Replies

"That is what I have been thinking. Rove is not as ideologically grounded as Newt."

I think Rove is may actually be more ideologically grounded then Newt, I just think their most gifted talents or the ones they have displayed the brightest are in different areas.

Rove with obvious talents in organizing resources behind elections appears more pragmatic, because figuring out which areas to concentrate on and which to exclude is by nature pragmatic. Excluding an area is never ideal.

Newt with obvious talents in formulating policy in concise popular terms appears more ideologically grounded because formulating policy is by nature ideological.

"I think Rove is may actually be more ideologically grounded then Newt, I just think their most gifted talents or the ones they have displayed the brightest are in different areas."

Rove strikes me as someone who is willing to jettison a commitment to limited government if it means growing the GOP's appeal. Of course, that may be more Bush than Rove, but I see it as a little of both. Newt attempts to find a way to communicate Republican ideals to a broader range of people without as much compromise.

"Rove with obvious talents in organizing resources behind elections appears more pragmatic, because figuring out which areas to concentrate on and which to exclude is by nature pragmatic."

I believe that his talent lies more in this area BECAUSE he is more pragmatic than ideological in orientation.

"Newt with obvious talents in formulating policy in concise popular terms appears more ideologically grounded because formulating policy is by nature ideological."

As with Rove, Newt's talents suit his temperament. In short, Newt excels in an area that "is by nature ideological", BECAUSE he tends to be ideologically inclined.