Karl Rove stands up subpoena hearing but spends time on Obama
White House aides playing hooky just never gets old. Karl Rove followed in that noble tradition today, when he failed to respond to a subpoena to appear before a House Judiciary subcommittee. "That," notes the Bush Blog, "didn't stop the staff of the subcommittee from placing a placard with his name on it in front of an empty chair at the witness table, according to the Associated Press." Further proof that politics is showbiz.
Rove may have been MIA on Capitol Hill today, but he's all over Obama in today's Wall Street Journal, from praising his volunteer organization to calling his politics Nixonian:
In the primary, Mr. Obama supported pulling out of Iraq within 16 months, called the D.C. gun ban constitutional, backed the subjection of telecom companies to expensive lawsuits for cooperating in the terror surveillance program, opposed welfare reform, pledged to renegotiate Nafta, disavowed free trade and was strongly against the death penalty in all cases. But in the past few weeks, Mr. Obama has reversed course on all of these, discarding fringe liberal views for relentlessly centrist positions. He also flip-flopped on accepting public financing and condemning negative ads from third party groups, like unions.
By taking Nixon's advice, Mr. Obama is assuming such dramatic reversals will somehow avoid voter scrutiny.
The New Republic has a few things to say about that, including:
Beyond the strategic problems with pressing this case, it's not even factually accurate. For example, Obama was not "strongly against the death penalty in all cases." See here for details.
Think Rove's onto something? Post your thoughts below.
*Photo: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
As an independent voter who really does not support a two party system I would like to give this observation. During the eilection period both parties take aim to confuse the American public on the real issues, but for some reason what is best for our country seems to always slip through our fingers. The last eight years have been a diaster for this great country, yet individuals like Mr. Rove cater to their self interest and not that of the American People as a whole. Where we are today is a direct result of the Amaerican People as a whole who tolerate the corruption in our government from both sides. History does repeat itself. Nixon / Bush deregulated the saving and loans and we went to war in Irag under some questionalble circumstances. Bush / Chaney promoted lowering interest rates without a check and balance policy and the crooks came in again and we are in another war in the same place.
The crooks, oil companies and defense contractors when again, and the general tax payer and this country loose. You get what you vote for. Apparently the American people as a whole are just plain ignorant, looking after their own interest, or just to lazy to do some research before they vote. Only they can change the course of this country.
Posted by: Dennis Person | August 01, 2008 at 05:54 AM
Karl Rove fled the country the day of his subpoena. What are we to do. This is the final strw when it comes to the law breaking done by the U.S. Government.
Posted by: Dave | July 14, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Frankly after 7+years of Bush intransigence & inflexibility, doesn't some flip-flopping sound pretty good to you? Of course, what Rove calls flip-flopping is just code for what happens when a Dem tries to refine or adjust positions to better fit reality (even if it's political reality, which is not usually really real). If McCain is all over the map on issues (& he often is, as with immigration reform), that's not flip-flopping because he's not a Dem...
Posted by: Virginia | July 11, 2008 at 05:00 PM
The Republican Party has been lapping at Rove's backside for years, and they like the taste. Never, never will they turn away, because they don't think for themselves, they let Limbaugh think for them.
Posted by: mitch | July 11, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Mccain had an affair to get Cindy yet no major news media outlet talks about this.
Posted by: sean | July 11, 2008 at 10:31 AM
OBAMA CANNOT POSSIBLY MEET EXPECTATIONS, EVEN HIS OWN ---
Obama’s impossible road ahead
Posted by: pacificGatePost | July 11, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Corruptio optimi pessima - meaning: Corruption from the best is the worst. Karl Rove is a triator to this country. You may think you are doing George dubya a favor, but sadly mister Rove you are a disgrace to the USA.
The Bush Adminisration impetus was set well before George dubya set foot in the oval office. He actually believes he is ABOVE (caps added for emphasis) the law. I believe he is dillusional along with his administration.
Well, mister president, whether you're in the oval office or when you leave, the American people will get you to answer for your war crimes. You and your administration too.
The rank and file doesn't stop here. Our congress and senators are just as guilty for allowing this fiasco to continue even when there are volumes of factual documents on record that our president falsified documents to get HIS (caps added for emphasis) war. One day you will all have to answer for your atrosities too.
The last 8 years have brought much shame to our country. Shame on all of you for not protecting the US Constitution and the people of the United States of America.
Posted by: Stone | July 11, 2008 at 06:18 AM
As long as Bush and Cheney are in power Rove has a teflon suit. The only real question is whether Obama and the dems will have the balls to go after them after the election.
Posted by: Noah | July 11, 2008 at 05:24 AM
Let's see how the gutless 110th Congress handles this. What is do frustrating about these cowards is the fact they have caved into this corrupt and criminally incompetent administration since the day they were sworn in last year. When the Dems re-took the House and Senate on Election day 2006, I was full of hope that the Bush Mob would be brought to Justice. By the second week of January, I realized the utter futility of my optomism.
In 2000, when this country sent a hideous, half-witted frat boy named George W. Bush to the Oval Office - TO THE WHITE HOUSE! - we effectively pointed the proverbial loaded pistol at out own collective head. Four years later, on Election day 2004 - make no mistake about it - we pulled the trigger.
Did you ever think for a minute that your once-great nation would fall this low? Ouch!
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Posted by: Tom Degan | July 11, 2008 at 05:22 AM
Karl Rove has a sound understanding of history, a huge appetite for facts and sees right through Obama and his pretentions. His words will not be drowned in the din of the liberal propoganda that is inescapable these days. People will see through its emptiness sooner or later.
Posted by: Kishore Jethanandani | July 10, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Carl Rove is DONE, THROUGH..Nothing he says means SQUAT. He can go to the Devil.
The true issue is that we have TWO idiots running of the President of the United States. PERIOD.
I'm sick to death of them both..Obama is a dissapointment with voting for the FISA bill. It's not a pretty sight to see Jesse Jackson sticking his jealous head in the boob tube..anything to get some attention..Sickening.
The economy is in the S*** can and according to the McCain camp it's a fragment of our Imagination..if that is not enough to make you want to Japslap, what is? Do a story on THAT!
The American People want a real President, not a hand picked JOKE!
Posted by: Jenn | July 10, 2008 at 02:51 PM