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Jason Linkins

The Huffington Post

Rove Offers Obama Some Dubious Advice

Rove Offers Obama Some Dubious Advice

March 27, 2008 11:07 AM


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On last night's On The Record with Great Van Susteren, Fox News commentator Karl Rove stopped by to weigh in on all things Democratic Primary, including the state of the race in Florida and Michigan. Along the way, Rove had what he believed was a bit of great political advice for Democratic contender Barack Obama. Van Susteren was so taken away with its brilliance that she suggested that "this is the segment that Senator Obama needs to TiVo." Really? Well, let's see what Bush's big brain had to say:

VAN SUSTEREN: What would be the most effective strategy for Senator Clinton and Senator Obama in dealing with Dean since he obviously -- you know, he holds the money on this?


ROVE: Well, for Senator Clinton, it is to say every state needs to be included and every state's vote needs to be respected. I actually think Senator Obama has the capacity to resolve this situation in a way that gives him a big advantage, but it would have to be a gutsy call.

And that is, at some point, probably in June, after the delegates have all been elected, we have our final caucus -- I mean our final primary in Puerto Rico, it would be a gutsy call if Senator Obama stepped forward and said, I want to seat Florida and I want to seat Michigan. I know they did the wrong thing, but we did the wrong -- but we should not compound our error by not seating them. Seat the entire delegations.

Now, if he is ahead by 100 to 150 votes at that point, by my calculations, she picks up 54 delegates on him if these two delegations are seated, and it -- but it is a gutsy call. And he -- you know, if he is 150 ahead, he suddenly becomes 100 ahead. If he is 100 ahead, he suddenly becomes 50 ahead.

But I think it gives him -- it makes him look like a leader. It resolves the situation. It helps him in the fall in these two states. And it probably gets a lot of the superdelegates to step forward and say, that was a courageous move, and I am going to support him as a result of him doing this.

VAN SUSTEREN: One -- yes or no, do you expect him to do that?

ROVE: No, I do not, but it is a gutsy call.

Well, I certainly hope Senator Obama did not, in fact, trouble his poor TiVo with that. In the first place, the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegates is not a matter that Obama is in position to authorize. Rove knows this: he goes to great length in his remarks prior to this exchange noting that the decision lies entirely with the DNC's credentials committee and that DNC chair Howard Dean has "signaled clearly by picking 25 loyalists, and they are clearly Dean loyalists, that he intends to have a majority of this committee that will back him up on what he decides on Florida and Michigan."

Still, this "advice" to Obama provides an alluring window into Rove's teeming mind. Let's get it straight. Rove believes that, at some point after the primaries have all concluded and the delegate count is wide enough for Obama that he will not be harmed by the decision, the Illinois Senator - after months of insisting that he is only "playing by the rules" where Florida and Michigan are concerned - should throw mud in Howard Dean's eye and insist the delegations be seated in abrogation of these same rules, and act as if he's made some huge self-sacrifice in the name of democracy. This is "gutsy?" Hardly. "Gutsy" might be insisting that these delegations get seated now, but it would still be understandably foolhardy since Obama's name didn't even appear on the Michigan ballot. Rove's advice doesn't seem at all courageous, rather, it strikes me as being brazenly insincere.

Only Karl Rove could chart such a cynical, grasping course for a politician and declare that it looks like "leadership." But what can I say? The end result of all the sage advice he gave the Bush administration was to plunge the nation into multiple catastrophes, earn his charge some historically low approval ratings, and lose both houses of Congress in one fell Election Night swoop. And this was the advice for which the GOP paid top-dollar, so I think you'd have to be extremely wary of the suggestions he gives away for free.


 
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If Karl Rove gives you advice should you do the opposite or is that what he's hoping you'll do because everybody knows you can't trust Karl Rove? So maybe it's better for Democrats to actually take Rove's advice. Wait a minute, that can't be right . . . Ooh, Karl, you're messin' with our heads again!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:51 AM on 03/29/2008

This "story" belongs in the HuffPo Humor section!! What a hoot!

What? No Humor section at HuffPo? Well, at least put this drivel in the Entertainment section.

Rove giving advice to Obama. Stop, you're killin' me!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:27 PM on 03/28/2008
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Hopefully Rove will be indicted after the House investigation concludes, and he will lose every penny he has when Siegelman sues him. His advice is rubbish. As for Rove's dubious advice - pure garbage.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:03 PM on 03/28/2008
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----t

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:57 AM on 03/28/2008
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The Dark Sith Lord Rove better worry about his mounting legal problems for falsely having the Alabama Governor imprisoned.

I wish he would shut his fat pig face up. He's evil. BTW PIGROVE, IF OBAMA WANTED YOUR ADVICE HE'D GIVE IT TO YOU!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:21 AM on 03/28/2008
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Rove wants Hillary to win. The republicans have so much on Hillary and Bill that it is no way people will vote for her. They want Hillary to win.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:25 PM on 03/28/2008
- 2351 I'm a Fan of 2351 permalink

You're right. Rove does want Hillary to win, but for all of the wrong reasons. That is sad, isn't it? This is the kind of politics that we need to get rid of. Rush Limbaugh has already gotten some people in Ohio in trouble for getting them to change over and vote for Hillary.

The Republicans would not be able to do that in Kentucky, because Kentucky has a law that if if you signed up to change partys after 12/31/07, you will not be able to vote in the primary election. A good law, however, if still affect those independents and republicans who would have voted for Obama.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:25 PM on 03/28/2008
- 2351 I'm a Fan of 2351 permalink

I'm sorry, but I did not know that Carl Rove was involved in the Alabama Governor fiasco. Is there a link to more information on that? I love it if he was, because the Alabama Governor is now going to testify before Congress. Whoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is Rove's advice to Obama some more Carl Rove politics that Obama speaks of in his speech? This is funny.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:22 PM on 03/28/2008
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Thats not gutsy - thats stupid! Hillary Clinton is so untrustworthy that Obama would be a complete fool to put the pledged delegate count so close like that Rove suggested. FOX is paying this guy for this kind of budget commentary??! 'Tivo the segment' - gimme a break. Rove's political advise sure helped the GOP out in 2006 - his advise is more like sabotage...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:31 PM on 03/27/2008

"Thats not gutsy - thats stupid! Hillary Clinton is so untrustworthy that Obama would be a complete fool to put the pledged delegate count so close like that Rove suggested. FOX is paying this guy for this kind of budget commentary??! 'Tivo the segment' - gimme a break. Rove's political advise sure helped the GOP out in 2006 - his advise is more like sabotage..."

Well yeah... particularly considering that Clinton's principal argument, although she's not quite so up-front about it, is that "Obama's too high-minded to win the the general election, look at how he takes crap from me and hasn't used any of the really toxic stuff everyone knows about me"

The Sniper-Dodger needs to be put out to pasture. Some people need to step up and let her know in no uncertain terms that her career is over, and that she can leave the Party at any time, thank you very much.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:23 PM on 03/27/2008
- 2351 I'm a Fan of 2351 permalink

I just can't believe that they have Greta peddling that stuff by Carl Rove. I've been really disappointed with her lately.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:27 PM on 03/28/2008
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If Rove gives advice, do the opposite. I am sure he has "Obama's best interest" at heart. They've been pushing so hard for Hellary to be the nominee, I am sure his advice is "pure and sincere'.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:53 PM on 03/27/2008

First Hillary is on Greta Van Susteren's show then, Karl Rove...hmm were they in the green room together? And what in the world would make Rove think Obama would take his advice?!?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:04 PM on 03/27/2008

What do Karl Rove and Monica Lewinsky have in common?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:09 PM on 03/27/2008

I give up, what?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:32 PM on 03/28/2008

Breaking a date is an offense that hardly merits disenfranchising millions of voters. The no-campaign rule was harsh enough punishment. Since the candidates followed their rule, that made it a fair and level contests. Hence, counting their votes don't disadvantage anyone.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:58 PM on 03/27/2008

Oh Karl. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:57 PM on 03/27/2008

The idea here is the Political Chaos Theory. To wit: get someone to throw everything into disarray and march to victory while they fight.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:28 PM on 03/27/2008

He's not in prison?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:40 PM on 03/27/2008

I can't believe Karl Rove is on TV.....that corrupt sleeze!! Still walking around and
wormed out of all those illegical political smears from getting out of the.. behind
the scenes butchering of Wilson and his CIA wife....he could have caused her
to be killed and this man is dancing and smiling like he hasn't a care in the world!
What a bunch of corrupt, corporate liers that was elected to the Bush and Cheney
White House! God knows I give anyone credit that has the courage to pick up the
mess this administration is leaving behind....boy, do they have a job to do, and as
Americans we need to have the patience they need to count on when the Demo-
crats take office in November!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:25 PM on 03/27/2008

where is a spotted sting ray when you need one?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:10 PM on 03/27/2008

By of of thank you, I'd like to offer Karl some advice: Suck a mandrill.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:28 PM on 03/27/2008
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