c/o MSNBC.com-

 

WASHINGTON - Karl Rove, President Bush's close friend and chief political strategist, announced Monday he will leave the White House at the end of August, joining a lengthening line of senior officials heading for the exits in the final 1 1/2 years of the administration.

 

On board with Bush since the beginning of his political career in Texas, Rove was nicknamed "the architect" and "boy genius" by the president for designing the strategy that twice won him the White House. Critics call Rove "Bush's brain."

 

"Karl Rove is moving on down the road," Bush said, appearing grim-faced on the White House's South Lawn with Rove at his side.

 

"We've been friends for a long time and we're still going to be friends ... I'll be on the road behind you here in a bit," he said ruefully.

 

"I'm grateful to have been a witness to history. It has been the joy and the honor of a lifetime," said Rove, his voice quivering at times. "But now is the time. ... At month's end," Rove said, "I will join those whom you meet in your travels, the ordinary Americans who tell you they are praying for you."

 

After a lengthy hug from Bush and then his wife, Laura, Rove joined them on the president's helicopter. Rove, his wife and their son were flying with Bush on Air Force One to Texas, where the president is vacationing.

 

A criminal investigation put Rove under scrutiny for months during the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name but he was never charged with any crime. In a more recent controversy, Rove, citing executive privilege, has refused to testify before Congress about the firing of U.S. attorneys.

 

Rove's departure reinforces Bush's lame-duck stature and declining influence, particularly with Democrats in control on Capitol hill.

 

"Obviously it's a big loss to us," White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. "He's a great colleague, a good friend, and a brilliant mind. He will be greatly missed, but we know he wouldn't be going if he wasn't sure this was the right time to be giving more to his family, his wife Darby and their son. He will continue to be one of the president's greatest friends."

 

Since Democrats won control of Congress in November, some top administration officials have announced their resignations. Among those who have left are White House counselor Dan Bartlett, budget director Rob Portman, chief White House attorney Harriet Miers, political director Sara Taylor, deputy national security adviser J.D. Crouch and Meghan O'Sullivan, another deputy national security adviser who worked on Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was forced out immediately after the election as the unpopular war in Iraq dragged on. White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten told senior aides that if they stayed past Labor Day they would be obliged to remain through the end of the president's term in January 2009.

 

Rove became one of Washington's most influential figures during Bush's presidency. He is known as a ruthless political warrior who has an encyclopedic command of political minutiae and a wonkish love of policy. Rove met Bush in the early 1970s, when both men were in their 20s.

 

Once inside the White House, Rove grew into a right-hand man.

 

Rove is expected to write a book after he leaves. He disclosed his departure in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

 

Book expected

"I just think it's time," Rove said in an interview at his home on Saturday. He first floated the idea of leaving to Bush a year ago, the newspaper said, and friends confirmed he'd been talking about it even earlier. However, he said he didn't want to depart right after the Democrats regained control of Congress and then got drawn into policy battles over the Iraq war and immigration.

 

"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," said Rove, who has been in the White House since Bush took office in 2001.

 

Rove's son attends college in San Antonio and he said he and his wife plan to spend much of their time at their nearby home in Ingram.

 

Rove, currently the deputy White House chief of staff, has been the president's political guru for years and worked with Bush since he first ran for governor of Texas in 1993.

 

Even as he discussed his departure, Rove remained characteristically sunny. This quality of unrelenting optimism about the president, which matches Bush's own upbeat, never-admit-disappointment nature, has at times gotten Rove into trouble. Up to the end of the 2006 midterm elections, the political guru predicted a Republican win. That of course was not to be, and there was grumbling that Rove wasn't on his game during those elections as much as he had been before.

 

In the interview, Rove predicted Bush will regain his popularity, which has sunk to record lows because of the war in Iraq.

 

Calls Clinton 'fatally flawed'

Rove also predicted conditions in Iraq would improve and that the Democrats would nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, calling her "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate."

 

Rove does not intend to work for any candidate in the 2008 presidential election, White House press secretary Tony Snow said.

 

Rove testified before a federal grand jury in the investigation into the leak of the name of Valerie Plame, a CIA officer whose husband was a critic of the war in Iraq. That investigation led to the conviction of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on charges of lying and obstructing justice. Plame contends the White House was trying to discredit her husband.

 

Attorneys for Libby told jurors at the onset of his trial that Libby was the victim of a conspiracy to protect Rove. Details of any save-Rove conspiracy were promised but never materialized.

 

The most explicit testimony on Rove came from columnist Robert Novak, who outed Plame in a July 2003 column. He testified that Rove, a frequent source, was one of two officials who told him about Plame. Libby, with whom he seldom spoke, was not a source.

 

Rove, though, was not indicted after testifying five times before the grand jury, occasionally correcting misstatements he made in his earlier testimony.

 

The jury in Libby's trial did not hear that testimony, nor did it hear that Rove is credited as an architect of Republican political victories and has been accused by opponents of playing dirty tricks.

 

All that jurors heard is that Rove leaked Plame's identity and, from the outset, got political cover from the White House. He was never charged with a crime.

 

Link

 

:jump :jump :jump :jump :jump

:happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance

 

Too bad I'm not convinced that he's going to actually be out of contact with the White House.

The guy is seen as both a passionate genius and an architect of doom. One really can't deny his effect on modern politics. Personally I think he is overrated on both fronts. I never thought he was a cold calculating robot, and I don't think his leaving office will change too much. But I also think that if a handful of voters in Florida gone the other way, we never hear about Karl Rove the Genius.

 

The one thing I do respect about Rove is that he has more passion about his political beliefs than he does about achieving any grand reputation. This stands in contract to people like Bob Shrum who consider themselves geniuses despite continually failing the democratic party.

 

Rove is in a good degree of denial though. The guy can't accept that he really screwed up in 06, and he needs to abandon that vision of an eternal republican majority. I don't think either side can ever achieve that. Who knows how great a political architect he really is. The effect of 9/11 on Bush's success cannot be understated.

Rumors are also circulating that he might go and work for one of the leading Republican presidential candidates, specifically either Giuliani, Romney, or Fred Thompson.

I think that would be dumb. His reputation is as good as it is going to get.

I love how little discussion this thread has caused, lol...

 

I guess the GOP is too busy mourning their party.

bye carl...it was really nice knowing you...but look on the bright side...at least satan will need someone with a solid resume

I love how little discussion this thread has caused, lol...

 

I guess the GOP is too busy mourning their party.

 

Maybe we don't care.

 

F_M basically said all that needed to be said on the subject. No use in going around in circles with empty responses; we'll leave that work to you. :thumbup

There are other fish in the sea

But I also think that if a handful of voters in Florida gone the other way, we never hear about Karl Rove the Genius.

Obviously not on a national scale, but the campaign he created for Bush in 1994 to defeat Ann Richards (favored, had a lot more cash, etc.) was nothing short of brilliant. That win became another term as govenor and two terms as president in succession. That speaks volumes to his 'legacy'.

I love how little discussion this thread has caused, lol...

 

I guess the GOP is too busy mourning their party.

:|

 

Who the hell would want to with posts like these and like jimmyjack's? Just pointless noise.

But I also think that if a handful of voters in Florida gone the other way, we never hear about Karl Rove the Genius.

Obviously not on a national scale, but the campaign he created for Bush in 1994 to defeat Ann Richards (favored, had a lot more cash, etc.) was nothing short of brilliant. That win became another term as govenor and two terms as president in succession. That speaks volumes to his 'legacy'.

I love how little discussion this thread has caused, lol...

 

I guess the GOP is too busy mourning their party.

:|

 

Who the hell would want to with posts like these and like jimmyjack's? Just pointless noise.

something you know something plenty about :thumbup

something you know something plenty about :thumbup

Well put.

something you know something plenty about :thumbup

Well put.

thanks...ill be here all week...and dont forget to tip your waitress...

I love how little discussion this thread has caused, lol...

 

I guess the GOP is too busy mourning their party.

