Karl Rove & Martial Law?

Would the MSM gatekeepers have tolerated James Carville meddling deeply in responding to a disaster like Katrina? Then why does Karl Rove get a pass? At least Carville's from Louisiana...
This morning's WashPost brings us scary news of Rove's blatant attempt to force the Governor of Louisiana to "impose martial law 'or as close as we can get.'"

I do not find this reassuring. What is George W's lifelong political advisor doing in the martial law discussions (and raw power struggles, as the article makes clear)? Why is it that the normal rules of political engagement never seem to apply to these guys?

Perhaps now would be a good time to remember what John Dilulio told Ron Suskind (in a great piece):
"There is no precedent in any modern White House for what is going on in this one: a complete lack of a policy apparatus. What you’ve got is everything—and I mean everything—being run by the political arm. It’s the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis."

[There's another great line in the Suskind piece, where an unnamed operative at a McCain book party who has known Karl Rove for years says:
"'Sure, I know Karl,' says one man who has worked on several campaigns with him. 'At the end of long days, we’d always meet at one bar or another, everybody but Karl. Where’s Karl? we’d wonder. The line was always ‘Oh, he’s out ruining careers'.’ " (emphasis added)]

"Oh, he's out ruining careers." Maybe Mr. Fitzgerald will put a stop to it...