) and the incompetent wielding of power seems to have done them in. Maybe. For a while…
posted by The Salaryman at 5:38 AM on August 13, 2007 [5 favorites has favorites]

(waves) Bye bye, Turd Blossom! I would still spit on you, you babyfaced douchebag.

Emotion aside, this situation seems so very odd. The articles online give a few different reasons. I've read the typical "spend time with my family" which is WH lingo for "forced my ass out." There's the reason in the article above. Maybe he's going to be their scapegoat. We've probably only scratched the surface - there's must be so much more to this story.
posted by barchan at 5:43 AM on August 13, 2007

I was going to say he was caned for sucking but then I remembered that bush never fires people for that. I wonder what the deal was.

Oh well, who cares. I'll give a damn when the sucker goes to jail.
posted by delmoi at 5:48 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

Rove is a genius. I'd be mourning his resignation if he wasn't a typical atheist/agnostic who just exploited Christians. It's politics though, he is still brilliant, albeit rather amoral. In the end, all his hard work still resulted in a miserable failure as he did it all for man who governs like a secular liberal.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 5:49 AM on August 13, 2007

Pretty good comment from The Salaryman until we get the typical DLC, "reasonable centrist" argument: The Republicans are really bad and the Democrats can take advantage, but only if they act more like Republicans.
posted by DU at 5:49 AM on August 13, 2007

Hey, whaddaya know! I saw this on BBC and CNN before it hit MetaFilter! We've been scooped!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:50 AM on August 13, 2007

....he did it all for man who governs like a secular liberal.

Wow. Just.....wow.
posted by DU at 5:50 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

I heard he's readying his posse to take his rap act on the road. Word.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 5:51 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I find it curious that this came out on a Monday, so as to provide the maximum coverage during the weekly news cycle.
posted by ursus_comiter at 5:52 AM on August 13, 2007

simple question for those making snarky comments about the Democrats--who will you vote for this forthcoming election or will you just not vote and make smart comments instead?
posted by Postroad at 5:56 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

In the primary I'll vote for the Democrat who I feel best represents me. In the general, I'll vote for the Democrat.
posted by DU at 5:57 AM on August 13, 2007

simple question for those making snarky comments about the Democrats--who will you vote for this forthcoming election or will you just not vote and make smart comments instead?

I'll just not vote and make smart comments instead, thus fulfilling your holier-than-thou prophecy, you self-important, condescending jerk.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:01 AM on August 13, 2007 [16 favorites has favorites]

I find it curious that this came out on a Monday, so as to provide the maximum coverage during the weekly news cycle.

There must be something else they really, really needed to bump from the front page of the news.

But this will be nice, especially if he goes to jail soon afterwards.
posted by Balisong at 6:01 AM on August 13, 2007

Come come now, everyone. After eight years of having to force-feed his talking points to someone barely articulate enough to say the, he's ready for a change. Someone with a forceful, presidential aura. Someone with experience playing a tough, take-no prisoners type of role. Someone who can memorize a line and speak it with conviction. Isn't it obvious?

He's joining the Fred Thompson campaign.
posted by googly at 6:01 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Argh.

*the = them
posted by googly at 6:02 AM on August 13, 2007

*the = them

Works either way if you put the words in quotation marks.
posted by mdonley at 6:05 AM on August 13, 2007

Argh.

*the = them

I thought "the" was fine.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:06 AM on August 13, 2007

Vote for 3rd party candidates
Don't vote for incumbents
Sooner or later we will have to address the problems of this 2 party system and career politicians.

People like Rove don't go away, they just go someplace else. He is probably telling the truth about leaving to spend time with his family, before the next POTUS election gears up.
posted by a3matrix at 6:08 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Great article in the latest Economist on the troubles of the US right

Under the weather: "The conservative movement that for a generation has been the source of the Republican Party's strength is in the dumps." Also, Karl Rove quits.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:11 AM on August 13, 2007

He's joining the Fred Thompson campaign.

Interesting theory, and of course, we'll see. On hearing the news I immediately wondered which candidate he would turn up with. On the other hand, given his record of recent years, none of them may want to be publicly associated with him, or even to have his advice secretly.
posted by beagle at 6:13 AM on August 13, 2007

I was going to say he was caned for sucking ...

That would only happen in Singapore.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:14 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

The Atlantic article on Rove is good, and if you have time at a bookstore to grab it and read it real quick, its worth a read.

So now I just need Cheney to leave the scene and I'll be happy.
posted by Atreides at 6:15 AM on August 13, 2007

Thompson has quit.

Am I supposed to have links to Wikipedia and CNN here?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:17 AM on August 13, 2007

It took him this long to figure out turd blossom was an insult?
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:20 AM on August 13, 2007

scblackman: What is the symbolic opposite of ' . ' ??

,.|..
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:22 AM on August 13, 2007 [5 favorites has favorites]

I'm not convinced that this isn't part of some scheme similar to Cheney's "I'm Legislative when I feel like it and Executive when I feel like it!"
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:22 AM on August 13, 2007

Heard this on the radio overnight, and I was totally convinced it was a dream.

Too bad it took so long.
posted by Space Kitty at 6:24 AM on August 13, 2007

Ignore the trolls and they will go away.
posted by chillmost at 6:24 AM on August 13, 2007

Rove's not joining any campaign.

Knock on wood and all that, but as the months go on it's going to appear more and more likely that the GOP isn't taking back either House in Congress, and even pessimistically I'd say there's a straight 50-50 chance of a Democrat becoming president. Much like the housing market right now, this is only going to get worse before it gets better. (for Republicans, that is)

Rove was the special assistant to the President of the United States. His expertise was campaigns, of which there are none remaining. He doesn't really have anywhere to go except private sector consulting. This is the best time for him to leave when he can get a great salary package to be the head of a firm somewhere in Texas. He'll probably consult for a few campaigns, but certainly not manage any.

Cheney's going to retire and Bush will take a figurehead role somewhere and never be actually listened to again. The reality of all this is, sadly, that Rove is likely going to leave the White House with the highest salary and the most remaining influence on politics in the future.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:24 AM on August 13, 2007

"It’s a shame he didn’t find a home selling something harmless like toothpaste ..."

He did, but it's harmless like that toxin-laced Chinese toothpaste.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:28 AM on August 13, 2007

Vote for 3rd party candidates

Yea, 'cause that worked out so well in 2000.
posted by octothorpe at 6:28 AM on August 13, 2007 [7 favorites has favorites]

I'll bet $5 on him being dead by the end of September.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 6:29 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Adding, to be honest the biggest fear I have here is, impossible as it may sound, Bush replaces Rove with someone even worse than him. And I mean, by leagues.

Rove stayed around because, for better or worse, he had some skill at winning Bush elections. He rallied a base and got Bush re-elected in 2004. He tanked in 2006, because he thought the social issues platform and terror-mongering would still work. It didn't. What makes that scary is Bush might now replace Rove with someone who, like Bush, doesn't just think the war will be a good election strategy, but actually thinks the war will be a good idea.

