Rove Keeps Up Heat on Clinton

AP via SFGate. ^ | 8/19/7 | DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

Crawford, Texas (AP) -- Master GOP strategist Karl Rove won't let up in his attacks on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, but the intriguing question is why.

Is it a sign that Rove, who masterminded Bush's two presidential victories, is worried about Clinton? Or a calculation that the GOP attacks will get Democrats to rally to her side because the GOP would prefer not to take on Democrats John Edwards or Barack Obama?

"The Democrats are going to choose a nominee. I believe it's going to be her," President Bush's departing political adviser said Sunday, noting her negative rating with the public is very high.

He appeared on three Sunday talk shows after announcing last week he was leaving the White House at the end of the month to spend more time with his family.

Asked why he was helping Clinton by saying she would headline the ticket, Rove said: "Didn't know that I was. Don't think that I am."

Then he harshly criticized Clinton, saying more people have an unfavorable than favorable opinion of the New York senator and former first lady.

"She enters the general election campaign with the highest negatives of any candidate in the history of the Gallup poll," Rove said.

"It just says people have made an opinion about her. It's hard to change opinions once you've been a high-profile person in the public eye, as she has for 16 or 17 years." Recent polling has shown the public evenly split on Clinton.

Rove might be revisiting his 2004 play book. Bush's re-election team aimed its harshest comments at Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the eventual nominee, because it wanted Bush to take on Kerry rather than Edwards, then a senator from North Carolina.

[SmithL]

Rove, you magnificent bastard!

[Darkwolf377]

Then he harshly criticized Clinton..."She enters the general election campaign with the highest negatives of any candidate in the history of the Gallup poll," Rove said.

That's "harsh criticism"?

[saganite]

Hmm. Wonder if Bush and Rove decided he’d be more effective on the outside than in the administration? Nah. Couldn’t be.

[SolidWood]

Karl Rove won't let up in his attacks on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, but the intriguing question is why.

Because he wants to save us from Stalinism.

[Don Corleone]

Now Rove can really exercise “Free Speech” as he doesn’t have to be polite for the Administration. The Hildabeast is in the crosshairs.

[bahblahbah]

Rove needs to shut up and leave. Him attacking Hillary does not help us one bit.

[John Jorsett]

So it’s “harsh criticism” and an “attack” when you quote Hillary’s poll numbers from an LA Times story? But it’s “push-back” when Hillary starts blabbing about the “Republican attack machine”? No, no bias in that story.

[mrsmel]

That’s an attack? And she wants to be leader of the leading nation fighting Islamic terrorists?

[Colonel_Flagg]

Master GOP strategist Karl Rove won't let up in his attacks on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, but the intriguing question is why.

Because he has a right to his opinion?

Naah.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Yeah. We should all be really polite to a political team that steals FBI files to gather dirt on people they want to manipulate.

[Vision Thing]

Today during the dimwad debates, in reference to the Magnificent Bastard’s accusations, hillarhoids herself mentioned her own high disapproval numbers. However, we all know the presstitutes won’t accuse her thighness of firing off harsh criticisms against herself.

[windsorknot]

I’m waiting for Mrs. Bill Clinton to accuse Rove of “swiftboating” her.

[shield]

Nah couldn’t be...HA

[saganite]

Says who?

[expatpat]

The dumb ‘rats are still obsessed with Rove as Machiavelli, even tough he’s retiring....

[ClaireSolt]

How many invisible friends does little girl Hillary have?

[expatpat]

Bush's re-election team aimed its harshest comments at Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the eventual nominee, because it wanted Bush to take on Kerry rather than Edwards

More likely they were smart enough to figure Kerry was going to be the 'rat nominee, the same as the present deal with H. Clinton.

[Chuck54]

Him attacking Hillary does not help us one bit.

May not, but it's helping the conservatives.

:)

[vetsvette]

“Him attacking Hillary does not help us one bit.”

