Fox hosts Rove without disclosing reported role with McCain campaign
SUMMARY: Republican strategist and Fox News contributor Karl Rove appeared on Fox News' America's Election HQ and Hannity & Colmes to discuss the presidential race, but none of the hosts -- Bill Hemmer, Sean Hannity, or Alan Colmes -- asked Rove whether he was "informally advising" Sen. John McCain's campaign, as a Politico article citing "[a] top McCain adviser" reported, and none noted that Rove has reportedly confirmed donating to McCain's campaign.
Appearing on the March 10 editions of Fox News' America's Election HQ and Hannity & Colmes, Republican strategist and Fox News contributor Karl Rove discussed the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, but neither America's Election HQ host Bill Hemmer nor Hannity & Colmes co-hosts Sean Hannity or Alan Colmes asked Rove whether he was "informally advising the campaign" of Sen. John McCain, as a March 8 Politico article reported, citing "[a] top McCain adviser." Further, neither Hemmer nor Hannity or Colmes pointed out that Rove has reportedly confirmed making a financial contribution to McCain's campaign. On America's Election HQ, Hemmer introduced Rove as "Fox News contributor and former White House chief strategist Karl Rove." On Hannity & Colmes, Hannity introduced him by saying, "Fox News contributor -- we call him 'the Architect' -- Karl Rove is back."
From the Politico article, headlined "Mehlman, Rove boost McCain campaign":
John McCain is getting much more than President Bush's endorsement and fundraising help for his campaign. He's getting Bush's staff.
It's no secret that Steve Schmidt, Bush's attack dog in the 2004 election, and Mark McKinnon, the president's media strategist, are performing similar functions for McCain now.
But other big-name Bushies are lining up to boost McCain, too.
Ken Mehlman, who ran Bush's 2004 campaign, is now serving as an unpaid, outside adviser to the Arizona Republican. Karl Rove, the president's top political hand since his Texas days, recently gave money to McCain and soon after had a private conversation with the senator. A top McCain adviser said both Mehlman and Rove are now informally advising the campaign. Rove refused to detail his conversation with McCain.
The list could grow longer. Dan Bartlett, formerly a top aide in the Bush White House, and Sara Taylor, the erstwhile Bush political adviser, said they are eager to provide any assistance and advice possible to McCain.
Rove explained that he and McCain "got to know each other during the 2004 campaign." In a separate interview, Mehlman noted that "McCain was completely loyal to the president in 2004 and worked incredibly hard to help him get elected." According to Taylor, "The Bush Republicans here in town are excited for John McCain."
Despite the president's low approval ratings, there are clear benefits to McCain for this cozy relationship with the Bush team. They are seasoned operatives with a track record of winning back-to-back national elections in tough political environments. But there are obvious drawbacks. First and foremost, any association with the Bush administration helps Democrats make their case that McCain represents a clear extension of an unpopular presidency.
In addition to serving as a Fox News contributor, Rove was named a contributor to Newsweek in November, "offering occasional opinion pieces to the pages of the magazine and to Newsweek.com." Rove's most recent column appeared in the February 11 issue of Newsweek.
From the March 10 edition of Fox News' America's Election HQ:
HEMMER: Fox News contributor and former White House chief strategist Karl Rove is here now. Good evening, Karl. Good to have you back here from America's --
HEMMER: I'm doing just fine.
[...]
HEMMER: John McCain's been under the radar. And I know that you have said publicly over the past two weeks that that is not necessarily a good thing for him. I'm watching all the --
ROVE: Yeah, not automatically.
HEMMER: -- Sunday talk shows, though, Karl. But I'm hearing a lot of people beat up on Barack Obama and a lot of people beat up on Hillary Clinton, and no one's talking about John McCain. Is that necessarily a bad thing?
ROVE: Look, it is not a bad thing for him to have some time off the trail. No doubt about that. That's good in many respects. I've made the critical newbie mistake -- I left my cell phone on. Sorry.
HEMMER: That's all right. Hey, listen, Karl, you only do that one time. Only one time will that happen.
ROVE: Sorry. And on your program, Bill. I can't believe that.
HEMMER: Well, I hope -- I hope that person calling you is very important. Go ahead.
ROVE: Yeah. No. Look, the -- it's all right to be out of the public life for a little while. But the problem is, is if this drama on the Democratic side is going to go on for weeks and months. It's six months until the convention. It's three -- over three months until they finish this process in June of primaries and caucuses. We've got six weeks until the primary in Pennsylvania. We have eight weeks until North Carolina and Indiana.
You cannot expect John McCain to be silent for the next three to six months and then come back in in the final 61 days of the election after the Republican National Convention, try and say everything he needs to say and share everything he needs to share with the American people about who he is and what he stands for.
HEMMER: Fair point.
ROVE: So, he's got to find a way to get back into this dialogue in the weeks ahead. It's not bad that he's getting a little bit of time to re-energize, but he's got to get back in the public frame.
From the March 10 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
HANNITY: Barack Obama is hoping that his victory in Wyoming over the weekend will translate into winning more delegates in tomorrow's Mississippi primary. But the fierce fight for the nomination still looks far from over. Joining us now with more, Fox News contributor -- we call him "the Architect" -- Karl Rove is back.
[...]
HANNITY: Hey, Karl, I'm going to be interviewing Governor Mitt Romney tomorrow and Senator McCain on Thursday. You talked about an M & M ticket. You still there?