Rove was an evil bastard, but he did what he did to keep Bush in office. With Bush not caring about that any more, the next guy may very well just be salivating over what countries he can tell Bush to just go ahead and carpet bomb.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:31 AM on August 13, 2007

Correct me if I'm wrong about how this sort of thing works, but since Rove never actually held an office, when he goes, he'll be just another citizen and won't have any protection from the Secret Service, right? He'll need to be careful. There are lots of right-wing conservative Christians out there who won't be happy about his failure to protect fetuses and traditional marriage.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:36 AM on August 13, 2007

I'll bet $5 on him being fat by the end of September.
posted by Outlawyr at 6:37 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

*
posted by designbot at 6:40 AM on August 13, 2007

i was going to post this but i figured it would get deleted, seeing as how it's on every news site on the planet.
posted by quonsar at 6:43 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Since he obviously doesn't have any family other than Satan for the pretense of spending more time with, he's probably off to persue his hip-hop career as M.C. Rove.
posted by DenOfSizer at 6:53 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I noticed that there was a delay in news of Rove's resignation getting to the front page of the Daily Kos. It's as if they felt like me. To be specific, I felt like Donald Pleasance as Dr. Loomis in the first installment of the Halloween horror movies. The doctor may have shot Michael Myers multiple times, and Myers may have plummeted two stories after falling through a glass windowpane, but it's still necessary to go to the window to see if he's dead. Because Rove may still be out there somewhere!!!
posted by jonp72 at 6:55 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

My favorite Rove quote from NPR last year:

ROVE: You may end up with a different math but you are entitled to your math and I'm entitled to THE math.

SIEGEL: I don't know if we're entitled to a different math but your...

ROVE: I said THE math.

posted by octothorpe at 6:58 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

he should go directly to Gitmo.

Why now? Is he going to be working for a candidate, or is there something else about to hit the fan his slimy hands are all over?
posted by amberglow at 7:03 AM on August 13, 2007

Oooooh pleeeeze ...

Will anything change? Nope.
Will Rove still have a huge influence behind the scenes? Yes.
Will Democrats finally grow a backbone? No.

Insert more questions about the mainstream media in corprate hands, campaign finance, influence of lobbyists, the extreme military budget, the extreme debt, etc.

Now back to commercials.
posted by homodigitalis at 7:11 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

It's a foregone conclusion that Hilary will get the nomination. In that case I won't vote, since I really hate her and there's no way I'd vote for a Republican (unless by some miracle Ron Paul wins the nomination).
posted by mike3k at 7:23 AM on August 13, 2007

Wait a second, he's doing this for the sake of his family? He HAS a family? He's breeding?!? HOLY SHIT.
posted by fungible at 7:24 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

I nominate the following as the typographic shorthand for "I point a goatse at [whoever]"

≣*≣

I point the above goatse at Rove. Buh bye!
posted by adamrice at 7:25 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I wonder what Mccain, Powell and all the others who were shivved by Rove think? and when those chickens will come home to roost. Sooner than later some think.
posted by specialk420 at 7:28 AM on August 13, 2007

,.|..

(just as a warning, if I see Karl Rove out on the street some years from now, I'm totally kicking him in the junk.)
posted by NationalKato at 7:29 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

mike3k: She's far from perfect, but a white supremacist is probably worse.
posted by DU at 7:30 AM on August 13, 2007

,.|..
posted by wires at 7:30 AM on August 13, 2007

"I heard he's readying his posse to take his rap act on the road."

"...he's probably off to persue his hip-hop career as M.C. Rove."

Muthafucka my name's Karl Rove
My mind is like a muthafuckin' treasure trove
On how ta run this shit:
Political prostitution
In ya White House, subvert'n ya Constitution
A pasty, pudgy, evil mutha, see?
I'm outta here now, you can't fuck with me
I look at a bell, muthafucka it rings
Behind the scenes, I'm pulling the strings
And what, fool, you think Dubya's all alone?
Like what, you never heard of the telephone?
I'm just gettin' my ass out the spotlight, see
But y'all dumb muthafuckas ain't ridda me.
You ain't ridda me.

yo yo yo, word to my homeys in the Beltway, I ain't goin' nowhere...
Aight, I'm outta here..
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:41 AM on August 13, 2007 [10 favorites has favorites]

If there ever was a man who knew that you don't launch new product in August, it Karl.

Look for big news in September.
posted by SweetJesus at 7:41 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

But....frogmarch?
posted by contessa at 7:45 AM on August 13, 2007

...he's probably off to persue his hip-hop career as M.C. Rove.

I think he would engineer it more like this. That way people that are not paying attention would be like, I love this melody, it is so relaxing.
posted by Mr_Zero at 7:50 AM on August 13, 2007

(just as a warning, if I see Karl Rove out on the street some years from now, I'm totally kicking him in the junk.)

(Oh for internet's sake, no you aren't. You're totally pointing at him to the friend you're walking with and saying, "holy shit is—is that Karl Rove? It is!" And then your friend is saying, "hey, yeah. I think you're right." And then you're saying, "weird. I wonder what he's doing here?" And then you and your friend will, depending on how your friend feels about Karl Rove, make either conversation or nasty jokes or a combination of the two re: Rove and the Bush administration and wealthy, conniving politicos in retirement before changing the subject. Later, you'll mention that you saw him to other people, possibly on mefi, and consider reiterating the "kick him in the junk" sentiment. In the mean time, his junk will remain unkicked.

Unless you're really a violent sociopath, but I don't really get that from your comments.)
posted by cortex at 7:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [7 favorites has favorites]

From the article:

In an interview published this morning in The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Rove said, “I just think it’s time,” adding, “There’s always something that can keep you here, and as much as I’d like to be here, I’ve got to do this for the sake of my family.”

"I’ve got to do this for the sake of my family burrow into still-living flesh, gorge myself--swelling to triple my current size--and weave a coccoon of slime and keratin before beginning the next stage of my life-cycle."

Fixed that for you, Mr. Deputy Chief of Staff, sir.
posted by infinitywaltz at 7:58 AM on August 13, 2007 [8 favorites has favorites]

Does this mean he'll finally lose his security clearance?
posted by homunculus at 8:15 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Wow. Now to wait for the story behind the story because with this crew, things are never what they seem.

It will be interesting to see how much power he is able to hold on to and how many enemies he made. I wouldn't underestimate him because his mastery of dirty tricks and his strategic thinking may be diabolical but it is brilliant and effective.

He will likely lay low until the next big opportunity surfaces. Look at all the ex-Nixonistas and ex-Reagonites that went underground for years, like some hibernating zombies only to re-emerge in this nightmare of an administration. This administration did not happen in election year 2000, it was decades in the making. Unless we put a stake in the heart, I doubt Rove will go away. That's why I favor prosecution of every one of these criminals, even if we have to wait until they are long out of office.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:18 AM on August 13, 2007 [8 favorites has favorites]

not quite a frog march. he'll find a southern accent and drop a "pardon me", with a tip of the hat as he heads for the door.

exit stage right.
posted by ilovemytoaster at 8:19 AM on August 13, 2007

Come on you guys, don't you think he'll end up with Murdoch (openly, that is)?
posted by jamjam at 8:22 AM on August 13, 2007

You won't have Rove to kick around any more!