It doesn’t hurt us one bit either. He has the right to speak and has earned the right to be heard.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

That's "harsh criticism"?

Fact = harsh criticism on the left.

[samtheman]

I think what he’s doing is trying to stir up the RATS in their cage. So far they’re being too nice and sweet to each other.

If he can plant the idea, in the tiny pea-brains of Breck Girl and Osamabama, that The Beast is beatable but that you have to really try to beat her, he just might get them fighting amongst themselves.

It might not be successful, since all three Top Rats have handlers who know how stupid they all are and how controlled they must be.

But if it ever did happen, and they started shooting off at the mouth at each other, wow, would we hear some amazingly moronic and imbecilic stuff then. Stuff even the boot-licking, RAT-loving, fawning sycophant press wouldn’t be able to cover up.

Keep it up, Rove, you magnificent bastard, you.

[samtheman]

And another thing.

They all have been calling him the worst names imaginable for the last 7 or 8 years and it’s only fair for him to hit back from the outside, without the restrictions of considering how whatever he says will impact the Bush presidency.

And the “they” are most fully concentrated in the person of the BeastyBeast. It’s only fair for him to go Beast-hunting in retirement.

Break out the big guns, Karl. Bag us an Ugly One!

[uncbob]

What attacks ?

I assume he was asked the question on the talk shows and gave his honest appraisal

This constitutes an attack ?

[FormerACLUmember]

Senators Schmuck Schumer and the rest of the Congressional vermin may rue the day they drove Rove out of office, and promised to pursue him in civilian life for halluciantory non-offences. Rove seems far more dangerous to the ‘rats now that he has been liberated!

Rove will not shut up! And he will keep talking indefinitely, with a lot of media coverage.

[FormerACLUmember]

The only person in the media focusing on Hillary.

Rove, you magnificent bastard!

[daler]

"This constitutes an attack ?

But of course.

Here's another scenario you might expect in today's political climate...

HRC says "GWB is a scum-sucking, foul-mouthed, bigoted, lying, greedy Texas fat-cat who has horrible breath and beats his wife."

GWB replies, "no, I'm not."

In Newsweek, the headline reads "Bush Skewers Mrs. Clinton As More Die In Iraq"

[Salvation]

Well said.

I wanted to say something about being polite to an Arkansider???? <sarcasm off/

[Cincinna]

Rope-a-dope!

If Clinton were smart, she would ignore Karl’s jabs, but no, she can’t, she has taken the bait.

Everytime he jabs at her, she counterpunches. She is tiring herself out, and becoming tiresome.

When the real attacks come, and she tries to strike back, she will seem more like old news, and people will listen to the attacks, not her whining.

[LibLieSlayer]

Perhaps you should just sit this one out... you are NOT going to be happy in 2008. This will be hardball unlike any election that has come before. The only way to win this one is to destroy the enemy... dims and their allies al qaeda.

LLS

[normy]

Obama is done, however if Edwards had a brain he would hammer Clinton. He should let the Dem voter know exactly what the Republicans will be doing to her once she gets the nod. We are going to rip her to shreds, from Filegate to Waco to Elian Gonzales to Sandy Burglar, and thats just to warm up. By the time we finish with Hill Billy she will be unelectable.

If Breck Girl had any balls he would mention how we took Congress 2 years after the Clintons took over and they couldn't get it back for 12 years.

[samtheman]

if Edwards had a brain he would hammer Clinton. He should let the Dem voter know exactly what the Republicans will be doing to her

You would think, being a shyster lawyer, that he knows the drill of preparing a witness by acting out everything the other side is going to dredge up in open court. The same principle applies here, using the list you just provided, and more.

The problem for BG is that although he knows this stuff on one level, on another level I think he's deluded himself into thinking Her Beastliness might pick him for VP.

Earth to Breck Girl: You will never be chosen as VP by your party again. They NEVER rerun losers. You either win the nomination on your own, or you fade into the dustbin of democrap history. So you go girl, go for that Beastie juglar before it's too late.