Barf alert: DMN names ROVE Texan of the Year

[rainbow4321]

Sorry for the register-only link--it's all I could find...I'll hand out complimentary barf bags to make up for it..and WTF is with him being named instead of the military families that were nominated.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/122604dnedislater.46e55.html



The president, that famous giver of nicknames, bestowed a new one after his re-election on Karl Christian Rove: The Architect.
A perfect tribute. It was Mr. Rove – master strategist and political grenadier – who drew up the plan to win George W. Bush a second term in the White House and bird-dogged every detail to victory. He honed the central theme of the presidential campaign. He built the biggest, shiniest, most elaborate voter-identification and turnout machine in history. And in the process, he advanced an audacious goal of making the GOP America's permanent majority party.

In selecting The Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year, the editorial board sought someone of uncommon character who demonstrated both leadership and vision in 2004, who exemplified a trailblazing instinct and ability to navigate adversity. In these, Mr. Rove emerged as one of the most creative and influential political figures of our time. His work for the president helped assure the Bush agenda will affect Americans for the next four years. His desire for a Republican-dominated realignment of government could affect us for decades.

To be sure, candidates win elections, not consultants, and Mr. Bush proved the better candidate in 2004. But even the best candidate needs a savvy adviser, someone to match a leader's strengths with the mood of the moment. Bill Clinton had his James Carville, Woodrow Wilson his Col. House and President McKinley a nimble political guru-in-chief named Marcus Hanna. If his advocates are right, Mr. Rove is one of the most creative political minds in history. If his critics are right, his unrelenting partisanship will only exacerbate the polarization that divides the country. Either way, his impact and influence on Americans in 2004 – and beyond – are unmistakable.


The other "finalists"
THE OTHER NINE
10. Carolyn Thomas
Domestic violence survivor
9. Dan Rather
Legendary anchor
8. Wallace B. Jefferson
History-making judge
7. John O'Neil
Swift Boat Veteran for Truth
6. Lupe Valdez
Barrier-breaking sheriff
5. Alberto Gonzales
Attorney general nominee
4. Anousheh and Amir Ansari
Spaceflight visionaries
3. The Texas military family
From the front lines to the home front
2. Allie Scott and Family
Brave family shares story