Rove: Palin A "Campaign Decision" Not "Governing Decision" (VIDEO)

In a Washington Post interview, Karl Rove admits that the Sarah Palin pick was "not a governing decision but a campaign decision." Of course, he says Joe Biden was too.

They (Democrats) over played this from the first moment. When they put out that statement bashing her. This is everyone. This is mom, the successful small business operator, union member, outdoors woman, coach, mom of five, active in her community and takes on the big boys and becomes Governor. And they run a real risk of looking condescending, just as they did, the same crowd played these cards against Hillary Clinton, and it was a mistake.

...

This is a positive thing for McCain. It's a bold move, but it's also a smart political move. Now, it's a different kind of decision. ... Both candidates this year, ironically enough made not a governing decision but a campaign decision.

Watch the whole interview:

Comments

[wedapeepo]

Carl Rove is a very scary dude. i believe he is the architect of this whole veep debacle. I hate to say this, but I'll say it anyway, republican politicians are the kings and queens of double standards. I know it's all politics but they just do it to a nauseatingly high degree. We have to remove these old-fashioned, dyed-in-the-wool, hidebound, stick-in-the-mud right wing-nuts the F... OUT OF OFFICE, ...NOW

ENOUGH!

Obama / Biden 08

[beforeal]

MAVARICK!
Not the first quality I want for the most powerful man on earth. He is a button push away from ending the world. Do we really need someone who does understand diplomacy.

I have no care of who he picks for VP, it could be Howdie Doody, it is his decision.
MAVAERICK! So wanting not to do what is smart to be different.

[chucktrotter]

“We really don't quite understand the magic of these things. Preschoolers are much more responsive to animated and puppet characters than human adult characters­.”

Dan Anderson

[DCtrain]

What is Rovtard saying now? Man this guy needs to be silenced and put out of business. He has been a cancer on American politics..­. dishonest and disgracefu­l... him and Rushtard.

[UCFPoliSciGuy]

I'm die hard Obama, but come on guys thinka bout it... every decision and every statement Obama and McCain makes is political/governing for the next 65 days. (Kaine would've been the best pick due to change and electoral college) I want Obama to win more than any1 of you guys trust me... but for the 1st time this Rove guy is right...

Vets For Obama !

Obama-Biden '08 !

[Ohsnap]

When they are not saying something totally wrong (Obama campaign playing the sexism card) they are saying something completely obvious (McCain made a campaign decision). Doesn't matter if it was a campaign decision or any kind of decision. It was an all around bad decision.

[jnratliff]

When did a republican ever make any decision that was not a campaign decision.
I don't remember a republican ever making a decision because it was a good governing decision. Getting elected is always the number one thing in bizzaro republican world, they could not care less about the consequences of anything they do except for getting elected.
Ain't no lie to small or none to big to tell if you think you can get the American hating christian republican all fired up. It's like tossing red meat to hungry lions give them someone to hate and their ready to go!

[drumz]

You are correct sir!
They have never ever done anything but campaign, There is not an once of governing in their bones.

[RealHRCFansVoteObama]

How is Biden not a governing decision?

[chitown8]

It is Obama knows that obivous people want to harm him. If he can not last in office Biden is an excellent choice. Palin not so much.

Also I love you screen name has many folks came on Obama side.

[walk0nwalls]

My thoughts exactly.

[NoSpinTruthZone]

Biden's a terrible choice. Instead of picking a candidate that garnered 18 million votes in the primary, Obama picks a candidate that garnered 9 thousand.

A poll was done in Columbus Ohio this weekend among Clinton supporters­...

Of all of those questioned­.. over 93% are now voting for McCain.

I can't tell you how it is elsewhere, but Ohio is a lock for McCain..

[Grunty1]

NoTruthAllSpin, there was an internet poll on an extremely right wing site and 93% said that Biden was superior to Palin. At least until the cowards pulled it.

[JackND]

Yeah...I'l­l go with Gallup, which has 81% of C'linton voters now voting for O'bama.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Wait just a minute. I live in Columbus. Obama Franklin County in the primaries and he'll win it in the general. Hopefully, he'll win Ohio.

[wedapeepo]

Obama's next move should be to promise the nation that if he's elected, he will fill the house of representatives with Chippendale's dancers for the gals and Scores dancers for the guys. Woooohoooo that'll trump John McNobrain's Veep pick. Me likes Scores dancer!!!

