Karl Rove's Odd Advice

Back in April, in a Wall Street Journal column, Karl Rove urged John McCain to be less reserved about his personal life and background, and run more on his biography. "[I]t is clear," Rove wrote, "that Mr. McCain is one of the most private individuals to run for president in history."

Four months later, Rove recycled the exact same point in yet another column.

Mr. McCain is the most private person to run for president since Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s. He needs to share (or allow others to share) more about him, especially his faith. The McCain and Obama campaigns are mirror opposites. Mr. McCain offers little biography, while Mr. Obama is nothing but.

Rove's right-wing ideology is obviously pretty far out there, but I'm generally inclined to think he's at least aware of current events. After reading a column like this, it's hard not to wonder if Rove has been watching the same presidential race as the rest of us.

By all appearances, Rove has McCain's strategy entirely backwards. McCain isn't a private person at all -- as the Weekly Standard's Dean Barnett put it, "You know how you can tell really private people? They spend 26 years in public life as a politician. They also do things like host Saturday Night Live where they sing Streisand tunes before a national TV audience."

"McCain offers little biography"? McCain has been offering little but biography. He's been running ads with interrogation footage taken while McCain was a prisoner of war. He launched a "biographical tour," during which McCain highlighted his family history. He's even run campaign videos spotlighting McCain's experiences growing up.

The difference between this column and the one in April, however, was the suggestion that McCain should do more to share "his faith." That's not unreasonable advice, given that rank-and-file evangelicals aren't exactly enamored with the McCain candidacy, and if his support doesn't improve, his chances of winning will become even more remote.

But there's a catch. In fact, there's a very good reason we haven't seen more religion talk from McCain: it's a very awkward subject for him.

Ultimately, it's not at all clear why McCain would listen to Rove's advice anyway. A disgraced former White House aide who claims to have cornered the market on his own version of math?

If Democrats are very lucky, McCain will take Rove's advice seriously.

Comments

[avidobserver]

Why are political pundits still taking the utterances of Karl Rove seriously? Am I alone in considering him a fast talking, crooked, snake oil salesman? He has conned the American people into electing the worst president and influenced the most corrupt justice department in the history of the United States. He should be in jail!

[Clevelanded]

I think the purpose of Rove making that plea is for McCain supporters to start saying the same thing, with the objective being to sway lazy voters by making them think first that McCain has nothing to hide and second that he isn't touting his biography because he is humble.

[youngec]

I wish someone would explain to me why Karl Rove is considered a master political operative. David Gregory referred to his so-called smarts on the Daily Show last night. But here's a man, whose primary client has seen his popularity tank, big time. And the poltical party he worked so hard to make supreme is in full nose dive thanks to his machinatiobs. True he masterminded two election victories, but he needed chicanery to do it. So why, oh why, is he considered such a "genius."?

[Clevelanded]

"..he masterminded two election victories,"

For Presidential elections that is no mean feat. BTW, I have extreme antipathy for that rodent.

[Gogetter]

Rove's little advice op-eds are more about the embedded digs at Obama than dispensing real advice. Remember the "advice to Obama" op-ed awhile back. The whole purpose there was to underscore Obama's weaknesses than anything else. It's possible that he didn't even bother coming up with a current topic for his latest piece.

[MikeLee7125]

I think the reason for Rove's advice is in the little detail he lets slip by; that McCain hasn't gained in the polls and remains stuck at 40%. It's not possible to win in November with just 40% of the vote. But how to get more? Issues? Please. Only thing left is biography.
Basically if Rove wasn't a right wing smear machine he'd be saying, "McCain is spinning his wheels, not gaining any ground, he's got nothing substantive to talk about, so his best bet is to entertain voters with his life story."

[lvdragonlady]

"share "his faith" - personally I could care less about how anyone worships 'their' God.
This not what makes a good president. Let the person have some common sense, and care about something besides big business and lining their pockets.

[freecasey]

I think Rove's message was misconstrued a bit. What he meant was create a lie that is your private life low-info voters can relate to, ala GWB clearing brush on the ranch and being from Texas.

[BADEN]

Let's Review:

GAMBLING:
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/06/16/daily78.html?ana=from_rss

WOMEN:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arw-yNas2xc

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/23/mccain-opposes-equal-pay-_n_98342.html

AFFILIATIONS NEVER MENTIONED IN THE CORPORATE PRESS:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Republican_Institute

AND THE UNDERLYING ATTITUDE - SOOOOO 20TH CENTURY:
http://www.dialoginternational.com/dialog_international/2006/07/republicans_and.html

There. That's a start.