Watching the morning kabuki on television about Rove's resignation is quite something. They're all taking it at face value and nobody is speculating as to what the truth of the matter might be. You know that behind the scenes they’re saying something else amongst themselves, but they really just do not see their identity as journalists who report what they know. Their loyalty is to a “tribe,” a whispering coffee klatch that viewers simply do not get a chance to be a part of.
Marcy, on the other hand, thinks that one of three investigations are probably reaching critical mass and quite likely to snare him:
The Abramoff Investigation
We know Rove is tied in with everyone tied in with the Abramoff investigation. We know that Susan Ralston, Rove's Assistant was closely involved--and it appears that she has been refused immunity, even though some of her testimony about Abramoff appears to be quite interesting. Novak, at least, thinks Ralston would get to Rove. So it's possible that Rove is one of the ultimate targets of the Abramoff investigation.
The OSC Investigation
We know Rove is a target of the OSC investigation into the politicization of anything and everything in the entire government. We know he did, in fact, politicize anything and everything. While the ultimate outcome of an OSC investigation would consist of Scott Bloch explaining that Rove did politicize anything and everything and recommending that Bush should fire him, but then to have Bush sit on that recommendation as he has with Lurita Doan. Perhaps Rove is leaving in an attempt to prevent us all from learning how closely our government resembles that of a one-party state, like the old Soviet Union.
The Iglesias Investigation
But I'm most interested in the possibility that Rove is rushing out just two steps ahead of the Iglesias investigation. HJC is collecting a great deal of evidence that DOJ employees covered up the real reasons for the Iglesias firing ... and that the real reason for the firing had everything to do with politicizing the judiciary. If this is the reason Rove is quitting, it's not just that BushCo wants him out before he's officially indicted. After all, it's not just Rove--but Bush, too--who was involved in firing Iglesias. So Rove may be leaving as part of a firewall approach in an attempt to save Bush.
All of these are ongoing, yet what we hear about is that Fitzgerald never brought charges as if this somehow exonerates Rove. Rosy speculation abounds that he will go to some presidential campaign like he didn't blow the 2006 election and isn't most probably about to go radioactive. That nobody on television this morning has mentioned any of the above is both remarkable and telling.
Update: From CNN:
Both Rove and the president are expected to speak before boarding Marine One at the White House at 11:35 a.m. ET.
(h/t dakine01)
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Uno!
dos
good morning
Ladies, Do.Not.Stop.
Show them where the real newpeople (persons) are.
epu’d from below AP via the Hartford Courant on the resignation
raven @ 3
For once that statement might not be an oxymoron.
As he goes, check Rove’s pockets for the blanket pardon.
Hope Rover leaving is a prelude to the shit hitting the fan. Marcy has laid out which fans are more likely to be whirring in Rover muck.
What I said over at Marcy’s place:
My first reaction was surprise that they’re spinning off Rove before Abu. I’d have been sure that Rove was a firewall-within-a-Gonzo-firewall.
Gives more strength to the Iglesias scenario, IMHO.
Isn’t it possible that he will still be Bush’s senior advisor secretly? Actually being held accountable for any wrongdoing whatsoever seems so far fetched with this administration.
What Republican candidate wouldn’t want what Karl Rove has given George W. Bush?
International scorn, domestic ridicule and loathing, personal cynicsim.
Bring Rove on to the someones campaign and watch them tank.
-GSD
THANKS Jane for bringing up this question and pondering the notion. I got sick of hearing the pat comments from the weinie set, so came to the Lake. AHHH -fresh air and perspective! Can’t wait to find out what the REAL reason for the weasel’s departure is.
I think Marcy has it pegged right behind door number three. Leahy/Wax have a lot more info than the WH expected coming from “leakers” in DOJ that are fed-the-fu**-up with the shenanigans from Rove et al.
