• Rove deflected questions about the appropriateness of him being a news commentator while he's in a legal fight with Congress for refusing to testify under oath about the leaking of FBI operative Valerie Plame's name to the press.

"Actually, it's not between me and Congress," he said. "I have not asserted any personal privilege. This is a between the White House and Congress. This is a long-standing battle over the principle of executive privilege and the ability of the president to receive advice from senior advisers, and for those senior advisers not to be at the beck and call of Congress for testimony."

• Rove said he's not troubled about appearing on the Fox News Network while the Fox broadcast network's animated shows take frequent, pointed potshots at him.

"A lot of people beat up on me," he said. "I read the New York Times every day. Have you read some of the ugly things they say about me? Who cares?

"My attitude is, I know who I am. I'm not the myth that I've been developed into."

And he seemed unconcerned about the many shots he's taken from many quarters.

"Harry Truman said, 'If you live in Washington and want to have a friend, have a dog.' And I've got two," he said.

• Rove said he's donated to the John McCain campaign, but "I play no official role, no ongoing role, but, yeah, I do get phone calls" from GOP. "I intend to stay married. I've done this twice. If I was going to play a role in a presidential campaign like I've played before, I'd be divorced very quickly."

• Asked about the decision President Bush made to appoint Michael Brown to head FEMA, Rove declined to comment.

"On that one, you'll have to wait for my book, unfortunately. Which will be will be available in the fall of 2009 for $29.95," he said.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com