Andrew Sullivan says Rove going after own party who oppose Bush.

[madfloridian]

I saw this at the Moderate Voice, linked to Sullivan. If this is true it is outrageous, and I hope sensible Republicans stand up and yell about it.

http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1157944584.shtml

"Next week, I'm informed via troubled White House sources, will see the full unveiling of Karl Rove's fall election strategy. He's intending to line up 9/11 families to accuse McCain, Warner and Graham of delaying justice for the perpetrators of that atrocity, because they want to uphold the ancient judicial traditions of the U.S. military and abide by the Constitution. He will use the families as an argument for legalizing torture, setting up kangaroo courts for military prisoners, and giving war crime impunity for his own aides and cronies.

This is his "Hail Mary" move for November; it's brutally exploitative of 9/11; it's pure partisanship; and it's designed to enable an untrammeled executive. Decent Republicans, Independents and Democrats must do all they can to expose and resist this latest descent into political thuggery. If you need proof that this administration's first priority is not a humane and effective counter-terror strategy, but a brutal, exploitative path to retaining power at any price, you just got it."

This is just sad.

Gandelman calls on real Republicans to do something...

"Indeed: the time has come for classic, traditional Republicans who seek to perpetuate conservative values rather than just power or a Cult of Personality to say "enough." Beginning in the election of 2006 voters may have to take steps to help the GOP clean house of this group of people who have taken it over and who operate so much more differently than Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan — or even the first George Bush."

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. Yeah KKKarl, go after em!

Throw the weight of the GOP and all it's money behind Bushbot wingnuts against moderates! That's the ticket. :thumbsup:

[Ignacio Upton]

2. I can see this backfiring

Swing voters see McCain (and out of those who know them...)...Warner and Graham as respectable Republicans and as moderates (even though their voting records show anything but!)
And if Rove wants to trot out 9/11 Families, I'm sure the Jersey Girls will have something to say about the administration's bullshit.
This will be like Joe McCarthy at the Army-McCarthy Hearings.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. What else are they going to run on? Catching Osama?

They will need to ride on the survivor's backs until they break.

[renate]

4. I don't get it

If Bush isn't running in 2006, what's the point of squashing Republicans who disagree with him? How is it to his advantage to get rid of Republicans in the House and Senate?

It's too late for Rove to start supporting loyalists in favor of Republicans defecting from Bush. At this point, the alternative is Democrats.

Also, I totally assume that any Republicans who retain their seats are also going to resume their lapdog status once there's no longer any reason to distance themselves from Bush. Surely Rove can see that their pre-election statements will bear very little resemblance to their "please don't hit me" post-election votes in his favor.

[clmbohdem]

7. I think this also includes immunity for charges of torture

From what I remember, part of this has to do with legislation that will give immunity for anyone that is charged with torture. Since BushCo authorized the use of torture, I could see getting this taken care of before the midterm elections to be a high priority and the cost of a few Republicans if necessary.

[Lerkfish]

13. my guess: because they don't intend for there to be elections after 2008

they need the republican majority to abolish the two term rule or to declare martial law, or some unknown option that allows Bush and the neocons to remain in power.

I believe when Bush said we would be in Iraq "as long as I"m president", and they're planning on staying in Iraq for decades, that he meant he intends to stay in power for decades (or the neocons intend to stay in power)
I think Bush is the perfect moron for the cabal: stupid enough to believe their crap and push it as his own. I doubt they can ever find anyone else like him: a cypher on which they can imprint their strategies. Any one else would possess either too much conscience or too much intellect to remain under their thumb to this degree.

They NEED an idiot king so they can work from the dark curtains behind the throne.

IMHO

[Hubert Flottz]

14. My guess too!

They want to install Bush as the leader for life.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Why do I doubt this?

Bush may be dumb, but Rove isn't.

A Republican president attacking Republican Senators is a funny way to keep a Republican majority in Congress.

[Fridays Child]

6. k/r

[Warren DeMontague]

8. That's why I've been saying that the way to win is to split the GOP

we're never going to get the Far right fundy Jesus freak crowd; all we do by endlessly pursuing them (and trying to shove gays, pro-choicers, atheists and supporters of separation of church & state to the back of the bus in the process) is alienate the base and muddy the waters about what we stand for. Likewise, we're never going to out-neocon the neo-cons. Time for the DLC gang to admit they were wrong on Iraq, and for us to adopt a unified stance on ending this lie-based disaster of a war.

