Today's Article
Karl Rove has left
the American
political landscape.
And it is about time.
the American
political landscape.
And it is about time.
The American Spark
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"Turd Blossom" Calls It Quits
By Cliff Montgomery - August 14th, 2007
Karl Rove's rather cowardly departure from the sinking administration he helped create marks the demise of
one of today's dominant political spin doctors.
Rove became George W. Bush's political guide when Dubya was little more than the unknown son of a
one-term president. After his 2004 election, President Bush named Karl Rove "The Architect". In more direct
moments, Bush called Rove "Turd Blossom". Administration critics dubbed him "Bush's Brain".
Rove in fact has never been any of these things. That his tactics are greatly responsible for putting a man in
the White House who otherwise could never have obtained that lofty place is admitted; but Karl Rove is not a
political genius. He is not even especially bright--keener political minds will note that the last six and a half years
have provided ample proof of that.
He is, however, particularly aggressive--and in politics, that is often enough. He perhaps has provided a great
modern proof of that ancient Roman axiom, "Fortune favors the bold."
It was Karl Rove's mantra. And in the end, it was his undoing.
Rove liked to compare himself to the idol of American political consultants, Mark Hanna, the man who guided
William McKinley to the White House during the last years of the 19th century. Rove saw himself as another
Hanna--a presidential spin doctor who could engineer a complete reorientation of American politics for a
generation.
But to put it bluntly, in power Rove proved to be much more like the tyrant of the Reign of Terror, Maximilian
Robespierre. In his book History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814, F. A. M. Mignet wrote a
biographical sketch of the tyrant that could just as easily be applied to Karl Rove:
"Robespierre had the qualifications for tyranny; a soul not great, it is true, but not common; the advantage of
one sole passion, the appearance of patriotism, a deserved reputation for incorruptibility, an austere life, and
no aversion to [bloody politics].
"He was a proof that amidst civil troubles it is not mind but conduct that leads to political fortune, and that
persevering mediocrity is more powerful than wavering genius," Mignet wrote.
He added an important final point: "It must also be observed that Robespierre had the support of an immense
and fanatical sect, whose government he had solicited."
This fits Rove's ambitious plan of creating a permanent neo-conservative ruling class via a motley crew of
corporate businessmen, a so-called "moral values" coalition with Hispanics and white evangelical fervor.
But even by his own standards, Rove's grand plan has now failed. Far from building a perpetual "natural"
majority, Republicans of all stripes were pummeled in the 2006 Congressional elections, destroyed by a rabid
neo-conservative presidency that arguably has become the most despised of modern times. G.O.P.
presidential candidates now openly compete with one another to distance themselves from George W. Bush.
Rove has left a stain on the fabric of American democracy. While his departure thankfully marks the end of this
era, his specter will eventually be conjured in the future adjective Rovian, and the word will no doubt rightly
contain negative connotations.
Karl Rove took George W. Bush to the White House. In gratitude, Bush made Rove head of administration
policy as well as head of political spin. That policy quickly became a disaster.
By the end, Rove's outlandish tactics were beginning to haunt him. He barely escaped indictment in 2006 for
outing CIA undercover official Valerie Plame, who is married to a Bush Administration critic. Rove also invoked
a dubious claim of "executive privilege" to avoid Congressional testimony about his role in a political massacre
of federal prosecutors.
But in the final analysis, Karl Rove failed because he guided George W. Bush into bullying America with the
arrogance of a tyrant.
And for a while, fortune favored the bold.
Like Robespierre before him, Rove constantly whipped up public fear of real enemies without, and incessantly
proclaimed that any fellow countryman not adhering to his prejudices on any matter--political or personal--was
the enemy within.
But just as the French people eventually revolted against Robespierre, the American people likewise eventually
revolted against Karl Rove's incompetence, arrogance, and hubris. If nothing else, the 2006 Congressional
elections proved that Americans love liberty even more than Rove loves power.
So Karl Rove isn't quitting because of 'family concerns'. He's quitting because he has no choice.
He's quitting because the Bush Administration he built, rooted in an anti-American dogma that every other
viewpoint is to be shamelessly mocked and despised--that prejudice is truth, that reason is treason--has
proven to be catastrophic for both America and the free world.
