Rove 'Endorses' O'Donnell, A Day After Calling Her 'Nutty' (VIDEO)

Yesterday, as a flummoxed GOP decided how to solve a problem like its newly-elected Senate nominee, Christine O'Donnell, Karl Rove shot pretty straight: "It does conservatives little good to support candidates who at the end of the day -- while they may be conservative in their public statements -- do not evince the characteristics of rectitude, truthfulness and sincerity of character that the voters are looking for." Also, the lady is bonkers, right Karl? "I mean," Rove added, "there were a lot of nutty things she has been saying that just simply don't add up."

Flash forward to this morning, and Rove has added to his critique by saying that he "endorses" O'Donnell. Wait! What?

That's right. Rove's walking it on back, after practically being browbeaten into doing so by Fox News's Martha MacCallum -- who framed the conversation on the premise that Rove's criticism of O'Donnell will be the thing that costs the GOP the chance to regain its Senate majority, as opposed to O'Donnell being the nominee in the first place.

MACCALLUM: I don't have to tell you, a lot of folks have been screaming and yelling and saying that your comments, and your not backing her could cost the majority in the Senate. And what they want is to be sure they get that majority, and they're afraid that you're shooting them in the tent.

ROVE: Martha, Martha, my job as a Fox analyst is to give the best insights. She's eleven points behind in the Rassmussen poll behind the Democrat nominee Coons. So my job as a Fox analyst is to call it as I see it. My job is not to be a cheerleader for every Republican. It's to call it as I see it. Now, I've got a different role outside my Fox role, and that's where I'm helping to raise $50 million to help elect Republicans to the Senate. But when I come on Fox, you and your viewers expect me to shoot straight with you and that's what I was doing that night. And with all due respect, she's eleven points down -- that's not out of the game, but she's got to make up ground and make up ground quickly.

Leaving aside when and where Rove waggles his pom-poms, it's interesting to note that even as he insists that he has a job to shoot straight, he's not shooting straight here! Today, O'Donnell's problem is that she's eleven points down in the Rasmussen polls. But why is she down? Because she's straight nuts! Yesterday, Rove could admit that; today, O'Donnell's problems are just the vagaries of polls.

Rove insisted, "I endorsed her the other night, I said I'm for the Republican in each and every case!" So, that includes the cases where the candidate is "nutty" and lacking in "rectitude, truthfulness and sincerity of character." (Actually, that is basically what we're used to.)

WATCH:

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Comments

[jelpernw]

11:50 PM on 10/28/2010

Come on folks, Rove didn't endorse her the first time or the second. If you call that an endorsement, well then you're nuttier than Palin and O'Donnell combined. That's an endorsement like "I'm sorry you were insulted" is an apology for insulting someone.

[AyeChart]

11:50 AM on 09/21/2010

Now aside from all that, do we expect high school kids to always hang out with the right crowd?  To have only very limited friends or perhaps to associate with some variety to see what life is about?

Aside from all that, do we know any tax cheats in the Obama administration and in congress?

Aside from that, do we know any presidents who had associations with rather questionable people?

Aside from that, do we know any Marxists running for the Senate in Delaware?

Aside from that, do we know any people having a hard time paying student loans or mortgage payments?  Aren't we all for HELPING those people--unless they happen to be a Republican?

Aside from that, do we know any hypocrites on HuffPost?

I am a great believer in tolerance for diversity as long as it isn't tolerance for criminal behavior or evil or for behaviors that damage other people.

How about you?

I think that, regarding witchcraft, HuffPost has turned "bewitched" into "we bitched!"

[AyeChart]

11:44 AM on 09/21/2010

This article is pure BS.  First, Rove did not "walk back" or take back or change his opinions.  He's simply EXPLAINING his statements and positions.

He is--I know you find this hard to believe, because you are delusional partisans--being PERFECTLY HONEST!

[John Mainstream]

11:35 AM on 09/21/2010

Karl Rove has demonstrated that he is just as out of touch as the rest of the ruling class.

[responder 41115]

02:11 PM on 09/20/2010

Pepper in enough of the right phrases and words, most people think you answered the question and you're a straight talker.

It doesn't matter if you actually answered a question 2 different ways (like Rove here), or just said about 2 min. worth of words that sort of sound like a response, but really wasn't (W, Palin).

See Luntz's book 'Words that Work'.

[SaddieMcCall]

11:51 PM on 09/19/2010

"There's been no witchcraft since. If there was, Karl Rove would be a supporter now," O'Donnell jokingly assured the crowd.

...................did she use witchcraft on Rove?

[AyeChart]

11:52 AM on 09/21/2010

Now that is at least semi-clever!

[Ron Conrad]

03:35 PM on 09/19/2010

I dont care if the Tea Party elects communist birther ground hogs on crack, just KICK'EM ALL THE HELL OUT!

Well sort it out later.

[Darrin Vernier]

04:25 PM on 09/18/2010

According to Rove and other Republican strategists people should vote for RINO candidates 'they' deem have the best chance of being elected rather than someone who espouses true conservative principles. This is like saying it's better to have a girlfriend who cheats on you because at least you're 'getting some' than take a chance you'll find the right one for you. None of the Tea Party candidates winning primaries is the 'fault' of the Tea Party. It's the fault of the two main parties to provide any suitable conservatives. The faults of people like O'Donnell are not of the 'country club' variety, they're ones most people have. This makes her one of 'us' instead of one of 'them'. What Rove and other strategists don't realize is their remarks make them and the Republican Party one of 'them'.

[wforvendetta]

01:00 AM on 09/18/2010

So should SNL bring back Julia Louise Dreyfuss to play O'Donnell on Saturday?

[wforvendetta]

12:59 AM on 09/18/2010

O'Donnell = Josephine the plumber.

[Eyeheartfreedumb]

04:46 PM on 09/20/2010

But she's not an actual plumbe... oh, yeah.

[sweetgreensnowpea]

07:43 PM on 09/17/2010

upon reflection, rove realized that while o'donnel's credentials left much to be desired, her "truthiness" was impeccable...

[andiannj]

06:49 PM on 09/17/2010

My how things have changed. I remember back in the day when the repubs were afraid to say anything negative about Rove in public. The world he created doesn't love him anymore.

[stape45]

06:18 PM on 09/17/2010

"do not evince the characteristics of rectitude, truthfulness and sincerity of character"

Rove just described every Republibagger with a pulse.

[VetKor51]

04:56 PM on 09/17/2010

Only 11 points down? Given her statements, she should be 50 pts. down.
I predict she will win.

[andiannj]

06:56 PM on 09/17/2010

I think Coons will mop the floor with whats-her-name.

[panamarine]

01:50 PM on 09/17/2010

Folks we got to look at it this way; Palin, although high and smug in her role as "Queen" maker, did not really get kitty O'Donnel elected...it was the anti-Government obsessed VOTERS of Delaware! And, like one lady Delaware-ian said yesterday when she was interviewed by some FOX local reporter: "She (o'dONNELL) is like one of us! She had bills to pay too, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah..." HERE WE GO AGAIN...with the: She's one of us crap. In other words elect the not too sharp, the sassy and weird ones and make sure they are for: "keeping the govmint outta my business" ----because they are like us. I really feel sorry for those folks and they deserve everything they are NOT going to get.