And like Nixon, he'll most likely get away scot free at the end, with only the feeble "judgment of history" to worry about. Bah.
posted by longdaysjourney at 8:23 AM on August 13, 2007

apparently the first thing he's planning on doing once he's left the white house is to go dove hunting. i think my head just asploded.
posted by the painkiller at 8:23 AM on August 13, 2007

This is reason to celebrate! Rove is, more than anyone else, responsible for the slimy and cynical brand of politics that has poisoned public discourse. Calling Rove an evil genius only gets it half right. The fact that Bush is one of the least popular preseidents since the invention of the poll, the fact that Bush has lost most of his political leverage, and the likelihood that Bush will be judged very harshly by historians -- all these are examples of Rove doing a bad job.
So why is he leaving? (Dismissing the "time with my family" line.) If he was going to help with the 2008 elections, the White House would be the ideal location. Maybe we'll never find out the reason.
But I do so hope he's quitting in anticipation of an indictment. Outing a CIA agent, politicizing the Justice Department, using his government office for partisan politics, comtempt of Congress. Take your pick. It may not by true, but I can still enjoy the reverie.
posted by McLir at 8:25 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

cortex just called me out on the internets. Now, I'm going to have to go kick a lot of junk to save face. Junk, notice has been served!
posted by NationalKato at 8:26 AM on August 13, 2007 [8 favorites has favorites]

Leahy vows to press forward with Rove investigation.
posted by homunculus at 8:27 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Good thing he's not going chickenhawk hunting with Cheney.
posted by googly at 8:31 AM on August 13, 2007

I guess I'm just sort of wondering what difference it makes.
posted by ryptide at 8:31 AM on August 13, 2007

Or bad thing, depending on your POV.
posted by googly at 8:32 AM on August 13, 2007

Salaryman wrote:

Crypto-fascist politics of the man aside, Rove is one of the greatest direct marketers of his generation.


I call Bullshit. He's successful in the same vein that those Nigerian teenagers who scam senior citizens for money transfers. Anyone can be successful if the truth is no boundary. All he did was find what buttons needed to be pushed then created lies that would move each different segment of the population to action. It doesn't take a genius to do something like that. It takes an amoral sociopath. That's what Rove was.
posted by any major dude at 8:34 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

I guess I'm just sort of wondering what difference it makes.

Actually, i'd watch for him pulling much more Ohio election-type shit all over the country for 08--and new crimes as well. It's much easier to do as just an RNC staffer than from the WH.
posted by amberglow at 8:36 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

And if there is a God or karma at all, there'll be an Atwater-type smiting soon.
posted by amberglow at 8:37 AM on August 13, 2007

Vote! A Presidential Medal of Freedom, or a pardon? Which comes first?
posted by ogre at 8:37 AM on August 13, 2007

and watch him to be consulting Frederick of Hollywood Thompson too.
posted by amberglow at 8:38 AM on August 13, 2007

pardon first--pre-emptively. I bet they've already written them all in secret for every single person there.
posted by amberglow at 8:39 AM on August 13, 2007

Wow. Now to wait for the story behind the story because with this crew, things are never what they seem.

This weekend, a blogger leaked a prerelease copy of an Atlantic Monthly article about Rove's arc as a power broker. It was taken down a bit ago, but it was definitely interesting and strangely well-timed given the resignation this morning.

The article's basic conclusion was that Rove is an autodidact with a burning need to prove that he sees trends and 'realignments' before anyone else, a guy who took super-hardball election politicking and transplanted that into the day-to-day of running the government. The consequence of that (if the article's portrait is accurate) is that he alienated nearly everyone -- Republicans in Congress included -- and was completely ineffective at advancing any of the plans he'd said he was passionate about for years. Anything that required more buy-in than a Presidential signature eluded him, and once the divisive powerplays stopped delivering sure-thing congressional victories, the knives came out.

It will be very interesting to see what history says when the various memoirs are written and documents FOIA'd.
posted by verb at 8:41 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I meant is not was. This is not the last we will hear from this scumbag. That's why Congress needs to push forward with the indictment and conviction of EVERY SINGLE PERSON involved with this administration.

NEVER FORGET THAT KARL ROVE WAS A LOW LEVEL AID IN THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION.

20 years from now Washington will be filled with power brokers who cut their teeth in this administration unless they are prosecuted for their crimes - no matter how small.
posted by any major dude at 8:44 AM on August 13, 2007 [5 favorites has favorites]

It doesn't take a genius to do something like that. It takes an amoral sociopath. That's what Rove was.

I don't disagree with the assertion that he's amoral, or a sociopath. But I disagree that he's not a genius.

It may take an amoral sociopath to do what Rove did, but that assertion dismisses the probability that almost anyone in politics these days -- I don't care whether that person is a Republican or a Democrat -- has to display sociopathic behavior, or at the very minimum amoral behavior, in order not to be discounted from step one as a marginal freak.

If every politician or operative in politics has to be an amoral sociopath just to get noticed, not every garden variety amoral sociopath can succeed -- and not only succeed, but do what Rove has done for the past 20 years. It takes someone who's both an amoral sociopath and a genius.

Even if you disagree with his politics and his methods, there's no doubting that Rove is a genius, because the success of the GOP and its talking points over the past seven years are more than anything due to his tactics, his shrewdness, and his ability to exploit the mood of the times.

I hate everything that the man stands for. But I think it is a mistake not to acknowledge what he achieved, if for no other reason than to learn its lessons.
posted by blucevalo at 8:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [4 favorites has favorites]

Anything less than prison for Mr. Rove is nothing to be happy about. Knowing that and where he is, I know he'll walk and live a long, rich and satisfied life.
posted by holycola at 8:54 AM on August 13, 2007

The consequence of that (if the article's portrait is accurate) is that he alienated nearly everyone -- Republicans in Congress included -- and was completely ineffective at advancing any of the plans he'd said he was passionate about for years. Anything that required more buy-in than a Presidential signature eluded him, and once the divisive powerplays stopped delivering sure-thing congressional victories, the knives came out.

But he also fixed things for Congress for 6 years.

There's no reason to think that he won't just step up what he was doing for 08 and throw in some new tricks like that electoral stuff in CA--06 would have worked for him too, if he had only escalated it a tiny bit.

It's far more useful for the GOP (and their still-active plans for the permanent Republican majority) for Rove to be under the radar, with the public thinking he's discredited, than otherwise. And there are many many GOP Senators and Reps who need him to be doing his crimes under the radar--they won't stay in office otherwise.
posted by amberglow at 8:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm sure now that Rove is gone everything wrong with America will be fixed. Just like when Bush leaves office.
posted by chunking express at 8:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Actually, their biggest mistake was giving him an official staff job and duties in the WH itself. They made him too public (but then again, it also deflected attention away from Bush's many many crimes and failings, and Cheney's enormous power).

