Posted on 07/14/2005 1:05:53 AM PDT by Crackingham
Republicans are nervously watching the fight over Karl Rove's involvement in a news leak that exposed a CIA officer's identity, fearing that President Bush's chief adviser has become a major political problem. While the president passed up another chance Wednesday to express confidence in his deputy chief of staff, his political team engineered a series of testimonials from members of Congress who praised Rove and condemned Democratic critics.
"The extreme left is once again attempting to define the modern Democratic Party by rabid partisan attacks, character assassination and endless negativity," said Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the GOP congressional committee. The Republican National Committee, virtually a political arm of the White House, urged GOP lawmakers to go public.
Still, several top GOP officials — including some White House advisers — said the fight was becoming a distraction to Bush's agenda. The GOP officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid looking disloyal, said the president may face a credibility problem because his spokesman said in September that anybody involved in the leak would be fired.
These Republicans, all admirers of Rove, said they were surprised and disappointed when Bush stopped short of publicly backing his longtime aide. A survey of Republicans outside Washington revealed similar concerns, though few officials were willing to go on record.
"I think he should resign," said Jim Holt, a GOP state senator from Arkansas who is running for lieutenant governor. He joked, "I hope Karl Rove doesn't come gunning for me."
Fournier has a penchant for writing codswollop.
Jim Holt must be misquoted in this article amongst a whole slew of spin!
Exactly. From alll I've heard from talking heads on both sides of this issue for weeks, have said he's done nothing wrong.
Yeah a Lt. Gov. they most likely misquoted or he was overheard making a joke.
I thought he was joking! That doesn't sound like Jim Holt to me.
So let me get this straight:
According to the MSM if you don't say anything about someone, then you have 'stopped short of publicly backing them', even if you publicly backed them yesterday???!?!!!
I think I'm finally getting libologic!
You put the logical part of your brain into a dazed limbo.
Either that or you get a lobotomy.
Fournier says this...then quotes a Republican candidate for Lt. Gov from ARKANSAS. BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! What a freakin' idiot.
Not even. He's a state senator who wants to be lieutenant governor.
Who's nervous about this? Sounds like wishful thinking.
Guess they'll dig up Dan Blather next to declare that, even if false the charge is SERIOUS and must be pursued. Hic
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
If I was a campaign manager for a Republican, I would get Karl Rove to come stand next to my candidate as soon as possible for a fundraiser photo. When KR comes out smelling like a rose, he will attain political rockstar status, and he and the Prez will remember those that stuck up for him.
Geez, dude, SHUT UP. These kinds of statements help the Dems, by pointing out what they're doing wrong. What's that? They're too stupid to listen? OK, never mind.
The only thing I'm nervous about right now is that the Dems will drop the Rove thing before they get burned by another non-scandal that they foisted.
WOW! What a ground-swell of republican opposition to Rove. One state senator from Arkansas.
They couldn't even find ONE republican in Washington who would support this?
The propagandist can be reached at:
rfournier@ap.org
Has anyone else seen the photo (maybe from Vanity Fair) of Wilson and Plame in the convertible? She's all dressed up with the scarf over her head and the big dark glasses; she looks like she's dressing up as Mata Hari for a costume party. What a pathetic display. To me, the bigger scandal is that someone like Wilson, who apparently is a liar with a seriously overblown sense of self-importance and possible delusions of grandeur, was in a position to have access to any secret information. I think the combination of liar and narcissist is a very dangerous combination for someone who has access to sensitive information.
Ah, yes, the non endorsement of Rove by the President included having Rove smiling confidently prominently seated behind the President. Is the AP not "nuanced" to understand the symbolism?
The writer should switch to selling novels, might be more successful.
Hmmm, sounds like the Pubs are getting "brave"? Of course!.......the outspokeness is against one of their own. If only they would fight the Demonrats with the same way. The only time we see this is when the MSM beads in on another Republican.......then the daggers come out. Shameful!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.