The USAG scandal has rovian fingerprints all over it and Leahy/Wax are generally pissed off enough at this point. I also believe that a few goopers let it be known to the WH that they could no longer protect against Hatch violations as their constituents have let them know in no uncertain terms that their cushy seats in congress are no longer certain.
“Finally, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten told senior White House aides that if they stayed past a certain point, they were obliged to remain to Jan. 20, 2009.”
Ok, this, along with every other thing in Gigot’s article, does not ring true. People resign all the time. You mean to tell me that Bolten is going to tell the “architect” that he cannot resign?! Transparently false.
Indictment coming, Note the “sake of the family” quote.
Badwater @ 7
Good point. If Marcy is right about investigations implicating Rove, he’ll be pardoned on the way out.
DC Madam. Please, please, oh please.
Bill Kristol finally offers a relevent thought after 2 decades of whiffs:
Karl’s departure is pretty sudden and for me, pretty surprising. … Karl Rove loves politics. He’s awfully smart. And September’s going to be an awfully big month for the presidency. It’s odd that he’s not going to be there.
-GSD
this is a great quote I gleamed from think progress…it’s the pnac figure head krystol;
if krystol isn’t lying, (which is a stretch, he ALWAYS lies), then something HUGE happened, krystol HAS to know about something like this
unless bush took him out of the loop…which means cheney is out of the loop
my scenarios are endless
‘It had to happen’, said Tweety. Really? The peons didn’t see it coming. So, what have the nabobs been talking about when not discussing the weather in Nantucket for their summer jaunts north?
This posting on the Siegelman case is certainly intriguing.
Whenever I look at his ugly mug I’m reminded Never trust a man who is always smiling
I have a very bad feeling about this. No matter how much we love to hate Rove, he was the last wall between Bush and Cheney. Cheney wants Iran.
Inside the White House, they’ve know for some time. For us, it’s a surprise. - Kelly O from the White House.
JPL @ 15
IANAL but as I understand it that would mean he would immediately lose his privileges and HAVE to testify truthfully before the various committees and investigations across the board.
More plausible deniability with the new FISA revisions taking effect? Firewall and door number 3 both sound plausible to me.
Uncle Karl- “You tell more about me, I consult the reams of NSA data @ my disposal & tell about you…”
The MSNBC clip over at C@L has Kelly O’Donnell explictity denying that this has anything to do with investigations 3 or 4 times.
She really needs to work on her lying.
Boston1775 @ 22
Kelly O’Donnell just spilled the beans. They are not reporters, just spokespeople for the cabal.
carmen @ 10
Ding, ding ding! This was my first thought too when my alarm woke me this morning to NPR reporting on this — with no mention of the pending investigations of course. Et tu Morning Edition?
RockPaperScizzors @ 21
You do underestimate the power of Poppy and his circles.
Besides, I don’t think that Rover was any such firewall of reason.
-GSD
SufiLizard @ 28
Of course it is. That’s why I said earlier it’s all bullshit.
Marie Roget @ 25
Please bring that catchy tune from the last thread up here. We could use some music on this somber occasion.
check this quote out also from think progress
that would ahve meant he would have replaced the entire party, beginning with bush, cheney and himself.
personally, I don’t think he really wanted to do that
Have the “journalists” told us why Rove resigning is bad for Democrats?
As those in the know will tell you, everything is bad for Democrats.
Rove still whoring the fantasy notion that there is a wall between George W. Bush and Republic Party sleaze.
Funny stuff.
-GSD
And I’ll quote you the salient bit of that Tuscaloosa News post:
raven @ 30
I don’t think it’s bullshit, I don’t think it’s a shiney object
the president banks his reputation on rove, I think this means there is trouble and big trouble
Kelly O from the White House.
Who also said - “Rove has said that he will not participate in the 2008 elections, either for a candidate or for the eventual nominee. That will interesting to watch”. (translation - ‘we in the know are *very* aware that what Rove says and what Rove does are so consistently diametrically opposed that I don’t believe it for a minute - but I can’t say that on air’)
perris @ 36
I really, REALLY hope you’re right. But that certainly isn’t my initial reaction.
