Karl Rove: The Republican Mastermind

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In summary, Rove discusses his life and career, what makes him a superb political strategist, and how he and the president "are playing for history." He also discusses how he moved Texas toward the Republican Party in the '80s, and how this helped pave the way for the Republican resurgence in national politics.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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Note that this runs tonight at 9:00 PM, PST, on Frontling [PBS], here in the Northwest.

...Rove's life and career, what makes him a superb political strategist, and how he and the president "are playing for history."

...Evaluating the social and political changes that drove the Republican resurgence. How long might their dominance last?

...How Rove moved Texas toward the Republican Party in the '80s: it was a blueprint for what he would do nationwide years later. [continued]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/architect/
 
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  • #2
I take it I missed this (posted yesterday)? I wouldn't have been able to catch it anyway, but would have liked to watch it. Did anyone else catch it? From what I've read about Rove, he is a little bit of a legend in his own mind, but on the other hand, he knows demographics etc. like no one else, and personally I believe the ugliness of recent campaigns bear his mark.
 
  • #3
You can probably order the program from PBS if you really want to see it.
 
  • #4
If you go to the link you can probably find alternate viewing times. Also, these programs are often available online - either the full text or a video - after the initial airing.

Btw, they pretty much ripped him to pieces. Dirty, dirty, dirty politics. The Swiftboat Vets were a classic example of Rovian villainy.
 
  • #5
loseyourname said:
You can probably order the program from PBS if you really want to see it.
Ivan Seeking said:
If you go to the link you can probably find alternate viewing times. Also, these programs are often available online - either the full text or a video - after the initial airing.

Btw, they pretty much ripped him to pieces. Dirty, dirty, dirty politics. The Swiftboat Vets were a classic example of Rovian villainy.
Thanks to all for the suggestions--I will go to the PBS site and see if it will be aired again.
 
  • #6
I highly recommend another program that was aired on PBS called "The Persuaders," which I mentioned in another thread some time back. The segment about politics showed how campaigns are now being conducted the same way as marketing, with the use of top marketing consultants. The idea of being a "consumer" to be marketed to in my purchase, I mean casting my vote offends me almost as much as being "proselyted" to in my conversion, I mean casting my vote.
 
  • #7
According to Rove's own words, he is working to ensure that the Republican party controls the White House (such that no Democrat is ever elected president again), both the House and Senate, and the Supreme and Federal courts. In other words, he wants a one party state.
 
  • #8
Astronuc said:
According to Rove's own words, he is working to ensure that the Republican party controls the White House (such that no Democrat is ever elected president again), both the House and Senate, and the Supreme and Federal courts. In other words, he wants a one party state.
If you ask Republicans what they think about that, most would probably agree with Rove because they don't see any problem with that, or controlling the judicial branch as well. So many Americans are so uninformed (what check and balances--what's that?), they just don't get it--and that's the truly frightening thing.
 
  • #9
Astronuc said:
According to Rove's own words, he is working to ensure that the Republican party controls the White House (such that no Democrat is ever elected president again), both the House and Senate, and the Supreme and Federal courts. In other words, he wants a one party state.

That's exactly right. By my definition...no, by defintion, he and his kind are un-American - they are enemies of the Constitution.

They seek to destroy not only the spirit, but also the letter of Constitutional Law. One great current example is the effort to destroy the filibuster. Another is the intervention in the Schivo affair; followed by threats to the Federal judges who sided against them. I don't how much more clear it could be. But then again, that's what I thought five years ago.
 
  • #10
A nation united or divided?

First was the controversial presidential election in 2000, followed by the lies from Bush and administration to convince Congress and Americans to invade Iraq. Then Republicans broke the House Ethics Committee to protect Tom DeLay. Next Frist took the lead to intervene in the Terry Sciavo case. Now, if the Republicans do exercise the “nuclear option” to outlaw judicial filibusters in the Senate (the current understanding is that they will), I doubt there will be any more question whether our nation is united or divided.
 
  • #11
a timely thread recycle
 
  • #12
I was going to post in the new thread on the topic, but since this one has been revived...

White House link to leak?
Rove's conversation with Cooper could be significant because it indicates a White House official was discussing Plame prior to her being publicly named and could lead to evidence of how Novak learned her name.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8504290/

First, even if Rove didn't intend to leak, it was still damaging nonetheless. Aside from the silliness of proving intent in such cases, let's be consistent. Ignorance of the law, or unintentional breaking of the law does not mean a crime has not been committed.

