Rove Is Overrated

[mediaman007]

Lots of messages here mention the Bush* adviser, Karl Rove. Not that anyone here has ever expressed that Rove is a genius, but I don't recall any discussions about his qualifications.

I think that he is overrated! Not knowing his resume, I think that his background is in dirty tricks. I can't imagine that he could really give some quality advice to his candidate. I'm sure that he uses the southern states and right wing strategy, but that is an easy one. All he had to do was inherit it from Reagan.

His skill may be in bullying (Florida recount), and working with Diebold voting machines. But I don't think that he really understands how to bring the middle of America to his party, except for establishing fear.

I think that his ego will cause him to make some big mistakes this Fall. Already his talking points to the media are becoming a joke. The next big mistake will be his use of the swift boat veterans. Then he may also be in trouble for outing Valerie Plame.

I don't think that he can make it to election day.

[bigwillq]

1. You think?! (nt)

[David Dunham]

2. I agree. If we work hard, we can beat Bush and Rove.

[yardwork]

3. He's a jerk, but his scorched earth approach often works

I think that the early Bush* ads this summer were a disaster, and a waste of money.

Unfortunately, their response is to switch to lying about Kerry, and a whole lot of incredibly stupid Americans will believe the lies. Makes me sick.

[medeak]

4. you're right

have no idea how he climbed so high. He's from my home state (brother is benefitting from contracts for construction company).. went to Utah State..it's an enigma to me.

[MrSandman]

5. Better to overate than underate...

Better to plan for what the opposition can do rather than what we think the opposition will do.

[NEDem]

6. Rove is a light weight

Now Lee Atwater was a real heavyweight. Just before his death he expessed some remorse for all his dirty tricks, which kind of made me respect him just a little bit. Not much, but just enough not to completely hate him anymore.

[Cat Atomic]

7. He's probably the most overrated man on the planet.

Look at the 2000 election:

Huge campaign warchest, compliant corporate media that coddled him while bashing his opponent, massive right wing submedia that actively campigned for him 24-7, and Bush STILL LOST.

Or how about the last 15 months? The ridiculous amnesty plan that was supposed to pull in the hispanic vote, and instead turned them away. The Medicare plan that pissed seniors off big time. "Mission Accomplished". The trip to Mars.

Backwards, stupid moves all.

Karl Rove and Bush both skated by because of 9-11, and that's it.

[BillZBubb]

8. Rove is underrated here

Anybody that can get a piece of brainless human excrement like Bush* into the White House--by any method--deserves recognition for accomplishing what should be impossible.

The fact that the Chimperor could still win this election, that it's still even close, given miserable failure in every area, also attests to Rove's abilities.

Face it, the guy is working with an inarticulate moron with a record that is terrible, yet he's still in the hunt. That my friends is amazing talent.

[Poiuyt]

9. Rove is good

There's no way that an idiot like Bush would have approval ratings would be as high as they are without a good political advisor. He did get Bush into office without him having any qualifications and the polls are still close considering what a mess Bush has made of the country and the world. However, there's only so much lipstick you can put on a pig.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. Dude got into dirty tricks campaigning during college and dropped out

to make it a full time career (Rove has never completed his undergrad).

He did get his guy into the presidency. But with incumbency, and 9/11, starting from a basically "split even" country, he has done nothing with his creature but say "FU" to Dems and the rest of the world.

The prevailing strategy there seems to be to try to get more turnout from their own side rather than appeal to anyone undecided or Dem. By bashing Dems and the world even harder.

[OnionPatch]

11. The thing with Rove

in my opinion, is not that he's genius...I don't think he is. The ploys he dreams up are not things anyone else couldn't dream up. It's just that most people would not stoop so low as to try them. And down inside, most people realize that these kind of tactics are counterproductive in the long run because even if they get away with these dirty tricks for awhile, they're going to be exposed eventually and discredited. I believe in the long run, the Republican party will be damaged because of their willingness to embrace Rove's slimy strategies.