Karl Rove, Life of the Party
Karl Rove sure makes life after W look footloose and fancy-free.
President Bush's (former) Brain didn't seem to have a care in the world Monday night as he smiled and schmoozed his way through a book party for New York Daily News bureau chief Tom DeFrank. Well, not a care in the world except for... his own book.
Remember: the Sleuth was first to report, back in July before he announced his resignation from the White House, that Rove planned to write nonfiction. (We may never have learned it had we not popped into a remote mountain lodge by a scenic overlook in Colorado where Rove himself had been a week before on his way to the Aspen Ideas Festival.)
So when we spotted him at DeFrank's book party, we asked how his project was going. Rove told the Sleuth he has just begun unpacking boxes of notes to begin work on his tome about the Bush White House and presumably other facets of his life as the Republican Party's controversial top operative.
He gave up nothing about what will be in the book but said he'll have to sacrifice his passion for dove hunting while he focuses on writing, which he'll do from three difference places: his home in Washington, his beach house in the panhandle of Florida and his cabin in Texas.
He was as tight-lipped as ever, but calmer and seemingly carefree. He didn't once check his Blackberry, an old habit he immortalized at this year's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association gala. Nor was he traveling with an entourage of handlers. In fact, as far as we could tell, he came to the party alone.
One person Rove spent a lot of time chatting up at DeFrank's book party was Bob Barnett, book agent to the political glitterati, including former President Bill Clinton. Barnett represents both Rove and DeFrank, whose book about his off-the-record interviews with the late President Gerald Ford, "Write It When I'm Gone," has created a whirlwind of buzz on the campaign trail over Ford's reported belief that Clinton was a sex addict. (For the record, no one from the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign showed up at DeFrank's party.)
Rove and Barnett chatted about - what else? - books. Barnett commented on Tony Blair's newly signed multi-million-pound book deal, which he helped to facilitate. And Rove suggested he himself is looking across the great pond for inspiration.
He mentioned that he recently read the newly published diaries of Blair's former communications czar Alistair Campbell, which prompted one reporter to say that Campbell was "Tony Blair's Karl Rove." American political journalists can only pray that Karl Rove isn't George W. Bush's Alistair Campbell - because Rove smiled rather impishly when he noted that Campbell, in his diaries, "settles scores" against pesky British journalists and political foes.
Will Rove be doing the same in his book?
"I'll take the high road," Rove said, not all too reassuringly.
By Mary Ann Akers |
October 30, 2007; 9:25 AM ET
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Posted by: Whippy | October 30, 2007 11:18 AM
Rove has raised dishing dirt to an art form. That's what Bush's brain was really adept. Smearing people without seeming to be the smearer. I hope his books bombs.
Posted by: M. Stratas | October 30, 2007 11:44 AM
are those the pesky journalists who recently reported that bush was pressuring the british government to replace political leaders he didn't like? a person with a string of failures on the domestic front meddling in others' politics, again?
Posted by: glen | October 30, 2007 12:23 PM
Oh yea, Abramoff and Rove were quite the party animals. If you were to ask me a partying former whitehouse official is a security risk and this one certainly has a history of being a risk in that area. Mainly though, I think he is just stupid, as ratings fall he ought to be keeping his head down lower, that is a no duhhhh.
Posted by: Tirade_One | October 30, 2007 12:46 PM
Just curious, but how does a man who has been a Republican operative for all of his life afford to purchase and maintain three homes?
Posted by: Desert Leap | October 30, 2007 1:12 PM
Desert Leep
Rove: how can a life-time republican operative afford three homes........
i think you answered your own question.
Rove earned his money the old-establishment way....you see, doing the dirty work for others DOES have its rewards. Rove may be all smiles in public however, history will not be kind to him.
Posted by: tomcatmeow | October 30, 2007 1:54 PM
Karl Rove, life of the all-male party.
He always invites Jeffy Lube Gannon.
