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Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
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That quiet sound you hear
August 13, 2007 4:34 PM
That quiet sound you hear from Republicans says all you need to know about party officials' current feelings about Karl Rove.
Not one GOP presidential campaign has proactively put out a statement paying homage to Rove or thanking him for his service. Certainly former Governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee can't be delighted with Rove stealing attention from their Iowa Straw Poll victories this weekend with the timed announcement of his departure.
Asked on CNN's "American Morning" if he would welcome Rove to his campaign, Huckabee's first response was, "I would welcome anybody to my campaign at this point."
There's also reluctance by these GOP pols to have their names appear in news stories that mention the Valerie Plame leak, the firing of the US Attorneys, congressional subpoenas, and the general tenor of Rove-style politics.
While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, put out a statement thanking Rove, the office of House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, only did so upon request.
The Boehner statement is one that could have been written for Paul Begala, when you get down to it: "Karl Rove has served the President and the American people with dedication and distinction since 2001, and while he’ll certainly be missed by his colleagues at the White House, I’m sure he and his family are looking forward to spending some well-deserved time together in Texas," Boehner writes. "Karl has my thanks for all of his years of inspired public service, and he and the entire Rove family have my very best wishes for the future.”
Congressional Republicans have long felt that the Bush administration never really "got" the Hill, and Rove especially never understood how to deal with Members of Congress. He was rude to them, some said.
"For awhile there he was king of the Hill, and he shoved your face in it," a GOP official told me. "He also had an enemies list as long as the New York phone book."
At a recent meeting with House Republicans on immigration reform, the reception was "chilly," in the words of one attendee.
In other words, though the "Goodbye, good riddance" statement issued by former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, is too strong, few elected Republicans are as choked up as the President and Mr. Rove were this morning about his departure.
-- jpt
August 13, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (9)
With an approval rating of about 23%, the second-lowest approval rating in contemporary times, it would be Bush whose "butt would be kicked," and very badly at that.
Posted by: masked avenger | Aug 16, 2007 7:59:54 AM
Um the reason they are not talking about Pres. Bush, is that is Not running.
News Flash to Libs - Unfortunately President Bush can not run again in 08 to kick their butts again.
Posted by: spock | Aug 15, 2007 4:30:31 PM
Mr. Rove's smear tactics and misplaced energies to "turn the country Republican" have finally caught up with him. This extremely partisan, divisive, confrontational dogmatist must be asking himself why he has so few friends and politicians who support him. To answer that, all he has to do is to look in the mirror. Good riddance!
Posted by: chuck | Aug 15, 2007 8:48:39 AM
Bushes obligations are not to the American people. He will get Billions for getting what Saudi wants, while he is still president, or up goes the oil prices( little terorrism, fear,)Bushes long term relationship with the Bin Laden family is a great concern. There never was an exit plan, from Iraq, nor will there ever be! Bush has hopes of America being a third world nation of poverty,there is no other explaination for his dereliction of duty. Buisiness as usual, he said.
Posted by: JB | Aug 14, 2007 3:26:35 PM
JR - it is a sad state of affairs if you consider the Watergate break-in Republicans at their best...it was a 3rd rate burglary marred by a 4th rate cover-up
Posted by: phillygirl64 | Aug 14, 2007 1:14:15 PM
THAT QUIET SOUND YOU HEAR.... is the hypocrisy of the Republican Party trying desperately to inch away from the rotting carcass of the Bush Administration. Wasn't it Rudy Guiliani who on 9/11 stated "Thank God George Bush is our President"?? (You don't hear Rudy saying any such thing THESE days,do you!!) You certainly don't think Romney's going to undo all his expensive vote-buying by even mentioning Bush's name. (Instead, the Repubs invoke the hallowed name of Ronnie Reagan to try to alleveate the stench of Bush..excuse the pun,I couldn't resist.....)Repubs are masters of quietness and stealth.They work best when it's quiet and dark,Remember the Watergate break-in?? I don't think any candidate wants to be linked to anyone who represents the Iraq War when only 24% of Americans approve of the war or the way in which it has been orchistrated. Karl Rove is an albatross as far as the Republicans are concerned and anybody who would have him on his campaign would be risking a negative association by having him aboard. The only way the Repubs can win is if they gerrymander the system like they did in 2000,(Watch the the documentary "HACKING DEMOCRACY") Yes, sound of quiet speaks volumes, perhaps we should take heed and realize what is trying to tell us....
Posted by: JRGoodnews | Aug 14, 2007 4:30:45 AM
I agree Mstessyrue with one exception - we have spent almost a trillion on the war and no end in sight! We will spend
70 billion plus this year alone! Now we get all the spin about how the surge is working - don't believe it - they just want more money and more troops. I get tired of people saying if you are for peace then you don't support the troops, if Bush supported the troops he would have done things a lot differently. For one, he would have made sure that they had the proper equipmet and secondly outlined the goals to succeed and then a plan to get out! Nothing has changed! We have no national security - just a lame color code to create fear. Now he is again trying to pass the Amnesty bill,there's a cool 2 trillion! Yes, he votes for education but never funds it! - SOS.
Posted by: White Mountain | Aug 13, 2007 8:07:55 PM
This country and this war are in desperate need of radical changes. First and foremost is the need to pull our troops out of Iraq and stop the violence, poverty and terror that we are creating overseas as well as in our homes. Even now, President Bush would not admit defeat and the fact that this war is a disaster. The Bush administration has yet to recognize the Iraq war is a complete failure and mistake. There are more critical issues that affecting the lives of millions of americans and people world wide that our president is not taking actions against. Now the war has proven to be a failure and is causing more violence, terror and poverty in this world. According to the Borgen Project, it only takes $19 billion dollars annually to eradicate world hunger and poverty. However, our government has already spent more than $450 billion dollars over this fruitless war in Iraq. It is time for the Bush Administration to take a real interest in the lives of the American people as well as people who are in desperate needs around the world. Stop the lies and stop poverty now. Put away the arrogance and put the needs of the people before political gains.
Posted by: Mstessyrue | Aug 13, 2007 7:05:41 PM
It sure not the 20 million plus, that need to march on Washington your hearing. For the people by the people. Not for Corporations, by corporations.
Posted by: JB | Aug 13, 2007 6:04:28 PM
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