Second, Rove was trying to apply pressure on the "free press" on another matter in the process of leaking the information. Not to mention questionable motive of retaliation, as already posted in the other thread. Both are in keeping with his track record.

Third, and most importantly, the White House is doing another turn about. The Bush administration just can't tell the truth upfront.

In this Republican-dominated government, why do I suspect this investigation will go the way of many others, such as DeLay. :yuck:
 
  • #13
White House denials on Rove fall silent

...Rove discussed CIA agent, according to e-mail
The e-mail did not say Rove had disclosed the name. But it made clear that Rove had discussed the issue.

That ran counter to what McClellan has been saying. For example, in September and October 2003, McClellan's comments about Rove included the following: "The President knows that Karl Rove wasn't involved," "It was a ridiculous suggestion," and, "It's not true."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8545657/

We need to clean house--the White House that is. Rove has always been a questionable person, and I always found it odd that a person with his title (advisor) had so much power in comparison to other administrations. Of course it would be great to be rid of DeLay, Frist, and a few others too, and hopefully Bush will remain a lame duck with minimal damage until we are finally rid of him. A Bush dynasty? Jeb, Cheney, Rice, other Bush relations...no can do. We need to be done with this crap.
 
  • #14
2CentsWorth said:
So many Americans are so uninformed (what check and balances--what's that?), they just don't get it--and that's the truly frightening thing.

Exactly where do you see this guarantee of political power to any and all parties or political points of view? A good number of political powers with major national presence have risen and died in the past two centuries. Why aren't you out stumping for the right of Whigs to an electoral victory or two?

Rev Prez
 
  • #15
Informal Logic said:
We need to clean house...

Maybe you should focus on winning an election first.

Rove has always been a questionable person, and I always found it odd that a person with his title (advisor) had so much power in comparison to other administrations.

Then characterize his power. Name a single act of policy he devised and pushed for.

Rev Prez
 
  • #16
Rove through a miriad of resources, seduces the people with intensive repeated organized lies, contrived for any given situation. Cheney is the policy maker. GW is the puppet.

The rottenest thing that I remember about Rove is the 2000 primary. After John McCain won New Hampshire Rove devastated the McCain effort in South Carolina by:

Calling him a homosexual, when that didn't work they accused him of being unfaithful to his wife with other women?

They accused him of fathering a child by a black prostitute.

They accused him of treason.

They referred to him as the Manchurian Candidate.

And the one that to me was the most rotten:

They sent out flyers with pictures of McCains dark skinned adpoted Bangladeshi daughter to "The Daughters of the Confederacy."
 
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  • #17
solutions in a box said:
Rove through a miriad of resources, seduces the people with intensive repeated organized lies, contrived for any given situation. Cheney is the policy maker. GW is the puppet.

So barring your over-the-top demagoguery, Rove does not devise policy. And you, IL?

Rev Prez
 
  • #19
The title and first sentence from that link:
Karl Rove's White House role expands
A 'most trusted' adviser takes on policy tasks

DETROIT - President George W. Bush’s senior adviser, Karl Rove, will take on a wider role in developing and coordinating policy in the president’s second term, the White House announced on Tuesday.
Maybe we need to put this in braille.
 
  • #20
I believe his title is no longer "advisor" but "chief of staff" or something similar.
 
  • #21
The Bush administration (Dubya, Cheney, Rove, etc.), and others such as DeLay, Frist, etc. have been helping the Republicans to lose the election all on their own. That's what happens when you give idiots guns--they shoot themselves in the foot.
 
  • #22
edward said:
You guys got to be kidding:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6934839/

Opps my bad, I was thinking about the good old days when Rove was the chief dung flunger for Bush.

I just remembered that Rove was fired from the 1992 GHW Bush campaign for leaking info. Could Rove be a habitual offender? Maybe a 12 step program would help.

http://www.salon.com/src/pass/gateway/demo2.html?http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/07/07/rove_plame/index_np.html [Broken]

Or google: Karl Rove 1992 Bush campaign
 
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  • #23
solutions in a box said:
Opps my bad, I was thinking about the good old days when Rove was the chief dung flunger for Bush.

I just remembered that Rove was fired from the 1992 GHW Bush campaign for leaking info. Could Rove be a habitual offender? Maybe a 12 step program would help.

http://www.salon.com/src/pass/gateway/demo2.html?http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/07/07/rove_plame/index_np.html [Broken]
Your post was correct:
solutions in a box said:
Rove through a miriad of resources, seduces the people with intensive repeated organized lies, contrived for any given situation. Cheney is the policy maker. GW is the puppet.

