Reader comments
Rove critiques Romney campaign, other candidates

Henry Drummond | 6:09 p.m. July 14, 2008

I'm sure Karl Rove is quite correct in saying that running for President is different from any other task in the world. Its too bad he never figured out that actually being President is a different task than running for President. Its no wonder foreign policy, economic policy, energy policy, even educational policy have all been disasters. Instead of providing competent leadership, this administration just keeps running an election campaign.

Anonymous | 6:18 p.m. July 14, 2008

Uh-oh!
What are the neocons going to do now?
Rove is their guru (got Cheney/Bush elected)
Romney is their LDS hero.
What now?

Maggie | 6:29 p.m. July 14, 2008

Yep. If only Mitt had gottent hold of Karl Rove. Mitt, as guided and directed by KR, then could have established a few solid lies and distortions, and stuck to 'em. As Karl knows well, people eventually will believe them as long as your 'consistent'.

Comments continue below

Liberal Slapper | 6:48 p.m. July 14, 2008

Don't quite out Karl Rove, my liberal friends. You scaredy cats are still terrified at how Rove can dissect any liberal candidate for the presidency, like Barack Hussein Obama.
McCain probably won't need Rove's services to send Obama back to is Senate seat in D.C. People will see for themselves what a charlatan and plagiarizer he truly is.
Barack Osama truly doesn't have the best intentions of true Americans at heart. He sympathizes more with those who malign our great nation, and he receives the votes of those who have always disliked people who are not of African American origin.
Let's face the facts: there are many blacks in America who are RACIST, period. Does that make them any better than white RACISTS? No, they are just as evil and destructive to our nation.
If you truly believe that most blacks voting for Obama didn't consider his race during his candidacy, then you are either stupid or dishonest!

to: Liberal Slapper | 7:05 p.m. July 14, 2008

Your drivel and poorly chosen comments speak for themselves. Calling Barack 'Osama' shows your intelligence level and preferred TV channel (FOX News). Pointing at black racists while excusing white racists is simply ignorant. Obama doesn't let his own race off very easily either (see his recent comments that angered Jesse Jackson, among others). And I am WHITE, and see Obama as being more open than McCain could ever be.

Mark B | 7:25 p.m. July 14, 2008

I guess no one cares where your votes come from if you're Jesse Helms or Strom Thurmond, but getting a vote from from a non-white person just doesn't cut it with Mr. 6:48, who would seem to be a 100% white guy who still claims deep understanding of non-whites.

His political chops are impressive, too. How deft to remind the world of DN on line readers that the Senator's middle name is "Hussein". Now THAT sure deserves some lookin' into, fer sure! Like the feller says, Obama's not a "TRUE AMERICAN", just one as true as most of us - from birth.

Here's one fact I'm prepared to face. Mr. "liberal Slapper" will not reveal himself to have been dead wrong following Election Day, but he will insist to those around him that he's no racist.

BTW, nice to see Mr. Rove and his insightfulness is back in the country. Too bad he couldn't have shared some truth with the Congressional committee hearing he skipped last week.

Anonymous | 7:37 p.m. July 14, 2008

Like I care what Rove says. He helped destroy the GOP by making it into the "socially conservative" big government party for former democrats.

Where do limited government, fiscal conservatives Ronald Reagan republican go now?

Ken Goddard | 7:59 p.m. July 14, 2008

Yuh. Right. And I guess Bush has the consistency and the experience. He must have left it in Texas.

@Anonymous 7:37 | 8:12 p.m. July 14, 2008

Apparently you do care--you bothered to read the article, didn't you?

huh? | 8:17 p.m. July 14, 2008

Rove is publicly dissing Romney and his campaign machine in order to let McCain know not to pick Romney. Smmmooooooooth...

Is Rove Mormon? Or Jack? Or what? Does anyone know?

One more time... | 8:34 p.m. July 14, 2008

Karl Rove is no political architect. Not based on principle anyway. He's an opportunist with the ideals of a shark.