ROVE: Yeah. Well, I -- look, I'm just reporting what I'm hearing from a lot of people out there, is that, as they go through these, there's just seems to me to be a growing enthusiasm out there for an M & M ticket, and -- particularly on the part of conservatives.
You love to bytch and complain don't ya Solon? Do you really believe they intentionally didn't disclose it?
great work MMFA. Know republican supporter and advisor supports republican...
what a story.
Dang skippy, Solon. I didn't know Rove was doing work for McSame.
I didn't think so...
Do you ever know what you are talking about?
Conservatives never do.... :-)
I wish there was one – there are millions. Don’t kid yourself. Every day I read a blog from someone who’s parent or grandparent has parroted some ridiculous “fact” they heard on Fox News. This 70 and 80 something “base” of Faux News watches the candy coated “news” because that is what they want to hear. They REALLY believe what they hear from Hannity, O’Reilley, et al and are convinced that WE are the looney ones – the un-American far-left Nazi commies out to ruin America with our secular progressive pro-gay agenda who are always looking for handouts and a free ride because we are too lazy to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. That’s the Faux News message being sold to America in one sentence! - And they have plenty of “buyers”.
I think the way this guy has been treated is disgusting. How could his enemies get away with saying these kinds of things while involved in a campaign? We need to stand up in order to have MM(vl) get more coverage about this kind of treatment by people involved in campaigning. Enough of the namecalling already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Sbz8XzsWs&feature=related
Polishkyle,
I think that the link shows how someone is being treated unfairly. And rather than bring this kind of story to light of day, MM(vl) would choose to deflect from what is really going on in campaigns.
kylemeister,
Please, take a peek. Sometimes looking into the eyes of the darkside of the force is good for the soul. I promise that you will survive and live to post again, but I cannot guarantee it will be without bias or liberal filtering!
Rove should be in jail.
Free Don Siegelman!
Yep - and he got what he deserves in Iowa on Monday...
Rove taunted in Iowa
PC (how fitting ;) ), I don't get it. Are you saying it's disgusting what they are doing to Karl Rove? which is what this thread is about? Or are you saying that about Obama, which is what your link suggests? Or are you being sarcastic? It's especially frustrating because Obama doesn't mention Karl Rove once in that entire speech.
Really, Karl Rove gets every bit of what his name engenders for the rest of history. Why McCain would even associate himself with Rove after what he did to him is appalling.
Karl Rove has also stepped beyond the bounds of Orwellian thought in what many journalists have described as "Rovism." Orwellian thought suggest that all politicians operate in an Orwellian nimbus where words don't mean what they normally mean, while Rovism posits there is no objective, verifiable reality at all. Reality is what you say it is. That is a dangerous and corruptive force in our political system.
PC, did you link to the correct youtube video? That was Obama responding effectively and with good humor to the Clintons' suggestion of him as Vice-President. Unless I missed it, there was no mention of Rove at all. There was no namecalling.
What was the point of the link?
I suppore everytime some accuses Hillary of being Rovian, its another chunk knocked off his delcate and sensitive heart. When will the pain end for Karl?
:-$
"He is funny and smart."
...and he would have no compunction about running you over with a truck (figuratively speaking) if that's what he had to do to get a candidate elected, Sue. Somehow, I can't divorce Rove's sinister side from a charming screen personna. But, to each his own...
He is funny and smart.
That's what Hitler's close friends used to say about Adolf.....
...a good dancer, too. ;>)
Sounds like a new reality show for Tom Bergeron to host:
"DANCING WITH THE DICTATORS".
:-)
I like...
World's Funniest Mass Murderers! ;>)
"He just sees it as a political tool of the left."
It's called projection...because that's exactly how the right wing operates. Prime example: FOX News.
You did know that CD has a website, right?
If Rove were a formal advisor, MMFA might have more of a case. But even without disclosure, few would see Rove as an objective analyst.
Further, I hope McCain loads up his campaign with these Bush hacks. All the better to help ensure he is thoroughly thumped in November.
You overestimate their support base. McCain is already overplaying the Bush connection and has very fractured and tenuous support. He's only the nominee because the field was so weak to begin with and the Republicans are disheveled (Fiscal vs. social vs. religious vs neo-conservatism). They are not their father's GOP.
The Dem nominee just has to stay on message "Do you really want 4 more years?" and avoid the mudslinging to the extent possible. Further McCain's flip-flops (immigration, campaign finance, fiscal policy, lobbyists, etc.) hurt him with both his base and with independents - these will be laid bare by the press and in the presidential debates. He is only steadfast in being even more hawkish on Iraq and "preemptive" war than Bush - a position which has minority (and dwiddling) support as the numbers and facts keep revealing themselves (2 to 3 trillion cost, $108 barrel oil, no Saddam-Al Qaeda link, no threat to National Security).
Dems are turning out in record numbers for the primaries. Barring some Dem cataclysm between now and Nov., they will do so again.
copiousdissent.blogspot.com,
"MMFA reports without disclosing ties to Hillary Clinton."
Really, I'm fascinated. Please tell us alllllll about it. <sarcasam>
Oh no! Not Glen Beck talking bad about the so called "liberal media" and all. Jeesh. When are these guys gonna figure it out that the liberal media that they decry so much, they're part of it. Glen Beck, O'Reilly, and whoever else you want to throw in there ARE the media. How often do we keep hearing about conservative talk show hosts DOMINATING radio. If the media were so "liberal" wouldn't this not be true? And yet, it is. Hmm...