Rove Vows to GOP Leaders: 'No Triangulation'-Bush Not Moving to Politcial Center

Roll Call and ABC News ^ | February 3, 2003 | Mark Halperin, Liz Wilner & Marc Ambinder w/Crabtree

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Senior White House Advisor Karl Rove has sworn off the concept of 'Triangulating' his fellow Republicans, the approach to Congress once synonymous with the Clinton Adminstration. [and their top advisor Dick Morris]

At a closed door House Republican leadership retreat last Wednesday, Rove repeatedly stressed that the concept of political 'triangulation' does not work and said that President George W. Bush would not alienate House Republicans by moving to the center, leaving them isolated in efforts to rally the party's political base.

Republican GOP Leadership aides said that the comments worked to reassure lawmakers after the President appeared to burnish his 'compassionate conservative' credentials in last weeks State of the Union address by calling on Congress to dedicate more money to combat AIDS in Africa and develop hydrogen powered cars.

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Good to solidify the base, big time.

Link to original Roll Call article this morning http://www.rollcall.com/pub/48_54/news/375-1.html

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ping

[RAT Patrol]

Thank God.

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for the ping.

I never had one bit of doubt despite all the naysayers that I have read their comments on here.

BTW, I think Rove is terrific!

[OldFriend]

Perhaps 'certain' republicans need to be reminded that we have a man in the White House who is the President of everyone, not a partisan hack as the previous occupant.

[concerned about politics]

the concept of political 'triangulation' does not work

It does for Democrats, though. Their base isn't large enough to win elections by themselves. They have to lie during campains and try to decieve the voters. Once they get to washington, they can revert back to the image of the serpant.
As for Republicans, honesty is not only the best policy, but it's demanded by their base.
Rove is right. Don't lie to Republicans. We don't like it.
'Triangulation' will not work for Republicans. Passion without precision is chaos.

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Rove is doing a great job at nailing down the base.

Now if Sharpton can start to work some majic on the other side!

[Zack Nguyen]

It does for Democrats, though. Their base isn't large enough to win elections by themselves.

It also works, I believe, because their base is less principled than conservatives, and thus more willing to wink and nod while their candidates lie to the "herd" to get the "ignorant" vote.

[toast]

Just look at Schroeder in Germany to see what happens when you do nothing but triangulate.

[Carry_Okie]

Um, it's nice talk but that would mean he would start DOING something to support that base (like getting W to seal the borders and deport illegals).

If what Rove did to conservatives in the last election was help I don't want any more of it. He screwed Bill Simon.

[Wait4Truth]

Nobody should ever doubt this President...when will they learn?

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And Bush's 60% is more than likely rock hard support, instead of the previous occupant of the office who bottomed out at 37% during impeachemnt

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Didn't Simon shoot himself in the foot out there?

[winin2000]

If what Rove did to conservatives in the last election was help I don't want any more of it. He screwed Bill Simon.

Hear, hear! What good's a worthless Senate majority, anyway? (sarcasm)

[concerned about politics]

Didn't Simon shoot himself in the foot out there?

I heard, I think on FOX, Reagans son is considering a run in Ca.?

[ppaul]

Rove Vows to GOP Leaders: 'No Triangulation'-Bush Not Moving to Politcial Center

Obviously.
With his "AIDS AID" he's moved left.

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Yep, Michael Reagan is pondering a Senate Run.

[Carry_Okie]

Didn't Simon shoot himself in the foot out there?

He was a neophyte, but a decent and capable man. He made mistakes for which he is responsible, but did he ever have help. Rove put Gerry Parsky in charge of GOP dollars in California. Parsky has a personal vendetta against both the conservative wing of the CAGOP and the Simon family. He never raised the money he promised and starved the GOTV effort. He made stipulations that Simon take advisors and campaign people who were behind the most serious mishaps, particularly Ed Rollins. Despite all that, Somon lost by only four points, and a decent GOTV effort would have carried the day.

It was a screw job, and it cost the GOP statewide offices across the board, especially Tom McClintock.

[princess leah]

Go Mike!