I sense Rove Rovian trick in this Rove retirement

[underpants]

Rove resigns and Merv Griffin finally meets grim death and *I* am shut off from DU both at work and at home. What are the odds??

Anyway, about Rove

For all the "mastermind" and "genius" talk I have come to two conclusions about Rove

1. He appears to be the excuse that the press uses to justify, to itself collectively, the support it has given Bush over the years. Every once in a while one of them lets it slip out or you hear a little bit in passing about how he was so intimidating and so smart (Bolten quote). I don't see it-from sizing him up as well as knowing his history- there doesn't seem to be much there.

2.I think the main reason that #1 continues to be the operating model is because he blackmails the press, his opponents, and even the members of his party. I understand their wont to look united and be "on message" but the complete lack of any notable backlash at all tells me that Rove has the goods or lets people think he has the goods on them ... and this is where the warrantless wiretaps come into play. There is absolutely no reason to not tell the FISA court who you are looking in to. Given the climate just after 9/11 especially even they would probably have been willing to let the law bend for a while (not that we would have ever heard of it). So it seems clear that these wiretaps were for......POLITICAL REASONS why would we expect a White House that has no policy apparatus (never has) where Rove runs every single aspect of every "decision" to NOT have a political angle in the most important facet of life, security, and politics---INFORMATION?

That's my book on Rove, that and having Tillman killed before he could get back to the US or give an interview to ESPN.

[valerief]

1. I'll bet he has a big stash of anthrax, too. nt

[acmavm]

2. Of course there's more illegal, immoral, and un-American shit

to come from this pathetic excuse of an oxygen-user. He's just going underground.

[madrchsod]

3. he`s just changing location

he`ll still be around offering his wit, wisdom,and blessings to those who worship at his feet

[soothsayer]

4. Makes me feel better that he was crying, not smirking and grinning

like a cat what swallowed a canary. I think he feels like a failure. (a girl can dream, can't she?)

[Karmageddon]

5. Rovian trick? Nah. Just a schoolyard brat not getting his way, he's taking his ball and going home.

Rovian cowardice is more like it.

Now that the whole republican party has been molded in his likeness, it's not looking so good for that "permanent republican majority" he was going for, is it? That thought gives me hope for the future.