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.

[VMI70]

Amen and Bump

[Goodman26]

No flames from here. You're right.
And who in a straight-shooting administration would need to tell people in private meetings what the intentions are with respect to the base. Just SHOW us, if care to. We'll discern your intentions fast enough.

I think we are seeing an administration that tries to spin its base. It is time for the base to plug its ears and say, Enough of the Rovian hot air. Cut government. Give us a new, simpler fairer tax code (or eliminate it.) Now that "conservatives" arguably control all three branches of government, we want dramatic reform.

[legman]

The battle is over the political center, isn't it? Who would have given W. any chance about making headway on the abortion battle? Not many. But he is doing it by taking measured, well-thoughtout steps (i.e. Partial Birth Abortions).

A biased media and 8 years of "Slick Willie" has characterized conservatives as the villians. Change minds one issue at a time. Find conservative solutions to "hot button" issues of "Dim" constituencies.

A Pat Buchanon "take no prisoners" approach would never be given a chance, even when he is right. You must be able to sell the message to the political middle. That is where this President is having success.

[RAT Patrol]

I didn't mean Davis, I meant Simon, of course.

[Jesse]

Bush is not moving to the center. He is already waaaay over there on the left when it comes to spending and expanding federal programs. And given the details of his new budget, he plans to stay over on the left.

Tax (cut) and spend Republican.

[dalereed]

Couldn't have said it myself!

Rove isn't center, he's hard left!

[ZULU]

George Bush II is unlike his father. He has the personality of his mother. His father was and is feckless.

Bush II and his mother are both extremely tough, tenacious, and highly principled individuals. I believe Bush resembles Teddy Roosevelt more than any other prior President and I suspect he will follow in TR's footsteps of compassion, integrity and patriotism. He has a common touch and his speech is for the average man and woman - honest, frank, to the point and very clear. You can take that to the Bank.

[legman]

Answer: 9/11 (or war) & Recession.

Question: During the election, what were the only 2 things that President Bush said would justify deficit spending by his administration?

Both things happened, he is doing what he has to do, and he is right.

[WhiteGuy]

Way to scatch the surface......

Is this the "leadership" we deserve?

Government is larger and now operating in the red.

Choosing his battles indeed.

[jjm2111]

Bullsh-- </Loud cough>

[Teacher317]

Anytime a politician or advisor tells me that X is NOT happening... I have to wonder.

[The Old Hoosier]

I know all about the story. Parsky is the devil and Bush could have helped by eliminating him, but the fact remains that Simon has only himself to blame for being really, really stupid. He didn't have to say he had proof until he knew for sure.

[The Old Hoosier]

You have Rove wrong. He's the one who pushed the 2002 election rhetoric to the Right. He represents the voice telling the administration that conservative issues are winners for the GOP.

[TRY ONE]

"....President George W. Bush would not alienate House Republicans by moving to the center..."

Then why did GW propose the BIGGEST budget in history
($2.23 Kazillion) which includes all the Teddy Kennedy
happy programs for Education, etc. etc....????

Me thinks Rove is engaged in premature triangulation,
second only to premature ejacuulation...

[Republic of Texas]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Sonny M]

Triangulation I don't think works period. Clinton didn't win because of it. He won his first election because his base came out to support him, and Perot peeled off votes from Bush sr, not to mention that Bush sr alienated his base. Clinton's second election had similiarites with his base, and again a 3rd party canidate peeling off of Dole who couldn't solidify his base either. The left wing base is small, but they are pure broken glass, they would vote for Hitler if he ran as a democrat vs the pope if he ran as a republican. The conservative base is well known for being more "finicky" in its support. They have a higher standard for there canidates, and it has shown. If a conservative turns and has an affair, (I'm not debating if this right or wrong, just stating facts), they will either not vote for him, or simply vote against him in the election. Even though conservatives outnumber liberals, it is far harder to get and keep there support. Independents, who do swing back and forth, always despise left wing open liberals, are generally right leaning, and personally conservative, but do not consider themselves conservative in view of government. The key to winning an election and drawing independents, is to not move towards them, but make them, move towards you. Ronald Reagan did this with pure genius, Jeb Bush does this with flair down in Florida, as well, as several other republicans.

[unspun]

Went to page; another article up already, looks like.

I found this though:

"-- Bush Administration Strategy/Personality
The Washington Post 's Allen gets at the tick-tock and the religious overtones of Bush's Saturday speech. "Aides said the frankly religious nature of Bush's four-minute remarks was aimed largely at comforting the bereaved, and at trying to give the nation a larger context for a sudden and macabre tragedy." --"

Anyone with WP access want to look into it?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16539-2003Feb2.html

[Con X-Poser]

You forgot to mention that he:

* Has appointed SIX open homosexuals to federal positions with hardly a peep of protest from his RepubliCON comrades. Clinton named ONE and was raked over the coals. He tried to name a second (Hormel), who was REJECTED by Congress.

* Brought the UN-ICC in the back door. The ICC allows the UN to arrest and imprison ANYONE for any reason they invent, without needing any CHARGES or EVIDENCE and the accused has NO trial, No jury, NO counsel, No appeal, and NO presumption of innocence.

* Waited so long to decide what to do about embryo stem cell research that the amount of babies killed for the purpose swelled from 12 to 60. Allowing those stem cell lines to be used because the babies are already dead is analogous to the Nazis making lampshades out of the skin of dead Jews, since they were already dead.

*Rubber-stamped much of the Clinton's environmental agenda and socialized health care programs.

*Stated during the campaign that he SUPPORTED closing the gun-show "loophole". Congress REJECTED Clinton's attempt to enact this, but those *same* CON-servative RepubliCONS will certainly pass it if GWB proposes it.

Bush is a RINO, but then again, so are almost all of the RepubliCONS in Washington, aside from Ron Paul.

[Con X-Poser]

You forgot to mention that he:

* Has appointed SIX open homosexuals to federal positions with hardly a peep of protest from his RepubliCON comrades. Clinton named ONE and was raked over the coals. He tried to name a second (Hormel), who was REJECTED by Congress.

* Brought the UN-ICC in the back door. The ICC allows the UN to arrest and imprison ANYONE for any reason they invent, without needing any CHARGES or EVIDENCE and the accused has NO trial, No jury, NO counsel, No appeal, and NO presumption of innocence.

* Waited so long to decide what to do about embryo stem cell research that the amount of babies killed for the purpose swelled from 12 to 60. Allowing those stem cell lines to be used because the babies are already dead is analogous to the Nazis making lampshades out of the skin of dead Jews, since they were already dead.

*Rubber-stamped much of the Clinton's environmental agenda and socialized health care programs.

*Stated during the campaign that he SUPPORTED closing the gun-show "loophole". Congress REJECTED Clinton's attempt to enact this, but those *same* CON-servative RepubliCONS will certainly pass it if GWB proposes it.

Bush is a RINO, but then again, so are almost all of the RepubliCONS in Washington, aside from Ron Paul.