[bluesnot]

Why isn't Rove in jail?

[OhioJan]

Because Nancy Pelosi has no spine & too much loyalty to the Booo$h R e i c h!

[NoSpinTruthZone]

She's a disgrace to the party and needs to go..

[UCFPoliSciGuy]

executive privilege ?

[bluesnot]

whatever happened to the subpoena he ignored?

[DCtrain]

good question..­. "f a t fe lon" should be in jail

[NoSpinTruthZone]

Because he's very very smart, possibly brilliant.

I give Rove credit for Kerry's loss in 2004. While I'm still irked by that loss, I have to give credit where it's due.

Picking Palin was a great move for the goop. Had there been no reaction from the dems they would have lost moment and ratings... but now.. they've solidified their fractured base in less than a week.

Truly stunning..­. and people still don't see what's really going on..

hahaha.. I tip my hat to him.. and I'm sure Obama's struggling to find a good counter move.. this is not good folks..
Too bad the 'intellectual elite' is actually kind of stupid. I clearly stated that pulling the same shenanigans on McCain that were pulled on Clinton would backfire..

yet here we are.. and Rove knew this too..

You idiots played right into his hands.....

morons..

[Grunty1]

"You idiots played right into his hands..... "

Talking to yourself is a sign of mental illness.

[lungfish]

Hey Karl, your presence is required in front of the American people and a patriot like you should be ready to stand front and center and reply to the call of our government­..... if you have the nerve to appear on camera and on the podium, you can do so in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.­...

[gifu]

How he still has a forum to spread his caustic babble, is SOOOO beyond myself. Rove offering his opinions on the 2008 elections, It is like asking advice on living well from Charles Manson. We know how low he has gone. Fact. Why is he still talking? Pressing license plates in prison is as close to public service as he should be allowed.

[FGAofFLA]

Once again, the criminal Karl Rove redefines the rules of electoral engagement to suit whatever desperate political strategy Republicans have chosen to sucker enough people into voting for them. They want the middle class voters that Hillary attracted, so now we have Karl's Rule: "both the VPs are "political" choices, so don't bother trying to criticize Palin." I don't buy it. Her qualifications for VP are a joke, and the Dems should keep reminding voters of that. Why should that offend middle class voters? This is the way the Republicans have screwed the middle class time and again -- with incompetent candidates who are packaged by guys like Rove to pretend to represent middle class values, while they actually are bought and paid for by the very wealthy and special interests. Many new reports indicate that the middle class for the first time in modern history have actually lost real income under Republican rule. The Palin nomination is a cynical power play that, we can only hope, voters will finally see for what it is -- a insult to every American voter's intelligence.

[Verified]

Rove's laying the groundwork to excuse McCain's eventual loss. It has nothing to do with his policies or lack of judgment - oh my, it's Gustav! Poor fella never had a chance against the powers of nature.

[northcan]

Someone ask John McCain about buddy Don Diamond and the legislative bills he got passed for his developer friend. Nobody care? But isn't John McCain a Reformer..­..you know, the 'maverick' guy that plays his own ball game?

[freshnotbitter]

The palin pick clears the air and allows a prediction on the outcome in November.

Repubs will get all states west of Miss river except coastal states and Hawaii and Colo and New Mex.

In the East they will get the entire south including Missouri plus Ohio and Indiana and N. Hampshire.

Dems will get the rest of the states in the East.

Result is a tie because each side will have 269 electoral votes and the election will go to the house of representatives.

[greeniefromOH]

Hey! Don't be so quick to write off my state of Ohio! I gotta tell you, it looks good from here -- and I'm in Republican country.

[zakwouldhave]

I give up. This country has lost its collective mind. At least the Red States and they don't bend...you could nominate Ernie and Bert (even if they came out of the closet) and Republicans would vote for them if they said Dems will raise taxes on rubber duckies. I say boycott...­.Florida is overrated anyways. California and Disneyland baby!

[mandalaina]

As a representitive of the Rubber Duckies of the World, I resent the inference that it's members aren't upright Duckies! They can't float another tax load! As it is, they're just bobbing on the surface now! Duckies have been sinking under the weight of current taxation. Let's not make waves and get ourselves into more hot water!

[elmoor]

I'm giving the country one more chance. I'm only now recovering from 2004. If they/we blow it this time, I'm moving to a cave.

Or to Disneyland with Zak