Posted by: Tom3 | October 30, 2007 2:58 PM
The proceeds from Rove's book should be distributed amongst the widows and orphans who have been left destitute by the for-profit war he helped to start. His three houses need to be sold and the embezzled funds he used to pay for them returned to the US treasury. Rove himself needs to be in prison for his role in rigging US elections, voter caging, and politicization of the Department of Justice (along with his cohort, Alberto Gonzales).
I suppose members of the press idolize this miscreant for his success at enriching himself, but Al Capone and John Gotti also enriched themselves through criminal enterprise without being held aloft as role-models for the rest of us. If OJ Simpson doesn't get to keep any of the proceeds from his book (and rightly so), the same logic should be applied to Karl Rove for his role as apparatchik for the Bush Crime Family.
Posted by: mgloraine | October 30, 2007 3:18 PM
If Rove were half the things our little Posters love to pretend, he wouldn't waste his time writing any books.
Posted by: Sternberg | October 30, 2007 6:57 PM
To quote the brilliant comedian Andy Kindler... The best thing about taking the high road? No traffic!
Posted by: rabb046 | October 30, 2007 7:24 PM
I would suggest that Rove go take his "eggies" and DISAPPEAR.
Go away, little girl.
We don't want your kind here no more.
Go away, little girl.
Back to the scumpond you "rose" from.
Go away, little girl.
You are much too soft
to stand outside that
hardshell of BUSHCO too long.
The masses think you reek
of something extremely 'indiscrete'..
and you really are a creep.
Go away, little girl.
Posted by: mommadona | October 30, 2007 7:48 PM
I questioned the relaibility of the Sleuths's report as soon as she said that Karl Rove would be "writing non-fiction". Think about it. If Rove wrote non-fiction about his years in the white house he would send himself to prison.
Posted by: Kevin Morgan | October 30, 2007 10:19 PM
Whine losers, whine. Your negativity defines your lives and your political leanings. High level elitist liberal politicians are the pied pipers leading the lazy, won't do masses of losers in our society. This keeps them in power as they manipulate people who are ignorant, are uneducated, or lack basic intelligience in order to maintain a power base. They will always have this base as there will always be people who lack the drive or intellect to be successful. These people rely on liberal politicians to redistribute wealth from those who apply themselves and become successful. It's appropriate to provide support to "can't do" people for humanitarian reasons. Elitist liberal politicians are selfishly more interested in gaining and retaining power than in providing a safety net. They want to increase taxes on successful people to redistribute wealth to their power base. It's just a subtle way to buy votes and look compassionate while doing it.
Posted by: actuator | October 31, 2007 9:58 AM
I wonder if this piece of fouled floatsom will explain all the backroom deals and backstabbings he was involved in on behalf of the CiC. Little fat man...you wouldn't even make good soap.
Sergeant Major
Posted by: Sergeant Major | October 31, 2007 12:41 PM
Why is that Rove gets to pack and unpack all of notes and we can't see what he has written in those horrible days that he served Bush? Double standard??? Of course, it is.
Posted by: Texas Lay | October 31, 2007 2:49 PM
Perhaps Uncle Karl will find the time to finish college. Then again, college requires the use of reason not knee-jerk reaction.
Posted by: massimo | October 31, 2007 3:02 PM
The "actuator" would be a perfect candidate for the new French Revolution! His "Let'em eat Cake" is at the right place for the right time. Then again the feudal system might be more to his/her preference.
Posted by: Willieb | October 31, 2007 4:37 PM
When Karl Marx Rove gets up in the morning, the first thought in his little Red head is "What damage can I do to America today?".
Those who listen to him are listening to the an unpatriotic America-hating devil, who will stop at nothing in his quest to destroy our fine nation and our core values of Truth, Justice, and the American Middle Class way of life.
Just remember that next time you see him.
Posted by: Will in Seattle | October 31, 2007 6:12 PM
You all hate Karl Rove but, I know why cause he outsmarted all of you and put an idiot in the White House twice and there is nothing no one could have done. That's why you guys hate him. Good for Karl Rove he came did what he needed to do and now he enjoys life while others still talking venom as he becomes richer and richer! Winner Karl Rove....
Posted by: Rafael | October 31, 2007 6:19 PM
Hey mommadona!