Lift the rug on all their crimes and you get Rove. From Plame, to Iraq, to the Hatch Act violations, to the DOJ, to inserting "loyal bushies" into every Dept., to running everything as a permanent campaign instead of governing, and selling everything instead of making it function, ...
posted by amberglow at 9:05 AM on August 13, 2007 [4 favorites has favorites]

Rove is like the a Bond villain. When he finally goes out, there will be chaos and huge explosions.
posted by Mr_Zero at 9:20 AM on August 13, 2007

I don't care what happens to Rove. I just want that foxy slice of conservative pie Dana Perino to get back up there and continue lying to me in that hot, hot way of hers.

That's right Dana, you shake it baby.
posted by illiad at 9:22 AM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

Dana Peroxide? ewwwww (And she's so bad at lying too--she makes McClellan look good)
posted by amberglow at 9:25 AM on August 13, 2007

Good thing he's not going chickenhawk hunting with Cheney.

*That* would be turning on their own.
posted by trondant at 9:28 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

( B-D

I hate this fuckin' guy.

NationalKato, should you see Karl in the streets and think twice about taking out one or both of his nuts, give me a call. I will proudly serve a battery sentence for taking one of my pointy, pointy gothy boots to this guy's sorry unlickables until he's grounded and the stiletto-stomping can commence.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:38 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Leahy vows to press forward with Rove investigation.

Which should be the final nail in the coffin for anyone thinking Rove's joining a campaign. Even with Bush's stonewalling no one wants that association with the Bush White House.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 9:44 AM on August 13, 2007

I'm with Any Major Dude. Rove wasn't so much a genius as ruthlessly willing to wage the permanent campaign, no ethics necessary (e.g., sliming an opponent as a kiddie-fiddler because he worked troubled youth - zing!). Add to that the naive Reagan belief that government is the problem and you end up with, corruption, cronyism, and no competent governance.

Like Krugman says, if the press had bothered to look at Texas while they were shitting all over Gore, they might have seen this coming. Then again, gay people on welfare want to marry illegal immigrants.
posted by Taargus Taargus at 9:50 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

What is the symbolic opposite of ' . ' ??

©
posted by mek at 9:51 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

amberglow said: Actually, i'd watch for him pulling much more Ohio election-type shit all over the country for 08--and new crimes as well. It's much easier to do as just an RNC staffer than from the WH.

I think amberglow has it. This is just a way for the administration to distract us and make us think Rove's "insider" days are coming to an end. But he'll still be doing the exact same dirty deeds he always has (as someone pointed out upthread, he doesn't need a desk at the WH in order to continue to pull the strings of power). This new move just makes it harder for people to keep an eye on him (especially the media, who have been turning a mostly-blind eye to the administration's crimes).
posted by amyms at 9:54 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

MC Rove rapping at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner...
posted by Hairy Lobster at 9:57 AM on August 13, 2007

Rove's damage is done, his day in the sun is over and it basically has been since the '06 election. Only big Dick remains to further tear down US democracy and wage war upon the world. His next act will likely be to get Bush to attack so called rebel bases over the border in Iran. For this guy, there seems to be no problem that a few missiles can't solve.
posted by caddis at 10:04 AM on August 13, 2007

Rove Rove Rove the Vote, but make sure he's unseen,
Merrily merrily merrily merrily, democracy's but a dream...

_{Pardon any shonky scansion. I've yet to quaff my coffee.}
posted by illiad at 10:16 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Let's get an over/under going on how long it takes him to announce he's moving to some oil-rich nation without an extradition treaty.
posted by cobra_high_tigers at 10:17 AM on August 13, 2007

20 years from now Washington will be filled with power brokers who cut their teeth in this administration unless they are prosecuted for their crimes - no matter how small.

This evil bastard needs to be watched very VERY carefully: Dick Cheney's "Rove".
posted by Skygazer at 10:29 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Barry Bonds once said something to the effect of "You have to be damn good to have 55,000 people boo you."

Judging by the number of Democrats who want to lynch Karl Rove, he did a damn good job.
posted by b_thinky at 10:32 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Anyhow, as for Rove's resignation, there's something at play here but whatever. This is a loss for W and pretty much sounds the "lame duck" bell loud and clear.

Yay.
posted by Skygazer at 10:34 AM on August 13, 2007

Judging by the number of Democrats who want to lynch Karl Rove, he did a damn good job.

Must. Not. Godwin.
posted by verb at 10:35 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

I think it's very simple. Rove had planned to leave immediately after the 2006 election with a final victory. With no more elections, his work for Bush would be finished. But with the unexpected losses it would have looked like he was forced to resign for failure, so his departure was postponed for a few months as a face-saving measure. Nothing mysterious about it all.
posted by JackFlash at 10:36 AM on August 13, 2007

but Jack, the recent FISA/wiretapping horror was pure Rove entirely--and a gigantic success for him and the GOP -- especially for 08....there's still need and success for him and his tactics. That's all they have.
posted by amberglow at 10:43 AM on August 13, 2007

Maybe he's got a job waiting for him at Halliburton
posted by ryptide at 10:43 AM on August 13, 2007

Now he can just sit around and read all the wiretaps on Dem candidates (which is legal now) and others.
posted by amberglow at 10:44 AM on August 13, 2007

that was the trigger maybe--the FISA thing. Now only Bush (and if he desires, Gonzo) have to approve the taps.
posted by amberglow at 10:45 AM on August 13, 2007

Anyhow, as for Rove's resignation, there's something at play here but whatever. This is a loss for W and pretty much sounds the "lame duck" bell loud and clear.

I'm wondering how the administration can be called "lame duck" when the Democrats keep rolling over to everything it wants?
posted by ryptide at 10:45 AM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

there'll be some oppo research room set up with a feed from NSA, ATT, and others.
posted by amberglow at 10:49 AM on August 13, 2007

on FISA: the President is under no obligation to follow even these watered-down oversight requirements. They are merely optional.
posted by amberglow at 10:50 AM on August 13, 2007

Also on FISA: How the Fight for Vast New Spying Powers Was Won
posted by homunculus at 11:23 AM on August 13, 2007

skygazer: Anyhow, as for Rove's resignation, there's something at play here but whatever. This is a loss for W and pretty much sounds the "lame duck" bell loud and clear.

That's exactly what it is. The article says the WH said anyone who stays past labor day has to finish out the term. Rove's job is to win Bush elections and sell his political agenda. Bush isn't running for anything anymore and with a year and change left in office there's really nothing left to do. As one of the Dems favorite targets, his leaving could actually be a plus for the administration as they wind things down.
posted by b_thinky at 11:27 AM on August 13, 2007

But they're not winding anything down at all--they're in the midst of the rollout for the bombing of Iran, and they're still selling the Sept "progress" in Iraq thing. And a ton of other things too.
posted by amberglow at 11:32 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Plus, the whole provoking a crisis with congress over subpoenas and exec privilege thing and they'll be going to court about that too.

All these things need a Rove, not a Bolten or anyone else.
posted by amberglow at 11:34 AM on August 13, 2007

The Salaryman: Crypto-fascist politics of the man aside...

What's 'crypto' about them?
posted by lodurr at 11:36 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Barry Bonds once said something to the effect of "You have to be damn good to have 55,000 people boo you."

He was on drugs at the time, of course, but I'm sure you still have a point.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 11:39 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Hey Karl! Would A More Honest Reason For Leaving Kill You?

(and of course, the answer is YES)
posted by amberglow at 11:46 AM on August 13, 2007

the GOP really does need him far far more than Bush does.
posted by amberglow at 11:47 AM on August 13, 2007

amberglow, no shit. I was kind of shaking my head in quiet wonder that he trotted out the "be with my family" chestnut. The NPR presenter dryly supplied that he 'has a son in college.' So unless he's pulling a Dangerfield, it's just more time with the wife. And I'm kind of not seeing that working out.

As for 'everybody hates Karl so he's got no future' -- I don't buy that, either. The Republican power elite worship power and control, and in the logic of their ethos, Karl Rove was the Great Master of power and control. "The Math", indeed: The mystique was never that he could see what unlikely thing was going to happen, it was that he could make that unlikely thing happen.

Rove may get a cooling off period. It won't be more than a month or two. He'll be back in some saddle by the end of September.
posted by lodurr at 11:58 AM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

... and what an amazing exercise in restraint by Ethereal Bligh. Not a single post in his own thread. I don't think I could do that. Hat tipped. (Not a hint, in case he's just been untimely delayed.)
posted by lodurr at 12:04 PM on August 13, 2007

F@M,

Pure gold...
I wish I could favorite this more than once for each of my 3 accounts....
posted by subaruwrx at 12:29 PM on August 13, 2007

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070813/13rovefacts.htm

Interesting only because it is so poorly written... Truly worthy of such a man...
posted by subaruwrx at 12:36 PM on August 13, 2007

I'm sorry, but merely one simply will not suffice....

,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|..

ps: ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|.. ,.|..
posted by nevercalm at 12:51 PM on August 13, 2007

I think JackFlash nailed it.
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:19 PM on August 13, 2007

Writing’s been on the wall for a bit. Pretty well timed. I don’t know that it’ll be enough, but it’s perhaps a bone. Still, I agree with some of the folks above: prosecution. Not real optimistic about it though.
Meh. Maybe Fredo will have an accident on his trip.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:03 PM on August 13, 2007

Ha, check out this Google news screen shot.
posted by Mr_Zero at 2:06 PM on August 13, 2007

"As Karl Rove embraced President Bush today following an emotional farewell announcement on the South Lawn, the solemnity of the moment was shattered by Bill Plante of CBS, who bellowed to Bush: "If he's so smart, how come you lost Congress?"

LOLMEDIAZ.
posted by mr.curmudgeon at 2:11 PM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'd not only kick him in the junk, I'd kick him the junk once for everyone here. And twice for Gnostic.

Good riddance to that big bag of freakacocks. I can't wait to see what he's up to, though. I dont expect him to stay gone for long.

,.|.. indeed.
posted by perilous at 2:33 PM on August 13, 2007

and whom Frontline called “The Architect”

Frontline didn't coin that name for Rove, but was referring to one of the nicknames Bush bestowed on Rove: "the architect," "boy genius"^* and "turd blossom."^*
posted by ericb at 2:38 PM on August 13, 2007

I like "turd architect".
posted by Skygazer at 3:25 PM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

When I think of Karl Rove I picture him as part Ralph Wiggum; part Milhouse Van Houten.

"There was a little girl across the street who was Catholic and found out I was for Nixon, and she was avidly for Kennedy. She put me down on the pavement and whaled on me and gave me a bloody nose. I lost my first political battle."^*

"I was the complete nerd. I had the briefcase. I had the pocket protector. I wore Hush Puppies when they were not cool. I was the thin, scrawny little guy. I was definitely uncool."^*

"The secretary of education [Margaret Spellings] was ready to talk student loans and No Child Left Behind when interviewed by Washington Post editors and reporters last week. So maybe she was taken aback when asked why she turned down Karl Rove when he asked her out in the early ’80s....Spellings paused, then said: 'Have you met Karl Rove? He was so inept and so inartful,' she added. 'I mean, I couldn’t even understand.'"^*

posted by ericb at 3:36 PM on August 13, 2007

I Love Karl Rove. Are you a RoveHo, too?
posted by ericb at 3:46 PM on August 13, 2007

U.S. News & World Report: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Karl Rove.
posted by ericb at 3:48 PM on August 13, 2007

"There was a little girl across the street who was Catholic and found out I was for Nixon, and she was avidly for Kennedy. She put me down on the pavement and whaled on me and gave me a bloody nose. I lost my first political battle."

I wonder if it could be arranged to find this little girl, all grown up now, whereever she is, and give her the Congressional Medal of Honor when the next president takes the White House? Pretty please?
posted by brain cloud at 4:03 PM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Rove left to work on his retirement nest egg after 14 years as Bush's loyal assistant. He won't go the slimy lobbyist route. He will get a "teaching" position at someplace like Texas or Utah to add some respectability and then head out on the lecture circuit at 100K a pop. In two years he will be richer than Colin Powell.
posted by JackFlash at 4:15 PM on August 13, 2007

Rove left the University of Utah to become the executive director of the College Republican National Committee. A few years later, Rove ran for the chairmanship of the College Republicans. In an election that was fraught with controversy, Rove and his opponent tied. The head of the Republican National Committee, George H. W. Bush, chose Rove as the chairman. Rove met George W. Bush at this time when Rove was given the errand to deliver the family's car keys to George H. W. Bush's son, who was coming to Washington from Harvard Business School. It would be the start of a more than 30-year friendship.^*

Great Scott! Quick, someone go out to the garage and warm up the DeLorean. We have a timeline to repair!
posted by Servo5678 at 4:21 PM on August 13, 2007 [3 favorites has favorites]

"If he's so smart, how come you lost Congress?"

All part of the master plan.
posted by homunculus at 5:11 PM on August 13, 2007

Blucevalo wrote:

Even if you disagree with his politics and his methods, there's no doubting that Rove is a genius,

One could say the same thing about Ken Lay 7 years ago. Does anyone still consider him a genius? The only difference between Rove and any garden variety scumbag campaign manager is that he got involved early with George W. Bush - which gave him national legitimacy once Bush won the presidency. No other national candidate would tolerate the tactics of such a criminal mind (Bush I fired him) because they were smart enough to know that even though the tactics were successful - that they would eventually come back to bite the candidate on the ass - as George W. Bush will soon find out.
posted by any major dude at 6:05 PM on August 13, 2007

I'm looking forward to the coming revelations of Rove's crimes. We'll call it: The Criminalization of American Politics.
posted by rockhopper at 6:16 PM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

In the mean time, his junk will remain unkicked. Unless you're really a violent sociopath...

yeah, this is a good point. i think a more healthy reaction would be to round up everyone in the administration, then punch them all in the face while yelling, somewhat quizzically, "checks and balances, motherfucker?", and see who claims executive privilege though the blood and shame.
posted by sergeant sandwich at 6:17 PM on August 13, 2007

Even if you disagree with his politics and his methods, there's no doubting that Rove is a genius,

One could say the same thing about Ken Lay 7 years ago.