Did Gigot offer Rove $20.00 for the blow job he gave him?
-GSD
piegrrrl @ 16
My eyes, my eyes!!!
Scarecrow @ 31
I almost linked “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” but classical music is so invigorating in the morning, don’t you think?
Mood Music for Rove’s Impending Departure
Jane:
From CNN:
CNN link
Someone posted on another thread ‘Why release this news on Monday and not a Friday news dump?” The entire month of August is a ‘Friday news dump” with everyone gone from DC. And Chimpy at Kennebunkport. Very suspicious. Indictment or flip coming. Waxman has the goods, maybe Fitzgerald too.
We got him. You’re next Dick.
dakine01 @ 42
CNN link
Awesome. Thanks.
valletta @ 20
And I always think when I see Rove smiling, Sharks always smile before they bite.
Looking for musical interludes?
quoting Marcy
“So it’s quite possible that Rove is leaving just three steps ahead of one of the many sheriffs that have him in their sites”
JF @ 40
does dc madam deal in same sex partners?
maybe gannon worked for her?
tee hee
Looks like someone doesn’t work for the American people anymore…WHACK!
;>)
Perris,
You are on the mark. Rove and Bush have been a team since the beginning.
Now Bush is literally going to need a brain transplant.
I think this is the old man stepping in hard to try to keep the ship from hitting the shoals.
-GSD
Rayne @ 46
Sharks have warmer eyes.
All the Exec Privilege that the Dems haven’t even tried hard to challenge will still be at issue, even if he loses his 5th. Plus - if he lies, what do you do? No one is producing any evidence and Dems have no guts for a prosecution.
Gigot provided some insight, not just into his editorial bent (which has been obvious) but into what reporting outside the op pages of WSJ will be like under Murdoch. Cracked me up when he noted Rove’s forebearance over being “dragged” by Fitzgerald before a GJ 5 times. And here I thought a few of those times where when he was asking himself to go and try to correct his prior “truthiness.” But obviously a WSJ reporter wouldn’t get those kinds of facts wrong.
BTW - did anyone bother to ask Rove why his son is off to college and not Iraq?
I didn’t think so.
Cooperating witness? Indictment? Leahy/Wax have the goods? This is like rooting for the Red Sox. (Aside from 2004 which may have been a dream)
Every year. EVERY damn year. And then in the end. Nothing.
That being said, I can’t wait for the perp walk.
Karl is leaving before the storm, a storm so big that Bush who has stood by Gonzo through everything so far has to get rid of Rove right now?
Sure Rove is being investigated for everything but my guess is somewhere, someone has proof of his guilt. After all even if Congress gets the Supremes to say Karl is not covered by Executive Priviledge whats to stop Karl from lying?
Unless somebody has some proof of a crime, not a normal crime like bribes by Abramhoff or election fraud Bush’s supporters don’t care about that stuff.
Also Arlen Spector is not likly to vote Karl in Contempt of Congress for lying about something like that. Nope Karl did something the GOP base would disapprove of something Larry Flynt might know about.
Something like that guy the mob took out for Abramoff. Something even Karl couldn’t sell the 30%ers on!
From us to you, Karl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jhmo8EOg0o
perris @ 36
Does anyone truly believe that Rove resigning = Rove being gone? I’m beyond hopeful this means the Dems are actually accomplishing something. But I can’t dispel the notion that this is a very public “human sacrifice” to illustrate the moral purity of BushCo.
Bush/Rove doing an announcement at roughly 11:30 ET. Oh. ET call home. There’s weird stuff going on here.
WSJ will be like under Murdoch. Cracked me up when he noted Rove’s forebearance over being “dragged” by Fitzgerald before a GJ 5 times.
The Falling Down crowd has suffered oh so much.
It almost makes me want to weep like Poppy Bush or Tony Snow.
