For Those Who Predicted His Demise...

U.S. News & World Report ^ | January 7, 2007 | Kenneth T. Walsh, Paul Bedard and Anna Mulrine

[West Coast Conservative]

He is showing no signs of leaving, as some had predicted. Indeed, White House political guru Karl Rove is as aggressive as ever in making policy arguments-his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals. And his influence is still pervasive, sources say. For instance, GOP insiders suspect that Rove had a big hand in distancing Bush from the Iraq Study Group because he believed the bipartisan panel was too critical of current Iraq policy. Rove, aides say, believes that victory is still achievable and that Bush should pursue it as vigorously as he can.

[Paladin2]

"...his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals."

Gee, wouldn't that include creating the "W" class of SCOTUS justices with Scalia as a prototype, 'splainin' the WOT economic/strategic interests in the ME (incl Iraq) so's all can understand, and controlling the southern border along with controlling spending?

[Jaysun]

Is the link correct? It looks to be a different story.

[Paladin2]

"...his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals."

Gee, wouldn't that include creating the "W" class of SCOTUS justices with Scalia as a prototype, 'splainin' the WOT economic/strategic interests in the ME (incl Iraq) so's all can understand, and controlling the southern border along with controlling spending?

[Paladin2]

Home wireless interaction with the neighbor's problems I think. MAybe Nanci can fix it. ;-)

[Malacoda]

Magnificent Bastard ping!

[perfect stranger]

That particular story is about halfway down the page.

[BW2221]

To quote the summary of a Pew Research Center exit poll:

"As expected, the election turned out in large measure to be a referendum on President Bush and the war in Iraq -- bad news for Republicans. About six-in-ten voters (59%) said they were either dissatisfied (30%) or angry (29%) with the president. By more than two-to-one, those dissatisfied with Bush supported the Democratic candidate in their district (69%-29%); among those angry with the president the margin was more than fifteen-to-one (92%-6%).

Bush was much more of a drag on his party's candidates than was former President Clinton in 1994, the year that Republicans won control of Congress. More than a third (36%) of the electorate said they voted to oppose Bush; that compares with 27% who voted to oppose Clinton in 1994, and 21% in 1998, the year Congress impeached the president."

It appears the biggest part of the problem was Bush and Rove, not Congress. The other major fallacy is the GOP lost because its base stayed home. In reality Bush and Rove did everything possible to alienate "Reagan Democrats" and many independents who had voted Republican for the past 25 years.

[West Coast Conservative]

Scroll down. It's a bunch of small stories.

[Paladin2]

That analysis works for me (and against a too nuanced Rove).

[Common Tator]

Any one who says that US News and World Report knows what Karl Rove is thinking or doing, will lie about other things too.

[soupcon]

"...-his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals."

WTF? Like smaller government? Like fiscal responsibility? Like privacy?
The Repubicans that lost their seats lost them because they moved away from conservatism.

[Jeff Chandler]

In reality Bush and Rove did everything possible to alienate "Reagan Democrats" and many independents who had voted Republican for the past 25 years.

To a large part true. Mostly by omission, omission of forceful party leadership, (what kind of Republican President puts up with backstabbing Republican politicians the way W does?), omission of forceful promotion of the war, the party, and the Presidency, (forget "Where's Waldo?", the last four years have been "Where's W?"), and omission of a respectable border protection policy.

[sgtbono2002]

******"...his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals."******

Thay keep pushing this phrase. IMO the Republicans lost because they refused to stand on their feet and the democrats played them like a cheap harmonica.

[Paladin2]

Yep, not much there there. Besides I think many actually like being played.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals.

This from Karl Rove?

If you make the same claim Karl Rove makes, as a poster on FR, you're usually blamed for not being loyal to the President.

We conservatives "lost" the election (according to many) for going too far in demanding Republicans uphold stated principles.

As it turns out, Republicans were more vigorous in expanding non-defense domestic spending than were Democrats when they were in charge.

That's not much of a choice.

The two major parties have reduced our voting options to: "Would you rather be shot or hanged?"

[Hessian]

From AMERICAN DAD.....

[FlyVet]

his main theme being that Republicans lost the congressional elections because they didn't sufficiently live up to their core conservative ideals.

Oh? And who was the so-called Architect of this mess? A little late to the table, aren't you, Karl? Hmmmmm?

Gawd, stay away from politics if this is all you have to offer!

[RinaseaofDs]

I think the survey is a pantload too. Congressional Republicans WERE the problem. We had a triple majority, and FUMBLED IT AWAY.

They should have reamed guys like Rep. Jerry Lewis in CA, and the RINO's in the Senate.

McCain? Special place in electoral hell for that guy.

[Enterprise]

I can't help being a doomer and gloomer. Someone, please, give me some hope. I don't see President Bush as suddenly turning confrontational and getting out a huge VETO stamp and using early and often. I want confirmation that he is going to secure our borders. I'll wait, and hope.