Touché.
posted by caddis at 6:40 PM on August 13, 2007

One could say the same thing about Ken Lay 7 years ago.

Ken Lay was a genius - at one time. Usually once people hit a certain age and have been doing the same thing they lose touch and then their marbles.

The specifics of Rove's strategies have never been heavily covered; the media (and Democrats who complain about him) tend to explore him as the "polarizing figure Karl Rove" and not get much deeper.

But getting all that gay marriage stuff on state ballots was pretty clever, and pretty much won the race in 2004.

People make a big deal about 2006, but it was hardly unexpected. The sitting 2-term president usually loses seats going into his last 2 years and the Bush and GOP poll numbers hinted at what was to come long in advance. Rove was prepared for it, which is why leading up the elections Bush kept saying shit like "these elections will be decided on local issues" instead of admitting it would be an up/down vote on his presidency.

I'm sure Rove doesn't like Bush's poll numbers but they probably stopped giving a fuck well over a year ago when they realized numbers don't mean anything. The Patriot Act passed when Bush was at 90% and was extended when he was at 30%. The war in Iraq was a approved when he was at 60% and Democrats can barely bring themselves to stand up to him on it at 30%. Even the FISA shit was passed when he was at 30% and this after 1.5yrs of Dems complaining about how illegal it was.

Maybe with higher numbers the GOP would control the congress, but looking back at the past few months, what the fuck difference would it have made?
posted by b_thinky at 7:01 PM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Rove wasn't a genius, he was lucky.

And he is a complete asshole, so fuck him: I'll be perfectly happy to hear of his death, may it be sooner than later. He is a pathogen to our society.

The past several elections have been thoroughly fraudulent. Nothing has been done to solve that. The President has informally declared himself dictator. Nothing has been done about that. It is obvious that many of your representatives are purchased men: they no longer represent you at all even though that's their job. Nothing much has been done about that.

I can not understand why people are not more angry, and more demonstrative of this anger.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:25 PM on August 13, 2007

I can not understand why people are not more angry, and more demonstrative of this anger.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:25 PM on August 13 [+] [!]

I ain't sayin fer sure, and I could be wrong, but maybe it's because not everyone thinks what you think. No offense meant, of course.
posted by rockhopper at 7:39 PM on August 13, 2007

[blinks]

You disagree that the Ohio and Florida elections were tampered with? That Bush has repeatedly signed laws that he simultaneously notes he need not follow? That dozens of representatives are facing prosecution or are leaving under scandal? That nothing much has been done about all ot it?

I mean, seriously, you're saying you deny or disbelieve those things?!

Although I suppose that would explain it all quite nicely, yes. And would certainly make a truism of "you don't get the government you elect, you get the government you deserve."
posted by five fresh fish at 7:57 PM on August 13, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

"Genius" is one of the most perniciously over-used terms in the english language.

Karl Rove neither is nor was a genius. Nor was Ken Lay, ever.

I do not say this because I dislike the man (though I surely do); the list of people who are not geniuses, but who are called "genius" on a routine basis, is absurdly long. Suffice to say that "genius", at least in my book, requires a bit more than venal cleverness -- even if you're the very most venal and cleverest monkey on the lot, you're not a genius.
posted by lodurr at 7:58 PM on August 13, 2007

One could say the same thing about Ken Lay 7 years ago. Does anyone still consider him a genius?

No, they consider him a corpse. Hopefully we can do the same with Rove soon.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 8:03 PM on August 13, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Newsweek: The Bush White House after Karl Rove will be a very different place.
posted by ericb at 8:30 PM on August 13, 2007

Hopefully Rove will grab Bush and Cheney by the hand and they will all go and meet Ken Lay...
Soon,
posted by Balisong at 8:58 PM on August 13, 2007

From the Newswek article:

Aside from guiding Bush on politics, Rove was one of Bush’s closest friends in the White House. Among other things, they competed in contests to see who could read more books.

I have a feeling that Rove won most of those competitions.
posted by the_bone at 10:20 PM on August 13, 2007

You know, it's got to be kind of bittersweet for the guy, genius or not. He'll be known until he dies (unless he gets up to worse mischief in the future) as the brain behind an American president, the man who made it happen, who changed the face of the nation and the world for decades to come.

But the president whose brain he served as was George haha Bush, pretty much indisputably the worst president the country has ever seen, a drooling kallikak jesus-freak whose name, if not entirely stricken from the record by future generations, will be used as slang for 'failing upward' or maybe 'dimwit rich fuck'. It's got to sting a bit for Rove that he couldn't have been in the right place at the right time to have propped up and scripted a president who wasn't quite so pitiful.

I hope it stings like a motherfucker.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:13 PM on August 13, 2007 [4 favorites has favorites]

I don't know. If Karl Rove has demonstrated anything about himself, it's an ability to act as though he had utter conviction with regard to ridiculous beliefs. He seems to me to be positively jesuitical in that way. (St. Ignatius of Loyola: "We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides.")

I have no difficulty at all imagining him going to his grave displaying every evidence that he firmly believed everything he ever did or thought was completely right.

Of course, he could just be a sociopath.
posted by lodurr at 3:01 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

What is the symbolic opposite of ' . ' ??

echo $' \e[7;1m\302\267 \e[0m'
posted by ryanrs at 4:03 AM on August 14, 2007

echo -n $'\e[40m\e[2J\e[12;40H\e[0m   \e[B\e[3D   \e[666;1H'
posted by ryanrs at 4:06 AM on August 14, 2007

textse: echo $'\n E\e[91m*\e[0m\306\216\n  \341\265\232\n'
posted by ryanrs at 4:36 AM on August 14, 2007

The very interesting case of Don Siegelman ex-governor of Alabama. Convicted of corruption by Rove lackey's in Montgomery. The whole thing has the turd architect's stench all over it and there's a damning unabutted affadavit by Alabama attorney Dana Jill Simpson. (Who's had her house burned down and her car totaled in what looks like clear intimidation by the Bama Republican machine.) The House Judiciary Committee sought White House papers dealing witht the matter at the end of July and been refused with claim of Exec. privilege. Gonzalas and the DOJ have stonewalled as well, but regardless it seems to be coming to a head in September and would dovetail nicely with why Rove is leaving town so quickly. It's fascinating stuff and Scott Horten of Harper's as well as TMP has been following this slow motion political lynching for a few months now...
posted by Skygazer at 7:34 AM on August 14, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

I'm looking forward to the coming revelations of Rove's crimes. We'll call it: The Criminalization of American Politics.

