The American Spectator

st. louie mo| 12.11.08 @ 4:46PM

Too true. He and Peggy Noonan are definitely off my reading list. Ask Karl to explain Harriet Meyers please.

ruth| 12.11.08 @ 5:38PM

Go home, Karl. Please.

BJC| 12.11.08 @ 6:02PM

What I'd recommend to Karl Rove himself and to his listeners is to stick to the numbers and barebones operations of politics -- on that stuff Rove is unparalleled in knowledge. Where Rove's failed miserably is on the overarching principles and strategies. In my view, he and George W. Bush both fell into the common trap of overapplying their experience to larger contexts and situations. What worked well in Texas politics was disastrous taken up on the national level. Another observation of interest to me is that President Bush has been most effective confronting the unexpected challenges of his presidency --such as confronting the terrorists and preventing a second wave of attacks as massive as on 9/11 -- and least effective in those areas of day-to-day "we knew it was all coming" decisions -- such as the economic problems from the mortgage-backed securities meltdown from Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac.

Ran| 12.11.08 @ 7:42PM

The Architect's house of cards has flopped. He expects us to return for a new design? I had a tough time with his quasi-conservative approach four years ago, and an even tougher one in '06.

We need an Architect who understands foundations. I'm thinking Founding Fathers - not to be too cute about it. Rove missed the importance of individual liberty: It's not uniquely important to the Conservative base, but rather an issue of great importance to many Liberals as well. He saw - and still sees - the "moderates" as a monolith. In other words, he saw the field the way a socialist see it, as groups to be attracted with groupthink policy.

The only way forward is to appeal to Individuals - the ultimate minority. This minority cuts through and across all groupings imaginable including ideologies. That was Conservatism's early genius and the key to it's future success. That was how Reagan attracted so many Democrats. Someone who builds a foundation on that strategy stands a better chance of winning. Rove ain't that guy, ain't that Architect. Ditto Brooks and Frum and Dreher and Barnes and that entire posse stuck in the muddle.

R. Dittmar| 12.11.08 @ 8:11PM

“What I'd recommend to Karl Rove himself and to his listeners is to stick to the numbers …”

Guys like Rove can’t even be trusted with numbers. Take his attempts to tear the Republican party apart by pushing amnesty. Hispanic voters make up at most 6% of the electorate. Of the smallish number of Hispanics that turn out to vote, their votes are cast overwhelmingly for Democrats. From the numbers I’ve seen, McCain would have still been trounced this year even had he gotten an entirely unprecedented 70 0r 80% of the Hispanic vote. This means that Rove has been flirting with the complete immolation of the GOP just in hopes of adding a tiny amount to a tiny little piece of a tiny little slice of the electoral pie. Frankly, I think we should ignore him entirely.

Alan Brooks| 12.11.08 @ 8:57PM

BJC got it right: what works for Texas doesn't work for America. What works for Hope Ark. doesnt work for America. what works for Plains Georgia...

ruth| 12.11.08 @ 9:47PM

Well, I already know one thing is for sure: What works for that cesspool Chicago doesn't work for America.

Bill Anderson| 12.11.08 @ 10:52PM

Go back to 2000 when Rove led Bush into triangulation, and the five incumbent senate seats we lost. Then his leaning on Jeffords causing him to jump ship giving the chairmanships to the Democrats. Karl Rove is the worse thing to happen to the Republican Party in decades. He is no friend of Conservatives. Rove doesn't see an opportunity when it's presents itself. When opportunity knocks, Rove not only doesn't answer the door, he turns out the lights to make the one knocking think no one is home! And there are times with Rove, I wonder if anybody IS home?!? And sometimes, I think he belongs in a home!!!
Sarah is the best hope for Conservatives.

james23| 12.11.08 @ 11:05PM

Agreed, the Architect is more like the Undertaker.

Alan Brooks| 12.11.08 @ 11:33PM

Ambition is good up to a point; if youre a great governor's head adviser then you might stick to being just that and not want to let your blind ambition carry you to the very top.

annette cwik| 12.12.08 @ 7:50AM

amen brother - amen

J David| 12.12.08 @ 8:45AM

Rove is deeply involved in bringing us the one-worlder, "New World Order" EL Presidente Jorge Boosh that we now have shoving communism down our throats. Let him be "Ananthema"!

David Hickey| 12.12.08 @ 9:38AM

To me, Karl Rove really isn't that much different than what Dick Morris was to President Clinton - a political svengali who knew how to win elections at the expense the party's core principles.

Bob| 12.12.08 @ 10:36AM

Don't any of you have the intelligence to separate the message from the messenger? I guess not, because what Rove was really saying is that the Republican party of today is dumb. He gave several examples of where the party has fallen behind on a number of executional fronts. He talked about getting back to conservative principles much like Newt did.

Rove is technician and not really a strategist. I certainly would not listen to him for the message, but would for the technical aspects of elections. You guys are the ones that support that know nothing Palin.

The party does need to appeal to a broader audience as all of the people who have done this for years say. Frum, Wills, Brooks, Parker, and Barnes are not idiots. They know that the Reagan coalition held moderates, independents, and conservative Democrats together. You can't do this with an ultra-right wing agenda. But then again, I don't expect intelligent discourse in this wing of the party.