Maybe we don't care.

Well, that makes sense now. I have not heard a single politician besides the President say that he/she was sad to see him go. I guess Rove is persona-non-grata in the GOP after last fall's disasterous elections.

Why should anyone be 'sad' about this, regardless of your personal feelings about him.

 

Explain. He's a Deputy Chief of Staff/Political Consultant. BFD.

 

Democrats care more about this because they needed someone to get their jimmies off to constantly and Rove was their main man.

Why should anyone be 'sad' about this, regardless of your personal feelings about him.

 

Explain. He's a Deputy Chief of Staff/Political Consultant. BFD.

 

Democrats care more about this because they needed someone to get their jimmies off to constantly and Rove was their main man.

Dems are not the only ones happy he's leaving. Anyone who values alliegiance to the country over alliegiance to a political party should be happy.

 

All he was ever about was promoting the interests of the Republican party over those of the USA.

 

He was also easily the most powerful 'political consultant' of all time. By far.

somebody please kill this man

somebody please kill this man

I wouldn't go that far...

I wouldn't wish him dead. That's going too far. If there was any justice he'd live out the rest of his life as a hospital orderly, cleaning out the bedpans of the brave soldiers who've come home from Iraq with serious life-altering injury. The man has blood on his hands, as does the President and some of his advisors. He was quite good at winning elections and propaganda. His use of the changing terror alerts prior to the 2004 election was worthy of Josef Goebbels. And Rove was no patriot. Just the opposite.

I wouldn't wish him dead. That's going too far. If there was any justice he'd live out the rest of his life as a hospital orderly, cleaning out the bedpans of the brave soldiers who've come home from Iraq with serious life-altering injury. The man has blood on his hands, as does the President and some of his advisors. He was quite good at winning elections and propaganda. His use of the changing terror alerts prior to the 2004 election was worthy of Josef Goebbels. And Rove was no patriot. Just the opposite.

Dead on right there.

 

However, he should be in PRISON for deliberately leaking Valerie Plame's name to the press. Then Scooter Libby was painted as the fall guy, primarily to protect both Cheney and Rove. Now that Libby has had his sentence commuted, his job in keeping Rove and Cheney out of prison and still in office was completed. Now, he will live out the rest of his life from the large defense fund provided by Fox's good friend Fred Thompson. I always found it suspicious that Libby's lawyers wanted to ask Cheney to testify on behalf of his former chief of staff and personal friend, but Libby told them not to call the Vice President. If there wasn't a coverup, Cheney would have testified, plain and simple.

 

He and his friends have also been very closely linked to several voting scandals, one involving Tim Griffin, who was at one time considered Rove's protege. I discussed that incident, which involved Florida minority and veteran voters, a few months back in a thread.

I wouldn't wish him dead. That's going too far. If there was any justice he'd live out the rest of his life as a hospital orderly, cleaning out the bedpans of the brave soldiers who've come home from Iraq with serious life-altering injury. The man has blood on his hands, as does the President and some of his advisors. He was quite good at winning elections and propaganda. His use of the changing terror alerts prior to the 2004 election was worthy of Josef Goebbels. And Rove was no patriot. Just the opposite.

If we had a millitary draft maybe some of that would be true, but it's absolutely not when we have a volunteer force fighting for us. Stop using such dramatic expressions to prove a 'point'.

 

Rove has nothing to do with Iraq decisions, if you truely believe that there is really no hope in continuing this discussion.

I wouldn't wish him dead. That's going too far. If there was any justice he'd live out the rest of his life as a hospital orderly, cleaning out the bedpans of the brave soldiers who've come home from Iraq with serious life-altering injury. The man has blood on his hands, as does the President and some of his advisors. He was quite good at winning elections and propaganda. His use of the changing terror alerts prior to the 2004 election was worthy of Josef Goebbels. And Rove was no patriot. Just the opposite.

If we had a millitary draft maybe some of that would be true, but it's absolutely not when we have a volunteer force fighting for us. Stop using such dramatic expressions to prove a 'point'.