More like: The Criminalization and Utter Politization of American Government
posted by amberglow at 8:04 AM on August 14, 2007

Karl Rove and the Religion of the Washington Press -- ...Savviness! Deep down, that’s what reporters want to believe in and actually do believe in— their own savviness and the savviness of certain others (including operators like Karl Rove.) In politics, they believe, it’s better to be savvy than it is to be honest or correct on the facts. It’s better to to savvy than it is to be just, good, fair, decent, lawful, civilized, sincere or humane.

Savviness is what journalists admire in others. Savvy is what they themselves dearly wish to be. ...
posted by amberglow at 8:21 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Perino will miss Rove’s ‘Ice Cream Fridays.’

“On Fox News today, host John Gibson asked White House spokesperson Dana Perino what the White House will be like ‘sans Rove.’ Perino responded: ‘You know, there is no doubt that it’s going to be different around the White House. Some things that people don’t know about Karl is that like on Fridays, he started ‘Ice Cream Fridays,’ and he would bring around ice cream to all of the staff.’

Perino added: ‘And when you’re doing your West Wing tours, he will point to you and say, ‘Dana, you are needed in the West Wing immediately. The President needs your advice on something.’ And it just thrills the tourists. He’s such a fun-loving guy.’”

posted by ericb at 9:10 AM on August 14, 2007

There's something wonderful about the juxtaposition of amberglow's and ericb's comments. Two aspects of a master-manipulator.

What a piece of work. If I were dying of thirst in a desert and he were giving away cool glasses of water, I'd have some serious misgivings about taking his drink. Not because he's eeeeevil -- I just wouldn't fucking trust him not to shiv me while I drank.
posted by lodurr at 9:41 AM on August 14, 2007

Bush Administration Says Warrantless Eavesdropping Cannot Be Questioned
posted by homunculus at 11:02 AM on August 14, 2007

Hatch-ling?
posted by homunculus at 11:04 AM on August 14, 2007

The Reviews Are In: Major Papers Cast Rove’s Record As Failure

"[Rove] is quitting his White House job with little likelihood that the political agenda he set will be fulfilled…

[F]ew people — including his Republican allies — believe Rove succeeded...

Mr. Rove leaves the White House anything but victorious....

Karl Rove leaves the White House unbowed and unindicted, but also under investigation and unsuccessful...

[I]t’s hard to believe he’d be going home if his grand vision of Republicans forever had held together instead of imploding.

[T]he politics of polarization that once served President Bush so well eventually undermined his quest for a legacy...

Fortunately, reality finally is catching up with Karl Rove."

etc.

posted by ericb at 11:28 AM on August 14, 2007

I agree w/ amberglow's link that the Washington press seem to adore cynical cleverness above all other things. But they do also love a good feeding-frenzy. So maybe they'll turn on the chubby little sociopath after all.
posted by lodurr at 11:53 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

So maybe they'll turn on the chubby little sociopath after all.

I don't think so. His career is not over by a long shot and he's not old, and they still haven't ever told all they know about him--many of them will still gladly go to him as a source and prop him up. And God only knows what he knows about all of them.
posted by amberglow at 12:49 PM on August 14, 2007

No Republican is ever unwelcome to the press or tv--even if convicted.
posted by amberglow at 12:50 PM on August 14, 2007

“If he’s so smart, why did you lose Congress?”

"But judging by some of the reaction, you’d think I had been shouting obscenities in church! "
posted by amberglow at 1:28 PM on August 14, 2007

more from Harper's on the Alabama stuff and his connections there : Karl Rove’s Unfinished Business (the Trail Leads, Yet Again, to Alabama)
posted by amberglow at 1:40 PM on August 14, 2007

speaking of the media always loving a convicted former GOP official: ..."He's not dying. ... He's not just going to go away; he'll still be around," DeLay said in an interview of Fox News Tuesday morning. "In fact, I think he'll be more powerful than ever, because he'll be involved in a lot of campaigns, I'm sure. He'll be an adviser to a lot of sitting elected officials. He'll be bigger than ever."
DeLay resigned last year after being indicted by a Texas grand jury on campaign finance related charges and, separately, being outed as a close associate to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Asked what Rove's intentions are related to next year's presidential election, DeLay predicted the architect of Bush's successful White House runs fielded "at least nine or 10 calls yesterday" from this year's slate of Republican hopefuls. ... (DeLay was on CNN saying the same thing too)
posted by amberglow at 1:45 PM on August 14, 2007

i've been waiting for this, from rudepundit:
A Leather Slave's Anti-Requiem For Karl Rove: ...
It was when Rove's voice quavered as he spoke, "At month's end, I will join those whom you meet in your travels, the ordinary Americans who tell you they are praying for you." The CNN anchors said Rove was getting choked up. But, no, no, that wasn't the truth. He wanted to call them and tell them that they were reading it wrong. He knew that it wasn't sadness or admiration or regret. It was pure disdain and hatred and anger, swallowed down, gagging him, not so much a lump in his throat as vomit at the very idea of "ordinary Americans."...
posted by amberglow at 2:55 PM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Jon Stewart Explains Why We Will Miss Karl Rove.
posted by ericb at 8:30 PM on August 14, 2007

Rove rove rove your swift boat
Gentile-y up shit creek
You coprophagous motherfucker
Life in prison, aah to dream.
posted by phoque at 10:13 AM on August 15, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Looks like the swift boat is being lowered into the water again. NYT article Proving that this big PR stunt called a "resignation" is lateral strategic move.
posted by Skygazer at 10:32 AM on August 16, 2007

yup--that's what his job is now--oppo research, ratfucking as usual, and dirty tricks.
posted by amberglow at 3:22 PM on August 16, 2007

Tony Snow Signals His Resignation, Plus ‘A Couple’ More ‘Coming Up In The Next Month’
posted by ericb at 3:56 PM on August 16, 2007

Wow, Karl didn't even break stride. He really does think we're stupid, doesn't he?

As for the Snowman, I suppose that's not a record, but he didn't last long, did he?
posted by lodurr at 3:19 AM on August 17, 2007

there's talk of some sex thing about to break too.
posted by amberglow at 8:30 PM on August 17, 2007

Rove & Cheney: Bush's Brain and Bush's Asshole.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:39 PM on August 17, 2007

amberglow, the stuff about Rove in that link was all conjecture, and it could as easily point to other kinds of abuse-of-power -- like the ones we already know about -- as they could sex. My Occam's Razor leave political explanations: He's more valuable to others and will have more of what he regards as "fun" if he's not tied to the administration -- if he can get back in the saddle and start guiding campaigns.

That said, you neglected to mention that there was some super-juicy stuff about none other than the President hisself, down toward the bottom. Were you holding out ;)?

