I heard Rush talking about this today. He said guys like Rove are insider numbers guys and ideology means little to them. They are hired to get the independent swing voter to turn the election to their side. They'll get their candidate to say anything to get elected. Just conservative enough to hold the base but just liberal enough to pull in that (so-called) independent voter.
Rush said he doesn't care about what Rove says at this point. Rush thinks we need to send a message and I agree.
He's hurt himself some, but the real damage is that the Tea Party is rebelling against the Republican Establishment. You don't get much more "establishment" than Rove.
So yeah, it's a gaffe, like Marie Antoinette's purported "Let them eat cake". Hut she was in a whole world of trouble before she ever said it (assuming she even did). Rove's in precisely the same position.
I said "none". Once I figured out that "compassionate conservatism" was a code phrase for "big government control", my opinion of Rove hit zero. So, no change in my mind.
It strengths Rove's reputation as an over-the-hill beltway insider to me, but there was a lot of division over the Castle/O'Donnell among the base, so at least 40% of Conversatives somewhat respect what he was saying.
Comments
I heard Rush talking about this today. He said guys like Rove are insider numbers guys and ideology means little to them. They are hired to get the independent swing voter to turn the election to their side. They'll get their candidate to say anything to get elected. Just conservative enough to hold the base but just liberal enough to pull in that (so-called) independent voter.
Rush said he doesn't care about what Rove says at this point. Rush thinks we need to send a message and I agree.
He's hurt himself some, but the real damage is that the Tea Party is rebelling against the Republican Establishment. You don't get much more "establishment" than Rove.
So yeah, it's a gaffe, like Marie Antoinette's purported "Let them eat cake". Hut she was in a whole world of trouble before she ever said it (assuming she even did). Rove's in precisely the same position.
I said "none". Once I figured out that "compassionate conservatism" was a code phrase for "big government control", my opinion of Rove hit zero. So, no change in my mind.
-brian
The question I have not heard asked of Rove is — 'Was Castle your client?'
It strengths Rove's reputation as an over-the-hill beltway insider to me, but there was a lot of division over the Castle/O'Donnell among the base, so at least 40% of Conversatives somewhat respect what he was saying.