The rottenest thing that I remember about Rove is the 2000 primary. After John McCain won New Hampshire Rove devastated the McCain effort in South Carolina by:

Calling him a homosexual, when that didn't work they accused him of being unfaithful to his wife with other women?

They accused him of fathering a child by a black prostitute.

They accused him of treason.

They referred to him as the Manchurian Candidate.

And the one that to me was the most rotten:

They sent out flyers with pictures of McCains dark skinned adpoted Bangladeshi daughter to "The Daughters of the Confederacy."
Rove did do these things, and changing his title is like putting lipstick on a pig...
 
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  • #24
Rev Prez are you really trying to defend Rove?
 
  • #25
Rev Prez said:
Exactly where do you see this guarantee of political power to any and all parties or political points of view? A good number of political powers with major national presence have risen and died in the past two centuries. Why aren't you out stumping for the right of Whigs to an electoral victory or two? Rev Prez

Why bother with a rejoinder? You can’t dissuade, as Lenin put it, the “useful idiot.”

 
  • #26
Informal Logic said:
"War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," and "Ignorance is strength." – The three slogans engraved in the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's book "1984"

Wow. Wow. The first two fed to us, the third the vehicle through which such policies are pushed through.
 
  • #27
GENIERE said:
Why bother with a rejoinder? You can’t dissuade, as Lenin put it, the “useful idiot.”

Why bother with someone who supports the likes of Rove? In the meantime, please DNFTT.
 
  • #28
Informal Logic said:
"War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," and "Ignorance is strength." – The three slogans engraved in the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's book "1984"
I have a shirt with those slogans on it and under them it says "Big Brother is Watching You". It's my favorite shirt.
 
  • #29
SOS2008 said:
Why bother with someone who supports the likes of Rove? In the meantime, please DNFTT.
To save you all looking it up: DNFTT = Do Not Feed The Trolls

I had to :biggrin:
 
  • #30
you just saved me about 20 seconds lol
 
  • #31
Informal Logic said:
Rove did do these things, and changing his title is like putting lipstick on a pig...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm keeping that quote!
 
  • #32
SOS2008 said:
Why bother with someone who supports the likes of Rove? In the meantime, please DNFTT.

Judging by the username, SOS2008 is a college student (instructor?) interested in studying the environment. SOS2008 does not see fit to enlighten us with (her ?) knowledge by posting in the scientific forums. She simply trolls in the political forum while accusing others of the crime.
 
  • #33
GENIERE said:
Judging by the username, SOS2008 is a college student (instructor?) interested in studying the environment. SOS2008 does not see fit to enlighten us with (her ?) knowledge by posting in the scientific forums. She simply trolls in the political forum while accusing others of the crime.
Trolls post to cause disturbance, and because this is their main objective it is often unclear what their personal position actually is. And if they do provide a source/link, it usually is one that only contributes further to disturbance. Wikipedia provides a more in-depth description, which you may want to familiarize yourself with.

Judging by my user name, and of course my posts, my position is clear and consistent. Also, I often provide evidence for my posts via quotes/links for reliable sources. I realize other members may not like what I post, but I do not post for the sake of perturbing people.

As for where a member posts, one can post about economics, environment, philosophy, even energy etc. here in Politics and World Affairs rather than under "Other Sciences" or "social sciences." In reading the guidelines, I did not see anything about requirements against choosing to do so in order to participate in PF.

However, I have chosen to be a contributor, which I feel is most important.
 
  • #34
SOS2008 verbally abuses EVERYONE whose opinions differ from hers. In response to one of SOS2008’s posts:
Townsend said:
…You act like you cannot stand someone who speaks against your position.
"Oh wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel's as others see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us, And foolish notion"
...
SOS2008 said:
However, I have chosen to be a contributor, which I feel is most important.
A revealing statement. I chose to do both.

From a different thread in Forum Feedback

GENIERE said:
For months and months and months I've been trying to again contribute to PF. Pay pal has me stymied. I've never used Paypal except for PF. I 've had several IP's since I used Paypal the last time. I cannot get through the process since my credit card is tagged to one of the older IP's.

AAAAAGH!


But thanks for reminding me.


...
 
  • #35
So why has this thread turned into one big ad hominem attack?
 
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