My prurient side is also waiting eagerly to find out who's on Larry Flynt's 30 person list. (SFW, it's just Crooks &amp Liars.)
posted by lodurr at 8:07 AM on August 20, 2007

the stuff about Rove in that link was all conjecture, and it could as easily point to other kinds of abuse-of-power -- like the ones we already know about -- as they could sex.
I see it differently--all the abuse-of-power and criminal stuff is already out, so that couldn't be why he's leaving. It has to be either to ratfuck for 08 all over the country to help the GOP -- or because he was actually fucking. (think Gannon/Guckert, Flynt, DC Madam, all the many GOP sex and perversion scandals, etc)
posted by amberglow at 8:25 AM on August 20, 2007

No, I'm not saying he's leaving due to the abuse of power allegations, and I didn't think that's what you were saying, either. I'm just saying that I think it's easier to explain it in terms of it just not being exciting anymore, than it is in terms of a sex scandal. And I think if the quick-&-dirty remote-psychoanalysis in the piece you linked is accurate, it's as likely to describe someone who gets off on manipulating people in the real world, as it is to describe someone who gets off on doing it sexua.ly. (I mean, seriously, we both despise the guy, but I don't think either of us thinks he's as stupid as Rush Limbaugh.)

I'm thinking that it's more likely to be characters like George W. (who wants to believe that he's the good family man) and Roy Cohn (who fits your description of closted gays in the MERV RIP thread to a vicious T). But in his way, Rove is much less shy about wielding power than Cohn was. He takes obvious joy in it, doesn't even try to hide it, doesn't try to promote himself publicly as a nice guy. In contrast to Cohn, in fact, Rove likes the public to think of him as a smart bastard, adn apparently likes the people he works with to think of him as a fun-loving, friendly guy. Just don't fuck with him. (Kind of like the friendly hood who runs rackets on your neighborhood block.)

ob simpsons: "And that little boy who nobody liked, grew up to be ............... Roy .... Cohn."
posted by lodurr at 8:43 AM on August 20, 2007

I'm just saying that I think it's easier to explain it in terms of it just not being exciting anymore, than it is in terms of a sex scandal.
I don't know...Rove would certainly be able to operate just as he has been in terms of ratfucking and the GOP's chances in 08, and being inside the WH would actually make it easier than outside. And the obvious joy he gets in continual "fuck yous" to all of us would be easier inside as well too. The access and security clearances he's losing can only hurt anything he does for 08, and reduce his protections.

I think it has to be something different, and something that isn't along the lines of the shit that's already come out.

(you're so right about Cohn, but it's a continuum--Merv fired out people on his own staff, and hobnobbed with the GOP for decades)
posted by amberglow at 10:44 AM on August 20, 2007

Stuff like this is now impossible for 08, if he's not in the WH: ... Rove established an "asset deployment" team in the White House early in Bush's first term that was responsible for coordinating official announcements, high-visibility administration trips, and declarations of federal grants based on Republican congressional candidates in need of a boost.

Investigators, however, said the scale of Rove's effort is far broader than previously revealed; they say that Rove's team gave more than 100 such briefings during the seven years of the Bush administration. ...
posted by amberglow at 1:12 PM on August 20, 2007

True enough. But think about this from the marketer's perspective: If you're having a hard time getting people to listen to your salesman's message, maybe relying on that salesman isn't such a good idea. There comes a time when a smart fighter changes tactics.

We won't settle this here, of course. I think, though, that if we see him emerging as a consultant on other campaigns in the near future, then it was probably a move to get more action rather than to avoid scandal. I really don't think he believes he's vulnerable to scandal, anyway; I don't think that would drive him. I think he's looking for the hottest fight, taking it to the "enemy." Viz his morning show performances yesterday.
posted by lodurr at 1:37 PM on August 20, 2007

I think he's looking for the hottest fight, taking it to the "enemy." Viz his morning show performances yesterday.

Speaking of that: ...When Wallace pushed on the attorney firings, Rove's contempt for all those who would question him leaped to the fore: "I know you don't understand you're being an agent of Congress when you ask me that question, but you are." Got that? Chris Wallace of Fox "news" is just a tool of those fuckers in Congress who would dare question the White House. ...

It was only Fox out of all of them who even dared to question him seriously or follow up.
posted by amberglow at 4:42 PM on August 20, 2007

And i've read that all the GOP campaigns already have Rove protegees installed--the top 4 definitely do.
posted by amberglow at 4:43 PM on August 20, 2007

I had no idea about Edwards in 04--... Rove and his aides had begun to fear that their most dangerous foe would be then-Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
With his Southern base, charismatic style and populist message, Edwards, they believed, could be a real threat to Bush's reelection.
But instead of attacking Edwards, Rove's team opened fire at Kerry. ...
posted by amberglow at 6:09 PM on August 20, 2007

o-ho!

DC gossip Wonkette is reporting (and Talon is sort of confirming) that Gannon is planning a 'tell-all' book about Rove which will say that Bush's brain - who orchestrated some of the most anti-gay political strategies in history - liked White House sleepovers . . . with Gannon. Karl, it seems, was a customer of Gannon's, and enjoyed the occassional rendez-vous with the former hooker, "including several overnight stays in the White House Buchanan bedroom." ...
posted by amberglow at 3:34 PM on August 23, 2007

Alright, just thinking about Rove makes my brain hurt, because first I think "wow, that makes so much sense, will the shit ever hit the fan when this breaks!" Then I think, "But consider the source: Gannon is so tainted as a source, from a media perspective, that people will immediately say it's just a scheme to get a book deal." Then I think, "What better way to innoculate yourself against claims of illicit behavior than to publicly discredit such a claim? The Gannon allegations must be a Rove plant! So he must be guilty -- of something!" And then I think, "But he's innoculated..."

Then I realize I just spent 15 valuable seconds that I'll never get back, thinking about whether Karl Rove likes rough sex with gay prostitutes...

"Sleepovers"? Seriously? You can tell Ana Marie Cox isn't writing that stuff anymore. She'd probably just say "all-night bone sessions."
posted by lodurr at 5:18 AM on August 24, 2007

yup--or a blackmail attempt by Gannon to get money...he hasn't been doing much of anything.

(and totally--Cox went to Time and got boring and stupid--she's a junior Maureen Dowd now)
posted by amberglow at 12:32 PM on August 24, 2007

speaking of GOP closetcases: A local Republican political consultant was among the three men found dead in an apparent double-murder and suicide at an Orange County home, officials and relatives said.
Authorities have not determined a motive for the deaths of Ralph Gonzalez, 39, his roommate, David Abrami, 36, and a friend, Robert Drake, 30. ...
posted by amberglow at 12:46 PM on August 24, 2007

Rove's car is decorated now
posted by anthill at 3:24 PM on August 29, 2007

Rove's car is decorated now

Earlier deleted MetaFilter thread: Karl Rove desperately clings to dignity as a new White House conspiracy is covered in film. Score one for government transparency.
posted by ericb at 6:38 PM on August 29, 2007