From Deseret News archives:
Ex-Utahn was architect of victory
As he spoke, a man with nearly as much at stake was standing off to the side: Karl Rove. This was his show, too. He had spent nearly four years writing a re-election script, deciding where Bush would appear and how the campaign would woo voters.
Bundled up in a "W '04 Road Crew" jacket, Rove, a former Utahn, was regaling a flock of reporters. As his boss cracked a joke on stage, the balding, bespectacled adviser was performing his walking political calculator routine. He spewed numbers how many volunteers are in Florida, how much money was spent on advertising.
It all added up, Rove predicted, to a narrow Bush victory over Sen. John F. Kerry, with a margin of about 3 percent in the popular vote. He was dead on. In his victory speech two days later, Bush thanked Rove, calling him "the architect" of his campaign.
Now Rove, 53, who has spent more than a decade helping to refashion George W. Bush from a baseball executive and former "first son" into a two-term president, is preparing for his next project building the Republican Party into a durable national majority.
He became active in the College Republicans in the 1970s and eventually made his way to Texas, where he founded his political consulting company and became active in state politics behind the scenes.
Admirers today describe Rove as shrewd and ingenious, familiar with the political climate down to the county level, skilled at knowing where to find untapped Republican voters. Critics call him devious and willing to use smear tactics or distortion.
Rove, who was born on Christmas Day and whose middle name is in fact "Christian," had talked for nearly two years about turning out millions more conservative Christians for the Republican cause by playing up Bush's faith and opposition to gay marriage. Conservative Christians responded by turning out in substantial numbers and giving Bush nearly 80 percent of their votes, according to exit polling.
Rove focused far more on increasing votes among hard-core Republicans than on attracting more centrist swing voters who are usually the target of politicians. However, picking off Jewish, Hispanic and black voters from the Democrats also was an important element of his plan.
Comments
- Sports on the air 1:21 a.m.
- 2009 MLS Cup recap 12:45 a.m.
- MLS Cup winners, MVPs 12:41 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 12:36 a.m.
- Paper circulation worse than it looks 12:28 a.m.
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks 12:22 a.m.
- Editorial: Cancer screening 12:15 a.m.
- Afterthoughts 12:15 a.m.
- Treat teachers with respect, trust 12:15 a.m.
- 'Reform' helps old, hurts young 12:15 a.m.
- BYU records with win
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
- Jazz outlast Pistons in overtime
- Cougars turn focus to dreaded rivals
- Cougars put the fun back in football
- Former BYU professor remembered
- Kirilenko heating up for the Jazz
- Police link alcohol to murder
- Wendover airfield's legacy lost?
- Florida No. 1, TCU 4 in AP Top 25
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
202 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
191 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
130 - BYU records with win
129 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
125 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
100 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
98 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93
I don't pretend to be an expert on global warming. I've met with...
That game was amazing! I think this will really help the sport grow in Utah....
Congrats on a great win. Utah as a whole should be proud not just of a major...
Congrats Real Salt Lake! but, they aren't the first major sports team to...
I told ALL of you how much i liked NED Pure irony his contributions vs x...
this is to NevadaUTE @ 10:25!!! I love soccer, I love Real and it brought a...
wow!!! amazing. UTAH JAZZ DO SOMETHING!!!
So much fear and anger from Beck lovers. You all lost the last election, we...
This is the most emotion I have had watching a sporting event since my...
Nicky Rimando is my hero! I love that guy. He has had his detractors, but...
Two stars means nothing! We played as a team and it showed! I'm still in...



You can be the first to comment on this story.