More White House Shake-Up: Rove Shifting Positions
by Pamela LeaveyAlong with the news of White House Press Puppet Scott McClellan’s resignation this morning, comes the news that Karl Rove, the puppetmaster, will give up “his portfolio as senior policy coordinator to concentrate more on politics and November’s midterm Congressional elections.”
Mr. Rove has been Mr. Bush’s senior political adviser since his campaign for governor in Texas. Just over a year ago, he was promoted to deputy chief of staff in charge of policy development.
Mr. Rove will remain a deputy chief of staff and chief policy aide, as well as senior adviser, but the role of policy coordinator will be given to Joel Kaplan, now the deputy budget director, according to a senior administration official.
The Carpetbagger notes that Rove’s shift in job position — “The headline doesn’t use the word “demotion,” but that’s pretty much what happened.”
UPDATE: Think Progress questions, “Has Rove’s Security Clearance Been Revoked?”
In November, Newsweek wrote, “Having his security clearance yanked would not require Rove to resign as deputy chief of staff to President Bush. But it would prevent him from taking part in policymaking that relates to national-security issues, which would mean a much-reduced role in the Bush White House.”
Rove has now resigned his policy-making post and is focusing primarily on politics. Given Rove’s public intentions to make national security the focus of the 2006 elections, the White House should reveal whether Rove will be doing his political job while holding a security clearance.
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How do we know Rove’s position is shifting. They can tell us anything. I personally it is just another big fat lie.
Come on now….I thought I saw ROVE drifting into the sewerage drain at the Boston Harbor. Now if they (the american people) could just remove the rest of WHITE HOUSE BUSH sluge.
Oh I can hear the American public waking up by revolting louder and louder against this BUSH sluge!
Sincerely,
Mother of US Special Forces Soldier
Karl is being demoted because he is not a policy wonk and has no clue as to how to run a country, which is what that job requires. Rove’s strengths are character assasinations, fear and smear and dirty tricks. Traits that are best used in running corrupt political campaigns.
The Rove shift sounds like another trick to throw us off.
sandrakae, DC dem
BINGO!!!
They’re positioning him for the election smears while appearing to straighten up. It’s such a joke.
But I bet the fighting dems and Kerry have them nervous. And I think rove is past his prime.
I agree with Sandrakae and DC dem this is nothing but a set up.
Rove isn’t going to give up that kind of power for nothing and bush doesn’t have the guts to take it from him. The press has been crowing all day that this signals change and this new guy is more powerful than rove. Puleeze, this man is a smoke screen for Rove. You bet your boots if fitz doesn’t indicte rove buy the end of this year and the rethugs still retain control of congress Rove will be back front and center and running things along with chenney and rummy.
We can’t believe anything this damn whitehouse says.
I do think some of the dems not all have the rethugs thinking and fretting. But Rove will be assisnating good peoples character, and damaging the dems they don’t want to run in 08 character.
Rove has enough to sink bush and the rat never goes down with the ship the captain does even if it is captain dubya.
The dems need to be on guard for another october suprise because one is coming.
Teresa- I admire your optimism and one day I may have more optimism but we have to remember when a lion is past his prime he is still a deadly creature till the day he dies.
Pen,
I’m through being afraid of them. It’s a waste of precious life.
And I’ve never thought much of Rove. That he was so brilliant and all. he’s a sleaze bag and not all that bright from my perspective. The republican party doesn’t look too good right now. Someone’s not doing something right. And he couldn’t bring Kerry down. I think their primitive tactics are short lived in their success. They always are.
I would dearly love to hear…
Rove..assume the position…
Now that is real music.
Teresa- I’m with you on Rove not being all that super smart. He does fight on a more primal level which is why the media and politicians from both sides fear him.
I guess its not to hard to look a brain standing next to bush.
Rove couldn’t have had the effect he’s had without the media’s help though no question about it.
I just hope all the venom he injected into the daily lives of american’s bites him hard.
Rather its by fitzgerald’s hand or whoever else.