-GSD
Um, we haven’t talked about Sara Taylor for a while. She got in trouble with Leahy for inconsistently invoking executive privilege. She and Kyle Sampson are young and inexperienced and may have been snared and are now flipping. And then there’s Susan Ralston. *crickets*
GSD @ 50
Didn’t something like this happen the last time 43 went to Maine?
More rain on the parade. Remember what a happy day it was when AG Ashcroft left? Only to be followed by Gonzo. Who is worse than Rove who will follow him?
I’m wondering whether Rove is moving into position to oversee operation of the anti-Dem-prez-candidate machine.
eCAHNomics @ 60
No one.
Thinkprogress:
Roll Call reports that a fight has been averted over Bush’s recess appointments. “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has quietly shelved plans to hold the Senate in pro forma session this month after the White House agreed to refrain from making any executive appointments during the Senators’ August break.”
Hmm….Not up for a fight, eh George? Looks like the shoving the face in shit politics might be coming to an end.
Look for an old school realist to come into the fore.
Perhaps James Baker to implement the much ignored Baker-Hamilton recommendations.
-GSD
things come undone @ 54
gonzales is a differant animal then rove, gonzales has to stay because any replacement that’s confirmable would would bring the president down.
gonzales is there till the last or unless the president can recess appoint in his place
rove’s replacement doesn’t have the same liability for the president as abu torture’s replacement has
Here’s my take on the bread crub trail:
Rove announcement timed for full news cycle: bright shiny object
What’s new w/ the Shrub? Spending more time and at shorter intervals with Babs and Poppy: Poppy is running the Russian and French diplomatic efforts, and now running foreign policy (Rice not there for dogs and suds with Sarkozy. Cheney not invited to Maine. No lobster for you. Evah.)
What can’t Shrub control? Market volatility. Housing collapse. Economic collapse. Iraqi civil war. Oil in ME.
What else is happening below the radar? Permanent and huge military hospital in Balad staffed by AIR FORCE and Army personnel. Balad’s air strips made enormous, permanent and hardened. Can you say Iran?
Unknown/inexplicable factors: Dems rolling over on FISA. Whitehouse/Feingold/Leahy/Waxman anger and willingness to take action. Pelosi’s off the table stance to Republican wrongdoing.
Rove sure isn’t leaving to go hug his family, that’s for certain.
Boston1775 @ 59
The Putin meeting and then Bush hurried home and commuted Libby’s sentence. That stepped all over the Putin meeting.
This(Rover’s departure) steps all over Romney’s straw poll “victory”. Which means this is about Bush and not the R-Party.
-GSD
Will this give Mr. Cheney even more power?
perris @ 48
That’s it. Lunch is 2 hours away and it’s ruined. Thanks for the weight loss plan.
Jonathan @ 61
I can’t see it in the US.
But a lot of US political advisors pimp out across the globe. I pick down Paraguay Way for Rove, tho.
eCAHNomics @ 60
More rain on the parade. Remember what a happy day it was when AG Ashcroft left? Only to be followed by Gonzo. Who is worse than Rove who will follow him?
A more unfettered Cheney?
And how does this effect Mr. Gonzales?
1970cs @ 51
To paraquote from John Steinbeck in East of Eden- “I don’t like that man’s eyes, mommy. They put me in mind of a goat’s eyes.”
Oklahoma kiddo @ 67
haha. could he have any more? does he need it?
There is no one worse than Rove.
-GSD
Mary @ 52
Executive Privilege would not apply against Congressional criminal investigations. He would have to talk.
People are making the same pre-election mistake in thinking that Rove is all seeing and all knowing.
He was totally blind before the elections and was literally casting about like a drowning man.
Let’s put to bed the notion that Rove will jump on board someones campaign.
No one wants to stand near the kid with political chicken pox.
Bill Kristol pegged it, there is a big political fight coming and Rove is leaving?
Weakness, weakness, weakness.
-GSD
perris @ 64
True but from an image standpoint losing Karl is worse than keeping Gonzo.
