"Double spin": Karl who? White House downplays Rove's role

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Karl who? White House downplays Rove's role
Reducing strategist's stature after departure could help with Congress, as it did when Rumsfeld left.
By Peter Wallsten, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 15, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Not to be "ungenerous or self-centered," said White House Counselor Ed Gillespie, but he thinks some people overestimate Karl Rove's importance. After all, Gillespie pointed out, during the 2004 presidential campaign he headed the Republican National Committee, the heart of the party's operations. And he talked to Rove only "from time to time"

Another White House official, asked what it would mean to lose the legendary strategist, whose departure was announced Monday, recalled that Rove had started the staff's "ice-cream Fridays."

As one of the most powerful and controversial presidential advisors in modern history heads out the door, the White House is engaged in an unusual game of double spin: While President Bush bear-hugged Rove and showered him with praise in a South Lawn ceremony, officials like Gillespie quietly began to whittle down Rove's image as the man who played a key role in almost every major decision of the Bush era.

If all that sounds contradictory, it's just politics:

Praising such a prominent member of the administration as he prepares to leave office at the end of the month is almost obligatory, especially since Rove remains an admired figure and longtime friend to many in the GOP's conservative base. At the same time, downplaying Rove puts some distance between Bush and a man who, for all his service to president and party, has become a lightning rod for Democratic attacks....

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-bush15aug15,0,3354991.story

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. He was a mere extra, someone on the periphery. Please forget about him.

MKJ

[MessiahRp]

2. How would this help?

Giving Bush credit for having his own brain means he should shoulder the blame for all the irresponsible damage that Rove caused and if they think taking heat off of Rumsfeld by downplaying his influence helps they should check how their poll numbers show that the Americans are firmly against this President now.

Claiming he made all the decisions just proves he is even more incompetent than previously thought (if that was possible) and gives us all the more reason to want him out of office.

Rp

[frogcycle]

3. when there is nobody left but shrub, laura, and barney

shrub will actually have to take some responsi...

nahhh - it'll be Barney's fault

[tularetom]

4. And I'll bet the guy who engineered Rove's departure is sitting back

in his undisclosed location guffawing about the way the whole thing went down.

That's right I think the dick was the one who shoved Rove's pudgy piink ass out the door. Ever since Rove threw scooter libby to the wolvesand even before that when the boy king shit canned his buddy rummy darth has held a grudge (something he does better than anyone else in politics) and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he told the hapless chimp to get rid of kkkarl.