 

Rove has nothing to do with Iraq decisions, if you truely believe that there is really no hope in continuing this discussion.

I'm sorry that you don't like the way I write, but to me it's not hyperbole or overly dramatic. It's my opinion of what the truth is. And I don't think that Rove was involved with Iraq decisions, but he was very good at his job of getting his guy elected. If he wasn't successful, and thus responsible, then the whole Iraq mess most likely never would have happened. And there'd be thousands of soldiers alive who are now dead. And thousands more injured. I don't follow your volunteer vs. draft thought. Soldiers volunteer to serve their country and they accept the fact that they must have faith in their commanders to do what's best for the country and for them. It's my opinion that they were let down by their commanders.

'The man has blood on his hands' is so ridiculous considering he made no decisions on Iraq. None.

 

He gets far too much 'credit' as do most political consultants - good or bad, whatever your opinion on what makes those is. It's obvious by this thread that the Democrats will miss him most by losing their favorite spank bank material in Rove.

 

With the logic you apply to Rove I could say that hmmmm Dick Morris has 'blood on his hands' for helping Clinton get re-elected as he continued his policies that created more and more apathy in the poorest slums of this country by telling the poor and minorities of this country the only way they can survive is from the hand of the government. I've seen it first hand and it isn't pretty.

 

Spare me with that ridiculous language and drama.

'The man has blood on his hands' is so ridiculous considering he made no decisions on Iraq. None.

 

He gets far too much 'credit' as do most political consultants - good or bad, whatever your opinion on what makes those is. It's obvious by this thread that the Democrats will miss him most by losing their favorite spank bank material in Rove.

 

With the logic you apply to Rove I could say that hmmmm Dick Morris has 'blood on his hands' for helping Clinton get re-elected as he continued his policies that created more and more apathy in the poorest slums of this country by telling the poor and minorities of this country the only way they can survive is from the hand of the government. I've seen it first hand and it isn't pretty.

 

Spare me with that ridiculous language and drama.

yeah...helping the poor is such a dastardly thing to do...

'The man has blood on his hands' is so ridiculous considering he made no decisions on Iraq. None.

 

He gets far too much 'credit' as do most political consultants - good or bad, whatever your opinion on what makes those is. It's obvious by this thread that the Democrats will miss him most by losing their favorite spank bank material in Rove.

 

With the logic you apply to Rove I could say that hmmmm Dick Morris has 'blood on his hands' for helping Clinton get re-elected as he continued his policies that created more and more apathy in the poorest slums of this country by telling the poor and minorities of this country the only way they can survive is from the hand of the government. I've seen it first hand and it isn't pretty.

 

Spare me with that ridiculous language and drama.

yeah...helping the poor is such a dastardly thing to do...

I used to beleive that until reality hit me and I realized that many people are just worthless excuses for working human beings who don't want to work because they are living well enough off of the government.

 

 

Regulate the system better and maybe I'd agree.

'The man has blood on his hands' is so ridiculous considering he made no decisions on Iraq. None.

 

He gets far too much 'credit' as do most political consultants - good or bad, whatever your opinion on what makes those is. It's obvious by this thread that the Democrats will miss him most by losing their favorite spank bank material in Rove.

 

With the logic you apply to Rove I could say that hmmmm Dick Morris has 'blood on his hands' for helping Clinton get re-elected as he continued his policies that created more and more apathy in the poorest slums of this country by telling the poor and minorities of this country the only way they can survive is from the hand of the government. I've seen it first hand and it isn't pretty.

 

Spare me with that ridiculous language and drama.

yeah...helping the poor is such a dastardly thing to do...

I used to beleive that until reality hit me and I realized that many people are just worthless excuses for working human beings who don't want to work because they are living well enough off of the government.

 

 

Regulate the system better and maybe I'd agree.

thats not the point...foxy here makes it sound like every single welfare recipient is cheating the system because they are fat, lazy slobs for human beings...when that, at best is a gross generalization of the poor in this country...people will cheat every system you can conceive of...thats human nature...but id say most of the people that do get welfare do need it to survive