[KC_Conspirator]

The one thing that Barone and others have accurately pointed out. It is conservative Democrats, many pro-life, tax cut, some even would not commit to vote for Pelosi.

Hardly a consolation. Rove is hardly a MB.

[Jim Noble]

Rove did not cultivate the libertarian-fiscal-social coalition which won such huge majorities in 1994.

He believed he could substitute passion for compromise, and "grow the base" to a majority.

But the base is not now, never has been, and never will be, a majority.

Either cultivating libertarians (abolish Education, defund the EPA, etc) or placating fiscal conservatives (cut spending, balance the budget) could have carried the day.

Telling both of them to fu*k off was a bad plan.