Karl Rove has left the American political landscape. And it is about time.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - August 14th, 2007
Karl Rove's rather cowardly departure from the sinking administration he helped create marks the demise of
one of today's dominant political spin doctors.
Rove became George W. Bush's political guide when Dubya was little more than the unknown son of a
one-term president. After his 2004 election, President Bush named Karl Rove "The Architect". In more direct
moments, Bush called Rove "Turd Blossom". Administration critics dubbed him "Bush's Brain".
Rove in fact has never been any of these things. That his tactics are greatly responsible for putting a man in
the White House who otherwise could never have obtained that lofty place is admitted; but Karl Rove is not a
political genius. He is not even especially bright--keener political minds will note that the last six and a half years
have provided ample proof of that.
He is, however, particularly aggressive--and in politics, that is often enough. He perhaps has provided a great
modern proof of that ancient Roman axiom, "Fortune favors the bold."
It was Karl Rove's mantra. And in the end, it was his undoing.
Rove liked to compare himself to the idol of American political consultants, Mark Hanna, the man who guided
William McKinley to the White House during the last years of the 19th century. Rove saw himself as another
Hanna--a presidential spin doctor who could engineer a complete reorientation of American politics for a
generation.
But to put it bluntly, in power Rove proved to be much more like the tyrant of the Reign of Terror, Maximilian
Robespierre. In his book History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814, F. A. M. Mignet wrote a
biographical sketch of the tyrant that could just as easily be applied to Karl Rove:
"Robespierre had the qualifications for tyranny; a soul not great, it is true, but not common; the advantage of
one sole passion, the appearance of patriotism, a deserved reputation for incorruptibility, an austere life, and
no aversion to [bloody politics].
"He was a proof that amidst civil troubles it is not mind but conduct that leads to political fortune, and that
persevering mediocrity is more powerful than wavering genius," Mignet wrote.
He added an important final point: "It must also be observed that Robespierre had the support of an immense
and fanatical sect, whose government he had solicited."
This fits Rove's ambitious plan of creating a permanent neo-conservative ruling class via a motley crew of
corporate businessmen, a so-called "moral values" coalition with Hispanics and white evangelical fervor.
But even by his own standards, Rove's grand plan has now failed. Far from building a perpetual "natural"
majority, Republicans of all stripes were pummeled in the 2006 Congressional elections, destroyed by a rabid
neo-conservative presidency that arguably has become the most despised of modern times. G.O.P.
presidential candidates now openly compete with one another to distance themselves from George W. Bush.
Rove has left a stain on the fabric of American democracy. While his departure thankfully marks the end of this
era, his specter will eventually be conjured in the future adjective Rovian, and the word will no doubt rightly
contain negative connotations.
Karl Rove took George W. Bush to the White House. In gratitude, Bush made Rove head of administration
policy as well as head of political spin. That policy quickly became a disaster.
By the end, Rove's outlandish tactics were beginning to haunt him. He barely escaped indictment in 2006 for
outing CIA undercover official Valerie Plame, who is married to a Bush Administration critic. Rove also invoked
a dubious claim of "executive privilege" to avoid Congressional testimony about his role in a political massacre
of federal prosecutors.
But in the final analysis, Karl Rove failed because he guided George W. Bush into bullying America with the
arrogance of a tyrant.
And for a while, fortune favored the bold.
Like Robespierre before him, Rove constantly whipped up public fear of real enemies without, and incessantly
proclaimed that any fellow countryman not adhering to his prejudices on any matter--political or personal--was
the enemy within.
But just as the French people eventually revolted against Robespierre, the American people likewise eventually
revolted against Karl Rove's incompetence, arrogance, and hubris. If nothing else, the 2006 Congressional
elections proved that Americans love liberty even more than Rove loves power.
So Karl Rove isn't quitting because of 'family concerns'. He's quitting because he has no choice.
He's quitting because the Bush Administration he built, rooted in an anti-American dogma that every other
viewpoint is to be shamelessly mocked and despised--that prejudice is truth, that reason is treason--has
proven to be catastrophic for both America and the free world.
Karl Rove has left the American political landscape. And it is about time.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!