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

[ewing]

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.

[Carry_Okie]

Bret Schundler, Matt Salmon, and Simon. There were others.

[RAT Patrol]

I know your heart is in the right place and everything...but, we should ALWAYS doubt EVERY President just a little. This one has triangulated in the past. Hopefully he has learned from it, thus the comment "it doesn't work."

He would be the first to say he is just a man. He makes mistakes. He does not need or deserve worship.

Lately, he has been back on my good list. How happy I stay with him is up to him. I do not demand perfection, but I do demand honesty, loyalty, and sincere effort. I do demand that promises be kept. If winning means losing character and ethics then it is worthless to win. How you win should matter, even in politics.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Ping! (ha ha ha)

[ewing]

There was also some fences to be mended in Georgia, from what I heard.

[concerned about politics]

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

That's a good point.

[PianoMan]

Waaaait a minute...I thought Bush caved in on steel in part becauuse of the pragmatic Karl Rove?

[KC_Conspirator]

Triangulation is not necessarily moving "to the center", which seems to infer that people like Klinton were moderates. All it means is that you separate yourself somewhat and play both parties off one another to gain political advantage. It works well if you get crushed after an election in 94'; like Klinton. However, George W. Bush won the last election, in fact, defying history, and has a sky high approval rating. Why would he need to pander to anti-American leftists?

[Askel5]

You'll find what you need in the seatback pocket in front of you. =)

[concerned about politics]

George W. Bush won the last election, in fact, defying history, and has a sky high approval rating. Why would he need to pander to anti-American leftists?

Yeh! "If it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it!"

[DoughtyOne]

This article is banther fodder.

[Carry_Okie]

You'll find what you need in the seatback pocket in front of you. =)

The magazines or the evacuation procedure?

(I'm sooo confused!)

[Carry_Okie]

This article is banther fodder.

That's what I herd. It's a moooooooovemint.

[RAT Patrol]

Good point in post 27.

[poet]

Hmmm, it must be close to re-election time. Do you think the real Constitutional Conservatives will fall for the BS a second time?

Review of Bush’s First 3 years:

1. Signed mis-named p.a.t.r.i.o.t. act into law,
2 Signed CFR into law commenting it
violates free speech, but, signed it anyway
3. $5 Billion GRANT to airlines
4. 60,000 more employees on public payroll. I was under the impression Republicans were for smaller
government.
5. Proposing food stamps for legal immigrants.
6. Proposing amnesty for illegals in country.
7. Signed democrat's education bill into law without .
reading iy.
8. $190,000,000,000 Farm Bill
9. “Homestead Security” Law. Remember "critical
infrastructures" which are in the law and which
includes the internet and whatever the gov't
says is a "critical infrastructure"
10. $782,000,000,000 NEW Spending
11. $390,000,000,000 New Spending for this fiscal year

Of course, he and his "conservative" accomplices in both houses have thrown us some "crumbs" which we devour as as a full course dinner.

I await a barrage of flames for daring to bring these issues to the forefront. "Overviews" reveal so much don't you think? Duplicity is acceptable when you guys and girls engage in it, but, it is unacceptable when the other guy's guys and girls do it. And the political whoredom beat goes on and on.

Flame away

FReegards

[RAT Patrol]

No flame from me -- I'm glad someone brings that stuff up. Still, we are infinitely better off than we would have been if the Tree had been elected. Maybe you could make a list of his positives too, just to feel a little better. There are many.

[Sam's Army]

"Review of Bush’s First 3 years:"

OK, Here's a flame since you beg for them so much....Learn math, Bush has been in office 2 years, not 3.

[ewing]

Then when did the Toon reach his lowest of 39, was that Whitewater?

[justshe]

There was/is a good thread Bush Agenda Scorecard in an ongoing attempt to keep the President's agenda in perspective. The poster, chiller, has recently said he needs to update the list. Some have been FRmailing chiller with items to add to the list.

[The Old Hoosier]

Bill Simon screwed himself. How can Bush go to Calif. late in the game to support someone who commits libel on statewide TV?