John Croix| 12.12.08 @ 10:56AM

While I understand you not wanting to listen to Rove, I think that is a mistake. The RNC should be listening to everyone and gleaning the best ideas from all parties who want to join in the discussion. I believe that if we organize, train new members, and present positive conservative ideas (small government, reduced spending) and shout out every time the dems try to do something that is a blatant violation of the constitution (bailouts in particular). The republicans can take back lost positions. Running as "me too" politicians, democrat lite politicians, and middle of the road politicians who won't take a stand until they read the polls hasn't won an election yet.

Cliff| 12.12.08 @ 12:56PM

Karl was at the helm when we drove into a ditch?

Karl was the reason we were on the road to begin with! We won a Presidential election we should have lost, won a mid-term we should have lost, and won a Presidential election we should have lost, and then finally crashed down to earth.

I'm not saying he's perfect, far from it, but your lack of perspective is truly staggering.

Bob| 12.12.08 @ 1:11PM

John, you said this:

"Running as "me too" politicians, democrat lite politicians, and middle of the road politicians who won't take a stand until they read the polls hasn't won an election yet."

Is this revisionist history? Bush won two Presidential elections and there were good showings in 2002 and 2004 running on a more moderate platform. In fact, if you look at McCain's platform, it was much more conservative than Bush's. A right wing agenda would have lost even more votes as the choice of Palin showed. McCain's conservative voting record over the years is extremely good. There are a few issues where he moved to the center on immigration and the bailout, but his overall record is very much to the right.

J David| 12.12.08 @ 2:36PM

Juan Amnesty McVain : McVain-Kennedy, McVain-Comrade Feingold, McVain-Leiberman, recipient of Soros "donations", leader of "Gang of Fourteen", opponent of Protection of Marriage Amendment, proponent of embryonic stem cell research, fierce ANWR anti-drilling ban, enemy of Bush Tax cuts(called them stupid), Friend of La Raza (La Raza being an ally of ACORN), anti-border proponent, DREAM Act proponent, S-CHIP II pusher, LOST backer, vile obscenity- screaming commie-lib Dem ally...

Yeah, the self-worshiping "intellectual "God-hater "Bob" is right(in his own mind)..Juan is SUCH a right-winger! (Heh!)

Bob| 12.12.08 @ 3:31PM

Okay J David -- king of anti-intellectuals...

I talked about McCain's platform: Low taxes, build wall, pro-military, extreme pro-life, no national health care, drill-baby-drill, and he chose know nothing Barbie Palin. You can't get more ultra extreme right than that unless you are David Duke.

I never said I hated God, only that he/she doesn't belong in politics. Oh that's right, you don't understand the English language. Oh well....

daboss8675| 12.12.08 @ 4:22PM

J David – no sense arguing with Bob because the facts do not matter. Bob’s only retort was sweeping generalizations. McCain was no friend of the extreme right wing (which I am a proud member – as were the founding fathers).

Its unfortunate that we believe in freedom and responsibility but Bob only believes in freedom from responsibility – i.e. “national health care” provided “free” of charge by the gov’t so Bob can live his idea of freedom.

BTW – I’ll take Palin’s smarts of Blogovovovovich (or whatever) smarts any day of the week.

ruth| 12.12.08 @ 4:47PM

Bob must be worried about the Obamassiah's first scandal. Why else would he be spewing his sexist rants against Palin?

Bob| 12.12.08 @ 6:56PM

The idiocy of the so-con extreme right never ceases to make me laugh. Palin is a know nothing -- it doesn't surprise me that people who have a similar profile like her.

By the way, I don't "believe" in national health care. I do believe in implementing those things that lower costs and increase efficiencies. Universal electronic medical records and no pre-existing conditions make sense from an actuarial perspective. We are now 37th in the world in our effectiveness of our health care system and 24th in life expectancy. Is that OK for the greatest country?

http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

In addition, I don't believe that health care should be totally free -- but it should encourage prevention. But then again, I'm not responding to thinking individuals.

Ahh, Ruth, you are among the most sexist people I've seen. I have nothing against Palin's sex, only her extreme void in the knowledge department. Remember, both women and men can be airheads.

DMA| 12.12.08 @ 8:10PM

Robert is correct. The people who drove us into the ditch are wanting to get us out. How do you normally get out of the ditch? You hit the gas and turn left. No thanks! We've already tried this and look where it got us. I'll abandon this vehicle and get another ride. DMA

ruth| 12.12.08 @ 8:34PM

Bob, only a sexist would call Palin a Barbie. Why don't you discuss something intellectual instead of focusing on Palin's looks? You're so shallow, such a one-trick pony.

WendyG| 12.14.08 @ 9:26AM

Karl Rove is a very smart man. His biggest mistake was not purging the GOP of Mark Foley. Without the Foley scandal, the GOP would have held Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections, and things would have been very different.

That aside, Rove's opinions are always worth at least considering, IMO.

ruth| 12.15.08 @ 12:27AM

Wendy, don't you think it would be nice to have some new blood? I am interested in going in a different direction.