08/13/2007
Chief White House Aide Karl Rove Announces Resignation
George W. Bush's senior White House advisor Karl Rove told the Wall Street Journal's Paul Gigot in an interview published this morning that he would be resigning his position effective August 31 — "14 years after he began working with Mr. Bush on his campaign for Texas governor, 10 years after they began planning a White House run, and after 79 months in the political cockpit of a tumultuous presidency."
Said Rove: "I just think it's time. 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."
The paper notes that though Rove has had a target on his back for some time, his opponents have been unable to strike it solidly: "He has survived a probe by a remorseless special counsel, and lately a subpoena barrage from Democrats for whom he is the great white whale. He shows notable forbearance in declining to comment on prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who dragged him through five grand jury appearances. He won't even disclose his legal bills, except to quip that 'every one has been paid' and that 'it was worth every penny.'"
Gigot also notes that Rove claims his reputation as Bush's "architect" is inflated: "'I'm a myth. There's the Mark of Rove,' he says, with a bemused air. 'I read about some of the things I'm supposed to have done, and I have to try not to laugh.' He says the real target is Mr. Bush, whom many Democrats have never accepted as a legitimate president and 'never will.'"
Rove also predicts Bush will head back up in the polls, closer to 40%, and that "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate" by the name of Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination.
Karl Rove to Resign At the End of August [wsj]
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Posted 8:45 AM EST by Andy in George W. Bush, Karl Rove, News, Republican Party | Permalink
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"...Rove also predicts Bush will head back up in the polls, closer to 40%, and that "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate" by the name of Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination."
And that is why he is resigning now. He needs to go back undercover and do for what ever candidate he's grooming as the next Republican nomination to smear Hillary the way he orchestrated the smears against Gore and Kerry. Hillary is just too easy and ripe as a candidate. Once he leaves, look to both her and Obama to start getting viciously attacked.
Time for the Dems to change gears and look to Joe Biden of Delaware. Time to shut down the Rove machine.
Posted by: Rad | Aug 13, 2007 8:56:40 AM
RAD is absolutely correct, Rove's just resigning so he can orchestrate the coming avalanche of dirty tricks and smears against Democrat candidates, and to hand-pick the next Republican Minion Of Evil to occupy the White House.
Posted by: Roscoe | Aug 13, 2007 9:15:24 AM
Joe Biden? Are you fucking kidding me?
Posted by: Tread | Aug 13, 2007 9:16:06 AM
"I've got to do this for the sake of my family"
...and by that he means the Republican Party.
Posted by: A.J. | Aug 13, 2007 9:29:26 AM
At first glance this looks like good news, but I agree with the comments here. He's just heading out of the limelight so he can back into the slime where he's comfortable.
Posted by: Gregg | Aug 13, 2007 9:37:15 AM
"...Rove also predicts Bush will head back up in the polls, closer to 40%, and that "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate" by the name of Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination."
Last fall he predicted with complete confidence that the Republicans would hold on to both houses of Congress.
He blew the last election and, with all the Congressional investigations, he's become a liability, so he was thrown overboard.
Posted by: sam | Aug 13, 2007 9:47:16 AM
Of course he's not really going anywhere -although I do wonder if this leaves him more exposed to congressional subpoenas.
The '08 election is there for the dem's to lose and i'd keep an eye on crime as a wedge issue replacing gays. Crime, particularly violent crime, is way up in big cities and true or not, the Republican machine will link that trend to illegal immigration, drugs and liberal sentencing policies. In other words, scare middle class white people into thinking that only the Republicans can save them.
Posted by: hoya86 | Aug 13, 2007 9:48:37 AM
while i'm glad to see him go, i'm sure that the pillsbury doughboy's demonic doppleganger will be up to his dirty tricks out of the limelight. i wonder how rove and people like him sleep at night.
Posted by: nic | Aug 13, 2007 9:50:30 AM
Rove is right Hillary will win the nomination and the general election for that matter. I highly doubt Bush will ever creep over 40% in the polls, the last time that happened was years ago. He should shoot low first, maybe 30%?
Posted by: Gregg | Aug 13, 2007 10:13:33 AM
I'm not sure Hillary can win the general election at all. Way too much baggage. And who suggested Biden?? He didn't even show at the HRC forum last week...give me a break. He's done!
Posted by: Wayne | Aug 13, 2007 10:47:20 AM
But Biden has the polished look of a candidate, and he has the backing of the AFL/CIO. I agree with Wayne, Hillary has just too much baggage to be effective. She's going to spend more of her time battling the Rove-bots attacking every scrap of public documentation she has than she will running the country.
Posted by: Rad | Aug 13, 2007 10:54:41 AM
People say that Hillary has "too much baggage"- what exactly does that mean?
Posted by: hoya86 | Aug 13, 2007 11:12:43 AM
Bye, Turd Blossom! Thanks for the memories!
Posted by: davitydave | Aug 13, 2007 11:24:14 AM
i disagree about hillary. she is arguably the most thouroghly vetted candidate in history. ken starr did everything to the clinton's except preform cavity searches, so we know hill has no secrets. plus she's experienced, battle-tested, smart and tough.
Posted by: nic | Aug 13, 2007 11:41:17 AM
As Homer Simpson might say: "My work here is done!"
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Aug 13, 2007 12:21:30 PM
I read, a week or two ago, that Ken Starr's law firm made a donation to the H. Clinton campaign.
That just shows what a political hack he WAS and what a political opportunist he IS.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 13, 2007 1:05:41 PM
I read, a week or two ago, that Ken Starr's law firm made a donation to the H. Clinton campaign.
That just shows what a political hack he WAS and what a political opportunist he IS.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 13, 2007 1:06:19 PM
I read, a week or two ago, that Ken Starr's law firm made a donation to the H. Clinton campaign.
That just shows what a political hack he WAS and what a political opportunist he IS.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 13, 2007 1:06:31 PM
Hmm, now that he's no longer part of the executive branch, congress can subpoena him without worrying that Bush will use executive privilege to stop it.
Someone wake up Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats and let them know.
He's also probably bowing out because he's being close to being indicted...
Posted by: beergoggles | Aug 13, 2007 1:18:57 PM
Every 14 years has to go back to his coffin in the basement for a few months
Posted by: Zlexar | Aug 13, 2007 1:25:17 PM
Rad, the AFL/CIO has not endorsed Biden or anyone else. Their member unions did not reach concensus.
Posted by: Gary Ballis | Aug 13, 2007 1:26:49 PM
Oh how I wish Hell really existed
Posted by: JLS | Aug 13, 2007 1:29:52 PM
Biden? Biden? Why not just nominate a real Republican instead of a DINO like Biden. He's the man that wanted McCain to run as VP with Kerry. I guess there were just no good Democrats for that slot. Biden's a asshole, the man that gave us the new Bankruptcy law and looks out after MBNA and other bank/credit card corporate interests, including allowing usury.
Rove will probably link up with Fred Thompson, since he's nailing down Gary Bauer, and the religious right's support. Rove has been cut loose to complete the final phase f the Neocon domestic plan, complete destruction of the Democratic party. All he has to do is slime, smear and lie, assisted by the corporate press and Republican sound machine and get the 2008 election to be promoted as "close, down to the wire". Then the electronic machines will complete the job. Close elections are easily stolen.
HOYA86 says the '08 is the Democrats election to lose. That was the same thing said about the '04 race and the Democrats succeeded in losing big time. Rove is an incredibly wicked man. Whatever his corroded fingers touch will be corrupted. He will do all he can to complete the destruction of our democratic republic, and there are few able to stop him.
Posted by: Tom | Aug 13, 2007 2:04:35 PM
Biden? Biden? Why not just nominate a real Republican instead of a DINO like Biden. He's the man that wanted McCain to run as VP with Kerry. I guess there were just no good Democrats for that slot. Biden's a asshole, the man that gave us the new Bankruptcy law and looks out after MBNA and other bank/credit card corporate interests, including allowing usury.
Rove will probably link up with Fred Thompson, since he's nailing down Gary Bauer, and the religious right's support. Rove has been cut loose to complete the final phase f the Neocon domestic plan, complete destruction of the Democratic party. All he has to do is slime, smear and lie, assisted by the corporate press and Republican sound machine and get the 2008 election to be promoted as "close, down to the wire". Then the electronic machines will complete the job. Close elections are easily stolen.
HOYA86 says the '08 is the Democrats election to lose. That was the same thing said about the '04 race and the Democrats succeeded in losing big time. Rove is an incredibly wicked man. Whatever his corroded fingers touch will be corrupted. He will do all he can to complete the destruction of our democratic republic, and there are few able to stop him.
Posted by: Tom | Aug 13, 2007 2:06:16 PM
As a nation, we do have short political memory, but not so short to just forget all the atrocities this administrations has committed thus far. I agree Mr. Rove is working out his sinister plan, likely targeted against Hilary as he sees it. But I really doubt he will succeed this time around.
Posted by: Rafael | Aug 13, 2007 2:55:11 PM