"Out Jesus-ing", and "out NeoCon-ing" the GOP: Funny, that certain party pooh-bahs think those are the only two plays we can run. I have a different one.

I say we appeal to the true conservatives who still respect the Constitution and the ideals this country was founded on, and the strong libertarian wing of the GOP, by clearly enunciating arguments for ending the iraq war, ending the drug war, respecting the Constitution, civil liberties, and the Bill of Rights, bringing true fiscal responsibility to a government drunk on deficits trillions of dollars in Military-Industrial and no-bid largesse. We make it clear that we are the party that believes citizens should control their own bodies and choices- the GOP is the party that wants to put women in jail for having abortions, and wants to criminalize the birth control pill. We make it clear that we are the party that wants people to be in charge of their own medical decisions, end of life decisions, and pain management- the GOP is the party that believes in pointing assault weapons and cancer-ridden grannies and hauling them off to prison for smoking pot. We make it clear that they are the party of censorship, of theocracy, of trampling the constitution.

There are a lot of alienated "moderates", independents and Republicans. What they're looking for is a party that speaks to the strong small-l libertarian streak in American society. I think we could win those folks over -while simultaneously winning over disaffected Greens by, for instance, clearly coming out for withdrawl from Iraq and a SPHC system- if we took the above tack.

[althecat]

9. This fits somewhat eerily with the ABC tele movie line....

..and with the recent news that GOP is dropping immigration in favour of security as its campaign plank.

[bklyncowgirl]

10. It's all about the base--it's been their strategy all along.

If Republicans are going to make it close enough to steal, they are going to have to get the right wing fanatic knuckledragging wingnut base out to vote in droves.

Paint the Democrats as terrorist sympethisers. Do the same to any Republican who does not march in lockstep. These people despise moderate Republicans as much or more as they despise Democrats.Lie, Smear, Distort, Rinse, Repeat.

Do what is necessary to insure that anyone who is not a raving partisan is thoroughly disgusted by the tone of the election and stays home on election day.

Do what is necessary to make it difficult for likely Democratic voters to get to the polls if you can't strike them off the voter rolls entirely.

...and in the end, of course there's Diebold.

[izzie]

11. This always happens. Religions do the same thing.

I am not sure why but every one must fit into the plan and the plan get tighter all the time. It is almost like a death thing. Lenin did it. Hitler did it. every leader who gets its power and needs to keep it does it this way. It is like it is not really what the people want so you have to fight for it more. You can read about it in every history book and we our self have the same history with King George of England. It was one of the points of the govt. by laws. Good luck Carl.

[Catbird]

12. Lindsey Graham not on ballot this year.

There is no Senate election in South Carolina this year.

[madfloridian]

15. More from the Moderate Voice to GOPers to stop this stuff.

"Classic Republicans now have to ask themselves: is this truly the direction you want to see your party move, the values you want to see it defend, and the way in which you want to see it operate?

There is a chance this will backfire. And if Republicans do suffer huge losses in November a good deal of the reason will be because some GOPers remained silent in the face of policies and tactics that probably would have driven them out in the streets demonstrating their opposition if any Democratic administration had done the same thing."

[VolcanoJen]

16. New Fall Product Line - All 9/11, All The Time.

This is just the opening shot. They'll save the really good stuff for the Democrats.

Dick Cheney said yesterday on "Meet the Press" that while he was concerned a few months ago, he was now very upbeat and confident about the Repubicans' ability to hold both houses of Congress in the upcoming election. I found that chilling... he knows something.

We know that for certain.

Big K&R for this thread... very important read and tip by Sullivan.

[madfloridian]

17. I put nothing past them.

The worst will be reserved for our side, you are right.

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. Thanks, madfloridian. I have liked your posts

Thanks for the heads up

[July]

19. Good, let them eat their own.

If all they've got is enforcing party loyalty to keep the bloody party going, we're in good shape.

[Justice Is Comin]

20. Yes Rove, and threaten your boys that bush won't come

and campaign for them either if they don't bow down to you :rofl: