The funny thing about Rove’s resignation is that he is so up to his neck in criminality that it is hard to decide which scandal took him out. Obviously, in l’affair Plame, he survived lying to the FBI and grand juries by a combination of feigned memory loss and corrected testimony. It didn’t hurt that his boss gave him a pass after promising to fire anyone that leaked Valerie’s job.
Why is he leaving now? It’s possible that the Abramoff scandal has finally reached up through his former assistant, Susan Ralston, and bitten him in the ass.
It’s also possible that the Office of Special Counsel will recommend Rove be fired for the same reason they recommended Lurita Doan be fired…serial violations of the Hatch Act. Of course, Bush did not fire Doan and she may be awaiting a Medal of Freedom.
Another possibility is that the investigation into the firing of US Attorney David Iglesias has identified Rove as the main culprit. And, in a related matter, it may be that Fred Fielding has advised the administration that he can’t continue to shelter Rove from congressional subpoenas for RNC email and direct testimony.
Rove’s explanation that he wants to spend more time with his family is a non-starter. His son is in college.
It’s possible that he is gearing up to focus on the ’08 elections, but he won’t be taking a visible role in any campaign…not with all this controversy.
I had really hoped to see Rove frog-marched out of the White House in handcuffs. But I haven’t given up hope that he will be arrested.
It’s very hard to envision a Bush presidency operating without Karl Rove. Who will replace him? What effect will it have?
I don’t know why he’s leaving. But this leaves Cheney as the sole remaining power player and he’s going to be able to bend Bush to his will even more. Frightening.
Personally, I think the firing of U.S. Attorneys and replacing them with Republican “hacks” has Rove fingerprints all over scheme. He pushed the system of justice a little too far.
Or maybe he wants to goto his ranch in Paraguay to wait out his contempt of Congress charge.
That is the most plausible explanation I’ve heard. I hope this does not stop any criminal prosecutions that may have been in progress….
Something is fishy. The other shoe is going to drop here at some point this week. Bush prizes loyalty above all else and nobody’s been more loyal to the Bush Uber Alles idea than Turdblossom.
There’s a reason why Karl is leaving, and it has nothing to do with family. So what is it? Cheney got rid of him? The investigations got too close to nailing him? Rove’s bailing of a sinking ship?
What’s the reality?
He’s leaving effective Aug 31. But I think you’re right that the other shoe is going to drop soon after he leaves. Something big. I suspect someone like Colin Powell is going to come out of the woodwork and release a tell-all book or something.
He is leaving because Bush is politically a dead man walking. That’s all. Nothing to see here.
He will be taking a 2 month vacation, and then he will sign on with an up-and-coming middle-tier candidate, who will be aiming for the 2012 campaign.
Someone named Bush. Jeb Bush.
Here’s my prediction: Karl Rove will be on the Jeb Bush payroll as of Jan 19, 2009.
Bush is a lame duck.. Rove knows that he won’t be able to do as much evil the the White House as he is used to. He is starting to accumulate a record of failure and he wants to preserve his “evil genius” reputation.
My guess is that he goes home and writes this century’s version of “The Prince”, since that is one of the ways politicos cash out these days. Then he will start grooming his next electoral vehicle for 2012 or 2016.
Perhaps his assistance elsewhere is of greater need than the valuable “services” he could provide to Bushco in these dwindling days.
I think he’s leaving because there is nothing more to do. The 2006 election is over. Bush’s last big domestic initiative–immigration reform–fell on its face. Except for the upcoming Iranian invasion, the Bush presidency is over. Even Karl Rove knows it. And the quicker he writes his book, the more it will sell. A lot fewer people will be interested in the Bush presidency once Bush leaves office.
I had really hoped to see Rove frog-marched out of the White House in handcuffs. But I haven’t given up hope that he will be arrested.
When he is led away in chains for his war crimes trial. But only if we insist upon it.
All of the above.
He doesn’t have the cache that he once had. And his involvement in possible illegal activities is going to continue to “stain” the GOP.
He is only a liability.
We cant be sure he’s totally gone. He could just be distancing himself from the WH for his own reasons while still planning things from afar. Only time will tell 🙁
There’s nothing in Karl’s portfolio that can’t be done every bit as well from a mansion (or a condo) in Austin as it can from an office in the WH. Broadband and a blackberry is all he needs.
Something’s in the works….
yes. That is what I was thinking. However, I had another thought as well. It could be as simple as a policy change in the white house. Rove’s style simply does not fit what the WH needs at this point. They need a damage control maestro, while Rove is an attack dog.
As I said, we’ll have to see!!
One remark that stuck with me after watching the Rove resignation announcement. Bush made the comment that Rove is going back to Texas blah blah blah. But then he said something like “I will be following you soon enough.” I couldn’t help but think “It couldn’t possibly be soon enough.” But the way he said it made me wonder if he’s worried he may become Nixon – part 2.
of both Rove and Bush before he himself gets impeached? Then the coup is complete and Iran is attacked, a draft is started and we go into universal war?
Full Disclosure: I left my tinfoil hat at home today.
l doubt he’s worried about attorney-gate, didn’t/doesn’t seem to bother abu,miers, et al. the fix is in on all that.
the contemplation that he will become a major player in the 08 presidential race?…who’s going to want to be that connected to BushCo™ when the nearly universal sentiment in the ratpublican party is to distance themselves from chimpy?…makes no sense.
this rather hasty departure, under cover of the blatantly false premise of spending more time with the family, has the all the earmarks of poppy and bab’s finally getting thru to dimson and convincing him that it’s time to save the family business and what’s left of the name, or a personal scandal.
it may be as simple as larry flint having uncovered something(s) that will be very damaging to our porcine friend, and subsequently chimpy, by association.
when does the next issue of penthouse come out, btw?
lTMF’sA
I think that would be Hustler Magazine rather than Penthouse. I am curious myself about what Larry Flynt has in store for us.
oops…mea culpa
l only read the articles…:{)
lTMF’sA
“See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda” – GWB, 5/25/05
His brilliant mind didn’t come up with that one all by himself! He was probably having one of those rare lucid moments that day which kept him from silencing his ‘thinking voice’ inside of his head. It’ll be interesting to see what happens now that another one of the puppet string-pullers is exiting stage left from the White House. Rove will still have influence, I have no doubt, but it will ultimately change without his physical presence.
Is he (Rove) jumping ship to join up with Mitt Romney?? Or has he become so damaged by his involvement in so many scandals that now is the time for GW to cut his losses? The world waits. I would like to think that the Rove era is over, but I can’t allow myself to think that we have suddenly become that lucky.
wow…Someone Finally remembered the Ralston factor.,…I just mentioned it over at Lydia Cornells…because I do mention it as a factor…I think it is definently on the table…she was in charge of everything that he did, emails, calendar, and schedules…and she was given probation in a plea deal….just saying….she cut a deal….Plamegate to Gonzogate…..to Abramoff – he is in a world of trouble….