Check this, Karl Rove is a little girl right, why cause he stood up to the left like nobody has? cause he stood to the Wilsons failed attempt to make the President look bad? cause he got Bush elected not once but twice? Cause he now will be more rich when he finishes his book? cause he was never prosecuted for the never happening crime of the CIA? yea he is a little girl! Well let me correct you since that cool aid is probably going to kill you soon! The only one lyiong and whinning here is you! You hate Karl Rove cause he made the left look bad and you hate that. Keep spreading your venom Karl Rove will still be getting richer and richer and I don't see him running anywhere trust me he will be back and the left will enjoy that just grab some popcorn and watch!!! Go Rudy 2008
Posted by: Rafael | October 31, 2007 6:28 PM
Rove quit because he has AIDS. Common knowledge in Austin's gay community. Rove is the next Roy Cohn.
Posted by: georgepwebster | November 1, 2007 1:40 AM
Hey Willieb (from Atlanta?) where do you get "Let'em eat Cake"? Perhaps its from my comment "It's appropriate to provide support to "can't do" people for humanitarian reasons." The comment was about elitist liberal politicians buying the votes of stupid, uneducated, ignorant unachievers perhaps like yourself. If you happen to be one of the successful people in this world give your own wealth to support those unwilling to make an effort. But don't use political power to take $ from successful people at the point of the government gun to buy votes from the lazy who want to cruise through life on the government dole.
Posted by: actuator | November 1, 2007 7:06 AM
SINCE ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN SO INDESCREET IN YOUR LOVE FOR KARL ROWE, I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING NICE ABOUT HIM. HE STOOD HIS GROUND WHEN THE DEMOCRATS WERE TRYING TO BEAT THE HELL OUT OF GEORGE W. BUSH IN 2000 AND EVER SINCE THEN. JUST GET OFF OF IT AND LET KARL WRITE HIS BOOKS. I WILL BUY THE FIRST ONE.
Posted by: CLAIRE | November 1, 2007 12:56 PM
If there were anyone with the stones to fight for justice in this country, Rove would be washing bedpans on work release for our wounded soldiers, who sacrificed their health for the stock options of their GOP bosses.
The squeaky little voices of wanna-be henchman and brownshirt 2.0 schlemiels who craft Der Sturmer-styled prose in defense of this minor demon only serve to make one question whether this country ever deserved the smidgen of liberty we once had. Never have I seen so many people willing to eat excrement served on a hot dog bun and try so hard to tell everyone how good it tastes.
Posted by: Phil Graves | November 5, 2007 5:01 AM
When George Bush ran for office in 2000, he ran as a "uniter" not divider. This was the first of many deceptions foisted upon the American people. The Bush Administration set about to divide and conquer (remember the Rovian rhetoric spouted by Tom DeLay as he was hawking illegal K Street activities). For some reason, perhaps because of worry about the divisive politics of the right, the Rovian clones continue to spew talk-show hatred and name-calling in a further effort to keep the centrists of both parties from working together to solve the myriad problems that beset our great country. There are reasons that the people want these criminals ousted from office. Let's see, there is an illegal "war" on Iraq, illegally destroying millions of emails that are bound by law to be protected, pushing "education" in the form of No Child Left Behind, only to hang it out to dry with no funding, dropping the ball regarding Hurricane Katrina and then handing out medals and praise to incompetents, politizing the Justice Department by firing attorneys general and violating the Hatch Act at every turn and in every department. The list is endless. Somehow, we are not supposed to remember who is responsible for turning this country against itself for political and monetary gain. We should not forget that neo-con Bushies have outspent the last two presidents combined. Actuator spins the problems using the same tactics of divisiveness and attempts to remake the issues as though sprung from liberalism. Sad, but memory is strong on this one. January 2009 is marked on my calendar as the day the truth will set us free and place these criminals in prison where they so rightfully belong.
Posted by: Jimi Mosey | November 5, 2007 1:59 PM
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Karl Rove says he'll take the high road? Rove couldn't find the high road even with a map, a GPS device, and several thousand large and helpfully-positioned highway signs.