Karl Rove, concern troll
March 11, 2010 12:25 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
Who says bipartisan cooperation is dead? Apparently there are scores of conservatives willing to give Democrats all kinds of heartfelt advice about passing health care reform.
As Washington Monthly's Steve Benen noted this week:
You know who's really looking out for congressional Democrats' electoral fortunes? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). While you and I might think, "Wait, isn't that the guy trying to destroy Democrats as part of his drive for power?" it seems McConnell is awfully anxious to give Democrats campaign advice, which he expects Dems to take seriously.
Not surprisingly, the transparent trend is spreading into the conservative media. in today's WSJ column, pundit Rove also warns Dems about the grave political consequences of passing health care reform: They're going to be punished at the polls!!
The polling landscape is littered with warning signs for Democrats. A Newsweek poll this week found that 62% of independents oppose Barack Obama's health-care plan. A Rasmussen poll, also out this week, found strong opposition to the president's health-care reform was twice as intense as strong support.
Passage of the Senate health-care bill will make a GOP takeover of the House more likely this fall, especially if all Republican candidates pledge to make pushing for repeal their first order of business next year.
That's all very well and good. But considering Rove is a professional partisan whose job for the last several decades has been to try to make sure Democrats get punished at the polls, why is Rove urging Democrats to avoid making a costly mistake? If passing health care is such a disaster-in-the-making for the Democratic Party, wouldn't Rove want Dems to pass the bill? Wouldn't he be gleeful at the prospect, and be doing everything he could now to make sure health care reform becomes law?
UPDATED: Meanwhile does anyone else think it's strange to watch journalists gather at Rove's knee as he launches his book tour and explains to them how the White House works, and details all the mistakes the Obama adminstration is making? Rove, after all, is the guy who helped guide the Bush presidency into a deepest ditch in modern American history. Bush left office with an approval rating that's basically half of what Obama's is today.
So why do journalists care what Rove has to say? He's the guy with all the answers?
The funniest part was that Rove claims--get ready for this--that Colin Powell used to call Rove "Private" and demand that he "get down on the floor and give me twenty"; and that Rove, in response, would do twenty perfect push-ups!
Let's get real, here. Karl Rove is a chubby little guy with short arms who never served in the military or did anything notably athletic in his life. His brief 2-year higher education prepared him, not for sports, but only for becoming a notable political sleazeball. His chances of doing any push-ups (while dressed in a 3-piece suit, no less), much less twenty of them, that would satisfy an Army general, are about as likely as George W. Bush's membership in MENSA.
No wait, that reminds me--there was something even funnier--Smith and Rove talked at length about how wonderfully intelligent George W. Bush was. Let that sink in for a minute.
This is why the Right can reach back and deliver "new" information which was discuss six weeks ago.
Of course, this type of on activity keeps MMFA at the top of its game.
The Cons are afraid that HealthCare will funnel through the ranks of the Republicans and the R-voters will finally see that the mouthpieces for the Insurance Companies were lying about most things.
Mitch McConnell giving advise. Karl Rove was, as I always say was solely responsible for the Black Rovembers of 2006 and 2008. The man is trying to clear his name for ruining the NeoCon plans.....KKKarl, you are done.
This stuff gets me crazy!
-- I just feel like the Democrats are - they're in for an ass-whooping of Biblical proportions in November if they don't get off the dime and do the job they were sent there to do -- Michael Moore
Pass a huge health care bill...get clobbered in November. Don't pass a huge health care bill...get clobbered in November.
It won't be long before we find out who is correct.
Karl Rove is a concern troll. If he says the Democrat Party should stop, they should go. They should never listen to his advice, as it's crazy how politically partisan he is.
Thanks for providing further evidence that you shouldn't be given any credence either.
-- "If the bill loses ... it will, I think, by and large be the president's Waterloo, and I think a lot of Democrats understand that --
A little over a year into his presidency and his fate and the democrat party's fate all seem to be tied to the November elections...if you listen to all the warnings and advice being thrown around.
It hasn't taken long for rollicking campaign speeches to devolve into the actual pragmatism of governing.
The Dems. have it good right now. They can obstruct legislation and have their supporters blame the repubs.