White House Claims Clerical Error, But I Smell Karl Rove

ABC News reports Saturday afternoon that some flunky in the Bush White House emailed to its full, extensive distribution list (all of the press, friendly religious leaders, conservative movers and shakers, etc.) a Reuters news story saying that Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki supports Barack Obama's timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops.

The Muslim Maliki = Barack Hussein Obama. Get it?

The White House says it was an accident, and the story was only intended for its "internal distribution list." At first blush that sounds plausible. After all, a story saying that the Iraqi government wants us gone certainly goes against the message Bush pushes at home about a long term presence, so it would seem to be a foolish mistake to send this out. Besides, every second term presidency is down to the "C" team in the final year because the better people have bailed.

Sure, but what if it wasn't an accident?

What if it was on purpose, a Machiavellian/Rovian method to the madness? The definitive book Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential, is a primer on tricks like this.

What if the "accidental" email was sent out to further connect -- in the public's mind -- Obama and Muslims, just when he's on his big Middle East trip, and at the end of the same week as the New Yorker magazine cover? That cover (titled "The Politics of Fear") was obviously meant as satire, a swipe about accepting falsehoods at face value.

Using the frenzied attention it generated to further promote the myths -- by widely disseminating another media story pushing the same message -- would be a typical coin of the realm in the political trade. Happens every day.

Here's their possible calculation: The so-called "Bush Doctrine" is essentially toast at this point, so the president can't be damaged any worse by the Maliki revelation. That's minor compared to what can be gained politically from repetitive linking of Obama to Muslims in the minds of the gullible and misguided. Polls already suggest a certain percentage are on board with such thinking, so this will absolutely be an element of the Republican game plan going forward.

"Oh, look, honey, it says here that Obama and Maliki think alike on Iraq policy. See, I told you he has those sympathies."

Surely we can assume Karl still phones in ideas to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He may be gone, but he hasn't been lobotomized. He's now consulting McCain's campaign, and the White House will no doubt do whatever it can to help the Arizona senator from now until November.

I smell Rove. Then again, I always do. I have a nose for rancid.

Comments

[DoveyJudith]

CNN's website on Saturday had this headline about the supposedly accidental White House email: "White House sends press corps al-Maliki praise for Obama plan."

That's exactly what the White House did, isn't it? They widely advertised Maliki praising Obama's withdrawal plan.

CNN's article, like everyone else in the mainstream media, blithely accepted the official explanation from the Bush team that the email was a "slip up," but the wording of their headline, even if inadvertent, precisely illustrates the point you were making, Jackson.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/20/white-house-sends-press-corps-al-maliki-praise-for-obama-plan/

[eden4barack08]

Naaah, I don't know about this one.

Der Spiegel was already publishing Maliki's interview too.

[RRK70]

Agreed that Rove is a master at media manipulation, but I don't think an Obama-Maliki is a win for the Republicans. Maliki is an American ally, therefore anyone who were to be influenced negatively by Obama's association to Maliki would have to also have a negative opinion of Maliki, the ally that the US is pinning it's hopes on in Iraq. If it were, say alSadr that Obama was associated with, then I would agree.

[CanadianAmerican]

Either the administration is brilliant, or it is incompetent. My wager on this question lies with the overwhelming majority of evidence.

[flanardiente]

I think most Americans would think "there IS light at the end of the tunnel!" rather than "Gee, maybe he's a Mooslim after all!" Maybe not the gullible or the misguided. But if Karl or W or John are depending on them to save the American dream of Empire, then it's time to wake up.

The thing that strikes me about the above (Karl, W and John) is that they're a bit gullible themselves.

[jeg]

To borrow (and then mangle) an old phrase: Just because they're out to get you, doesn't mean you're not paranoid.

This comes under the heading of chasing shadows. Either it was an aide who is also fed up with the Bush Administration's attitude in/towards Iraq, or it was an honest mistake, probably caused by Outlook auto-completion. Imagine there's an "Internal strategy list" and an "International Press" list. You type in "int", and it fills in the rest of the list name, you hit ctrl-enter, and suddenly start swearing. :)

The only impressive thing about this is the fact that CENTCOM managed to issue a "clarification" (curiously, the same one used before when Maliki mentioned a timeline) and have the American press act as if the "clarification" came from the Iraqi government itself.

[Jackson Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

I think sending the White House email about Maliki agreeing with Obama to such a far and wide array of people is by design, to spur the "Barack is a secret Muslim" meme. Thus I think it's a bad thing.

As a Texan who has observed Rove up close for a quarter-century, I believe he's responsible for every bad thing that happens.

That bounced check I had in '86?

Karl was behind it.

That girlfriend who broke up with me in '01?

Karl again.

The engine blowing up on the family car during this summer's trip to Ruidoso?

Don't ask.

Texas Democrats are just genetically predisposed to think this way about Bush's Brain. :-)

[BEHM777]

You know, the idea that Rover is behind the "accidental" email is just screwed up enough to be entirely plausible.

BEHusseinM777

[BADEN]

Gee.

I was hoping the clerk was a good American and did what was right rather than what was demanded.

See?
One person CAN make a difference.

[MPeter]

If this is the trick, it will backfire. Why? Because the same Rethugs who desperately want to work with Maliki to stabilize Iraq, would have to savage him for doing what they, and most of America wants. So, this trick will flop just the attempts to frame the message and corner Obama have failed.

[SpoxLogic]

may be a bit of reach on that one, Mr Williams.
Methinks this is more damaging to the GOP chances than a benefit.

[rtnd22]

good point...it seemed fishy to me as well