Roving thoughts
This is guest opiner Jack Kelly.
I wasn't surprised, pleased or dismayed by the news today that Karl Rove will leave the White House staff at the end of the month. Rove is President Bush's political guru, and Bush has had his last election. It's time for Rove to move on. I'd rather live in the Texas hill country than in Washington D.C., and I'd rather be closer to my children than far from them. Rove has earned the right to shorter hours and more bucks.
Rove has achieved mythical status chiefly because of BDS. It is an article of faith among the moonbats that Bush is a stupid hick. Yet that stupid hick kept beating really smart people like themselves. It couldn't be because Bush was smarter than they thought or --heaven forfend! -- that they weren't as smart as they imagined. Some Svengali had to be pulling the strings behind the scenes. The Legend of Rove was born.
I never bought into it. I think Rove is a really smart guy, the best political mind of his generation, but hardly infallible. I think Michelle Malkin and Newt Gingrich are excessively harsh in their criticism, but I tend to agree with their points if not their tone. We don't know the extent of Rove's involvement in the making the decisions to blow Bush's political capital on Social Security reform and "comprehensive" immigration reform, but those weren't the smoothest political moves ever made.
I don't think Rove will play an active role in 2008. He's now so much of a lightning rod that the publicity he'd attract would cause a GOP candidate more harm than his advice could help. And as I said above, he's entitled to a rest.
Some of the moonbats are hailing his departure; some wonder what they'll do without their favorite punching bag. But they'll still have Dick Cheney to accuse of pulling Bush's strings.
I wasn't surprised, pleased or dismayed by the news today that Karl Rove will leave the White House staff at the end of the month. Rove is President Bush's political guru, and Bush has had his last election. It's time for Rove to move on. I'd rather live in the Texas hill country than in Washington D.C., and I'd rather be closer to my children than far from them. Rove has earned the right to shorter hours and more bucks.
Rove has achieved mythical status chiefly because of BDS. It is an article of faith among the moonbats that Bush is a stupid hick. Yet that stupid hick kept beating really smart people like themselves. It couldn't be because Bush was smarter than they thought or --heaven forfend! -- that they weren't as smart as they imagined. Some Svengali had to be pulling the strings behind the scenes. The Legend of Rove was born.
I never bought into it. I think Rove is a really smart guy, the best political mind of his generation, but hardly infallible. I think Michelle Malkin and Newt Gingrich are excessively harsh in their criticism, but I tend to agree with their points if not their tone. We don't know the extent of Rove's involvement in the making the decisions to blow Bush's political capital on Social Security reform and "comprehensive" immigration reform, but those weren't the smoothest political moves ever made.
I don't think Rove will play an active role in 2008. He's now so much of a lightning rod that the publicity he'd attract would cause a GOP candidate more harm than his advice could help. And as I said above, he's entitled to a rest.
Some of the moonbats are hailing his departure; some wonder what they'll do without their favorite punching bag. But they'll still have Dick Cheney to accuse of pulling Bush's strings.
posted by LadybugUSA at 4:37 PM
10 Comments:
Yet that stupid hick kept beating really smart people like themselves.
More precisely, that "stupid hick" (your words, not mine) won elections against "smarter people" (your words, not mine). I don't think anybody in the country considers an election to be an intelligence test.
"I don't think anybody in the country considers an election to be an intelligence test."
Yet, the left was hung up on Bush's alleged stupidity. And I would wager that most, if not all who vote, hope, if not feel certain, that their candidate is brilliant.
the left was hung up on Bush's alleged stupidity
I don't think that the low estimate of Mr. Bush's intelligence is confined to the left. Tellingly, most of the remaining Bush supporters, when asked why they respect him, cite factors related to his determination and moral grit, not his intelligence.
What the hey, I might as well toss in this bombshell: I am one of the growing number of observers who suspect that Mr. Bush will go down in history as the worst US President ever.
Chepe,
"I don't think that the low estimate of Mr. Bush's intelligence is confined to the left. Tellingly, most of the remaining Bush supporters, when asked why they respect him, cite factors related to his determination and moral grit, not his intelligence."
This is laughable!
If I say I like a person's tie, does that mean I think his shoes are ugly?
If I say I like a person's tie, does that mean I think his shoes are ugly?
True enough. But if you ask a thousand people what they like about a person's clothing, and not one person mentions his shoes, you're pretty safe assuming that his shoes are not his strong point.
On the other hand, if one characteristic is truly amazing or unusual, then it would follow that it would be the characteristic mentioned most.
Given the lack of confidence people have for politicians' morals in general, and with the added dimension of a highly controversial war, not to mention the bitter partisanship that marks the current political environment; I'd say that "moral grit" is a very surprising and welcome trait to have in our President - so surprising and welcome, in fact, that it eclipses other characteristics from view.
In other words, his tie is so unusually beautiful that no one could even tell you what kind of shoes he wears.
In other words, his tie is so unusually beautiful that no one could even tell you what kind of shoes he wears.
...or even if he had no other clothes on at all!
"...or even if he had no other clothes on at all!"
Good one!
Thanks, Greg. I really hope that we can keep the discussion amicable, even while sharply disagreeing. I so detest the nastiness that pervades so much political discussion. I realize that I have crossed the line once, and drifted close to it several times. It's very difficult to present a point strongly without in some manner treading on somebody's toes. When you're making a sharp point, a single slip of wording can carry you over the line. I hope that you'll grant me the occasional slip-up. At least give me the opportunity to apologize by pointing it out. I may be sharp with my arguments, but I am quick to apologize when I'm wrong.
Once again, that Bush was able to win a couple of elections (regardless of their validity) does not reflect on his intellect. Just look at his abominable performance in any of the debates he stammered and stumbled his way through.
It does not take a brilliant man to play on people's fears and prejudices to get their vote.
His oft-cited "stupidity" refers to the way he ignored -- or was downright ignorant of -- geopolitical and historical complexities while ham-handedly executing his God-ordained "crusades." One nation, under Clod.
Post a Comment
<< Home