Crowley, on today’s CNN “Inside Politics” — during a discussion with Donna Brazile and Bay Buchanan about a Karl Rove fundraiser tonight for a Maryland senate hopeful — remarked:
CROWLEY: Then let’s talk about Democratic strategy, which has been, this was a horrible breach of national security, … They’ve kept it at kind of — at least, you know, looking at it about politics, but now what you have is this Larry Johnson, who is a former Republican who gave the Democratic radio address hitting Rove on this, he’s now, in fact, gave a conference call this morning sponsored by the Maryland Democratic party saying Karl Rove shouldn’t be going to this. Do you lose some of the edge as Democrats when you politicize this on your own?
NEW: Crowley VIDEO (WMV format)
JOHNSON’S REPLY: “Crowley accuses the Dems of politicizing this by telling the truth. Are you kidding me? ” FULL segment transcript, and context, below:
CROWLEY: This “‘strategy Session” continues on INSIDE POLITICS. With us, Donna Brazile and Bay Buchanan. The nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court may have taken Karl Rove and his role in the leak of a CIA agent’s identity out of the spot light for a few days, but Rove may find another spotlight on his own. He’s expected to help a Maryland Senate hopeful raise money in Washington tonight That’s even though a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows that 49 percent of adults say Rove should resign as White House deputy chief of staff. But they don’t get to decide, so at the moment it kind of looks like he’s there. You know, how is the White House handling this investigation, which at least since we’ve learned that Karl Rove was involved has kind of been, you know, we’re going to wait for this process to continue.
BRAZILE: Well, no, look, first of all, there’s no question that Karl Rove is still one of the most attractive draws in the Republican party. After all, there are 12 candidates on the Republican side that are hosting fund raisers where Karl is the featured speaker. Now, I’ve heard from some of my Republican colleagues, and it wasn’t vague, that the reason why is that the White House has made it very clear, you cancel, you’re done. We’re not coming back and we’re not sending anyone else. So there’s no question that Karl is going to continue to hold fund raisers, in the case tonight for Michael Steele, a Republican candidate for the United States Senate.
BUCHANAN: And none of them are even suggesting that he cancel. Because he is a draw, he brings in the money, and that’s what the goal is. But what is happening here and the — why the polls are so poor against him at this time is the headlines again. I mean, the media is in this full-scale campaign to turn this into some kind of a scandal, to really make it look as if he’s in the middle and the president’s right there behind him in a real problem. There is no there there to yet. They have not been able to show anything. And I think, day after day they raised this issue even though there is nothing else to say. And the White House is doing exactly the right thing by saying nothing.
CROWLEY: Then let’s talk about Democratic strategy, which has been, this was a horrible breach of national security, they should do something about it. They’ve kept it at kind of — at least, you know, looking at it about politics, but now what you have is this Larry Johnson, who is a former Republican who gave the Democratic radio address hitting Rove on this, he’s now, in fact, gave a conference call this morning sponsored by the Maryland Democratic party saying Karl Rove shouldn’t be going to this. Do you lose some of the edge as Democrats when you politicize this on your own.
BRAZILE: Well look, first of all, the Republicans won’t do anything. They won’t hold an investigation, they won’t hold hearings. I understand they may hold hearings. This is day number 743. Now Democrats now have a clock on things that the administration can do to, you know, explain to the American people exactly what happened. Look, we didn’t know about Karl Rove’s role until just recently when it was revealed once Mr. Cooper was able to reveal his sources. So I think the important thing is everyone needs to let the truth come out and the truth will set us free, Bay.
BUCHANAN: It’s so ridiculous to suggest Republicans are not doing anything. Before a grand jury, for heaven’s sake, this is a federal investigation. Let that take its place. That’s number one. And I think the Democrats are foolish, because if nothing happens, they look real bad.
CROWLEY: Bay Buchanan, Donna Brazile, come back. I know you had something else to say, so say it next time.
BUCHANAN: Thank you very much. …
Transcript, today’s CNN “Inside Politics“