I can’t believe Karl would give up the power of being in the White House unless someone pushed him out. But what could be so bad that Bush would push Karl out?
Could be he’s resigning the White House, but maybe his new job is coordinating the attack on Democratic candidates in 2008. Could be, I suppose.
utahgirl
And there’s this over at Think Progress: http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....id=topnews
Ney aide wore wire…
And then read this:
http://www.democracynow.org/ar...../26/157241
Ney, Rove, Iran, oh my
wow… the news woke me out of a dead sleep… I don’t know what is going on but Rove’s non-appearance before the SJC certainly pops to the top of my mind.
utahgirl @ 78
This one makes some sense…
Let us not forget the Tillman murder. Michael Gerson who was then a speech writer, is supposed to testify about what he knew about and who made the official statements. His colleague Matthew Scully, describes how closely KKKarl monitored official statements by Gerson. Scully also implies that going to war with Iraq was not too difficult. Scully admits “we’ve taken the country to war”. From the Atlantic article
_______________
It was a rare day when Karl Rove, Josh Bolten, Dan Bartlett, or someone else didn’t open the door to see what we were all howling about, or to add to the fun with their own routines…
As John observed in late 2003, around draft 20 in the typically chaotic revising of an education speech, “We’ve taken the country to war with less hassle than this.”
The more and more I think about this, the ONLY reason that Rove would SO publicly announce resignation (with presser AND Gigot-friendly editorial) is that something like an indictment or major investigation is coming down the pike. They have to make a bid deal, with dates, of a separation from the WH. The date August 31st is everywhere. Not a coincidence. They always have to beat you over the head with the talking points.
OT, but you really need to read: The miners have really no chance of rescue.
It may be important to understand how the Speaker views this resignation.
From WSJ article:
“I just think it’s time,” Mr. Rove said in the interview. “There’s always something that can keep you here, and as much as I’d like to be here, I’ve got to do this for the sake of my family.” Mr. Rove and his wife have a home in Ingram, Texas, and a son who attends college in nearby San Antonio.
In the interview, Mr. Rove said he expects Democrats to give the 2008 presidential nomination to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom he described as “a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate.” He also said Republicans have “a very good chance” to hold onto the White House in next year’s elections.
Mr. Rove also said he expects the president’s approval rating to rise again, and that conditions in Iraq will improve as the U.S. military surge continues. He said he expects Democrats to be divided this fall in the battle over warrantless wiretapping, while the budget battle — and a series of presidential vetoes — should help Republicans gain an edge on spending restraint and taxes.
Don’t be absurd. Karl’s resigning so he can spend more time with his family. And I assure you, that’s not a well-known code phrase for “fucked up real good, trying to deflect blame from superiors.” Honest.
Wasn’t rove W’s point man on rebuilding NOLA post-Katrina? Anyone asking what he hasn’t done, how horrible things there still are and who might replace him to continue the clusterfcuk?
utahgirl @ 78
I hope it works as well as his brilliant 2006 strategery.
-GSD
moeman @ 88
Lieberman is babysitting Katrina.
*blinks*
Whoa. I’m awake now, no need for the coffee I just made…
And yeah infuriating about the news media. It almost needs as much in the way of wakeup calls as the government does.
But, privately owned, directed by their owners and advertisers, what hope does the average person have of getting real news from this kind of setup? I suspect this is why the blogosphere analysis of news is growing…
Have been away from news for the past three days, and so only heard of Rove’s resignation this morning on NPR. The coverage was pathetic, and unfortunately reinforced my decision not to them any more money for the time being. Nothing at all on his likely role in the USA firings, and the coverage was overall sympathetic to him as opposed to, as Rove put it, the Democratic ‘mod’. Pathetic is too kind for this kind of coverage. If I hadn’t followed these stories on the blogs, I wouldn’t have the faintest idea what was going on.
