Regrettably, Mr. Rove failed spectacularly. Mr. Rove is simply incapable of truly understanding the battlefield.
All during the Bush years Mr. Rove apparently refused to allow George Bush to defend himself — ever. Of course not only did this irreparably hurt Bush, it damaged Conservatives, and the GOP brand, probably for generations.
In the recent elections we saw Rove, again, shrink back from the attack apparently believing that the corrupt MSM would somehow be even somewhat impartial. The corrupt MSM was viciously partisan, and again, Rove failed to incorporate this into his political calculus.
It is quite apparent, that like Sears, Mr. Rove firmly believes that if only the GOP shows their “softer side” women, minorities, and other victims will come running to the GOP. So, Mr. Rove sets off to soft-sell abortion, homosexuality, immigration, and whatever else are a matter of bedrock principle. And, of course, it failed with millions of fewer votes in 2012 than in 2008.
Mr. Rove is a campaign general who neither understands the battlefield, the political enemy, nor his allies or his own troops.
Mr. Rove’s political vision is fatally flawed. The only remaining question is whether the GOP-e leaders have now grasped this fact.
Based upon early post-election feedback, the GOP-e refuses to recognize this and will likely double-down on pursuing Mr. Rove and Company's failed strategy.
>>> The only remaining question is whether the GOP-e leaders have now grasped this fact.
Short answer - NO.
In fact, the 2012 failure was because (The Royal) We were too far right. The country has now becaome center left, the argument is to be center left, while Dem move further left.