I’ve been wondering that same thing since last night.
It’s apparent from last nights, and this morning’s rant that Mr. Rove is, and has been a stealth Leftist RINO.
Perhaps Mr. Rove got too much credit for much of the positive things that happened during the Bush years, and not enough for the bad things.
Or maybe people projected their own feelings onto him, instead of thinking of him as a "hired gun."