IMHO: somebody nailed him. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
The Dems should withdraw all of their Presidential candidates. The chickens are coming home to roost, and the Dems shouldn’t be there when said chickens arrive. Why should we clean up this mess? What’s in it for us, other than headache and heartache? Let on of the neocon incompetents take the helm (but not the Congress) for another four years, and they’ll go from critical condition to dead as a door nail.
Mitt Romney? perfect guy for the job. He can’t even deal with his own mess - much less that of BushCo and the Cabal.
Same goes for any of the other feckless, ideology-driven (we need idea-driven - a huge distinction) intellectual lightweights.
Trust me: this is the only way justice will be served on those deserving it.
Absolutely possible that Rove is about to be connected to some real dirt, although the most of the media just won’t want to connect the dots, as judged by NPR’s performance this a.m.
Maybe someone will finally publish that two of the planes that flew out the bin Ladens and their buddies post-9/11 were the same air charters that are flying the rendition flights for the CIA (anyone remember the cargoes in both directions for the Hasenfus flight way back during Iran-contra?). Abramoff got a bribe from one of those post-9/11 sheik escape charters later on (the one owned by the President of Gabon). Maybe some of that 9 million fell into Rove’s lap. And the owner of the sheik flight out of Providence was owned by an associate of mobster Ray Patriarca. Don’t know if he’s got any connection with Gus Boulis or SunCruz, but, hey, it’s a small world.
The problem with keeping the money all in the family is that eventually the bigger picture becomes evident. Anyway, at least Mister Rove gets to spend more time with his family.
Joshua Green from the New Atlantic just spinning about Miss Piggy Rove. Something is up….they are bringing em all out to throw up sand and smoke-screens…Wonder WASSUP…this week is going to be interesting….
Ah Green just said Rove has been through quite alot!
And what about Rove, voter caging, and the missing White House/RNC emails?
Oh boy.
Calling Luskin?
Any word on who the new Katrina czar will be?
Knut - we all just learned about this earlier this morning.
Jane, hope you’re feeling well. It’s hard to be surprised by the abysmal failure of the MSM and the pontificating punditocracy. They have been a complete failure in being honest brokers of the 4th Estate. It’s time that the monopoly of the MSM filter be exposed and broken.
It is my fervent hope that Mary, Marie and Kevin Tillman will turn up as part of this calculus.
It is my own version of wishful thinking, but I want them to have a role in avenging the torture done to them by this administration.
So here we all are, fiercely focused on Turdblossom’s resignation. What’s going on in the meantime? ‘Cause sure as Musselman’s grows little green apples, this is a colossal front for something even more humongous. Just sayin’.
Wonder who will be Karl’s replacement?
Lemme guess, is this to stop any further potential investigations? Or did kkKarl already get the main tool he wanted and needed….for 6 months of unfettered spying on Americans such as those he considers enemies of the state (hello any and all Democrats)overseen by his bff Fredo. Come on this resignation is symbolic only, but it certainly won’t mean the end of the culture of smear and fear. He’s just moving his operation out of the Whitehous for appearance sake only. That is unless there is some criminal charge pending…and I’m not so certain of that.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 104
Barney, aka Bush’s new brain.
Good riddence to bad trash I say when it comes to KKKarl. Who will wipe George’s nose now?
Remember, The Machine would toss Rove into a paper shredder or literally feed him to sharks if it meant maintaining a modicum of credibility.
Rove may have just learned that he’s not the only chess player in Washington.
-GSD
Marcus Aurelius @ 95
But as someone pointed out to me recently, what about Supreme Court nominations?
I also heard today, here in Indiana, that many red states like ours are terrified of how it will hurt our Democratic candidates to have HRC at the top of the ticket in ‘08.
I heard on the local news on NPR this morning that they’re estimating it hurting state and local candidates by at least 3-4 points. That could mean our three Freshmen Democrats from Indiana in the House could lose those seats back to the Republicans.
Certainly something to consider — I’ve been vocal in my opposition to HRC before, and this is yet another reason for my concern.