An Observation | 8:39 p.m. July 14, 2008

Karl Rove has outsmarted the Dems' every attempt to trap him into testifying before their biased committees, not to learn the truth about a matter, but to use him to further malign President Bush. In January, President Bush will retire comfortably to his Crawford ranch and Karl Rove will continue a distinguised career reporting and analyzing the news---and revealing Hussein for the socialist elitist that he is. Trying to flip-flop his way to the center of the political spectrum is not Hussein's finest moment. He is becoming too slick for his own good.

Yes! | 8:47 p.m. July 14, 2008

This liberal would like to see McCain win. Wee are at the tip of trickle down. It's getting much wrost. If Obama gets elected the conservative propogandist will blame Obama. If McCain wins, it the final death of the republican Party

One more time...again | 9:01 p.m. July 14, 2008

Karl Rove's days of any sort of (even Fox news style) relevance are numbered. There will be no mark he's placed on our political history that will be anything but black.

Short bio | 9:10 p.m. July 14, 2008

Rove was born the second of five children in Denver, Colorado, and later raised in Sparks, Nevada.

His family moved to Salt Lake City in 1965 when Rove was entering high school. While at Olympus High School, he was elected student council president his junior and senior years. He became skilled in debate. He says "I was the complete nerd. I had the briefcase. I had the pocket protector. I wore Hush Puppies when they were not cool. I was the thin, scrawny little guy. I was definitely uncool."

Rove began his involvement in American politics in 1968. In a 2002 Deseret News interview, Rove explained, "I was the Olympus High chairman for (former United States Senator) Wallace F. Bennett's re-election campaign, where he was opposed by the dynamic, young, aggressive political science professor at the University of Utah, J.D. Williams." Bennett was reelected to a third six-year term. Through Rove's campaign involvement, Bennett's son, Bob Bennett ï¿½ a future United States Senator from Utah ï¿½ would become a friend. Williams would later become a mentor to Rove.

Lewt | 9:23 p.m. July 14, 2008

Isn't it sad when the thing you're remembered for is AVOIDING testifying to Congress? Could you put it on a headstone? And why we're at it, just HOW was revealing Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative supposed to serve our country when Cheney & Co. decided she was "fair game"? Did anyone ask Cheney that question the last time he was in Utah?

Spot On | 9:52 p.m. July 14, 2008

For the most part I agree with Rove's analysis of Romney --- would like to see however Rove address the attack from the "Religious Right" on Romney and his religious faith, I feel that it cost Romney the nomination --- too bad

Humptydumpty | 9:58 p.m. July 14, 2008

To the person who said this was his way of telling McCain not to pick Romney, wrong again.

Every chance Rove gets, when anyone any where asks him who McCain should choose for vp, he says Romney. This was a good article, no where in it did he dis Romney, he merely gave a decent critique of what could have been done better. He likes Romney. Adults can do that. They can offer constructive criticism and still be friends. I guess that may be a foreign concept to many of my liberal friends out there.

oh for the recoord. most of what Liberal Slapper said was dead on. I doubt he called him Osama on purpose though, just a slip of the key is my guess. But, if it wasn't, maybe he was just venting frustration at that incredibly misdirected man that silly people are deifying. Obama is not a god, he is a fallible man. He makes mistakes. Voting against drilling may have been one of them and may be to his undoing along with other things.

poyman | 10:16 p.m. July 14, 2008

You Liberal Freaks are laughable.... If only the Dems had a Strategist as talented as Rove, McCain's buddy from Connecticut (Lieberman)would probably be trying to move from his VP office to the Oval Office... Instead you guys are stuck with a person who was a Senator for 20 minutes, who never has had a Job of any sort that involved Leadership or even managing a P&L (He's a Lawyer, nothing more and nothing less), He has surrounded himself with questionable characters who could probably be considered enemies of the state and/or racists at the very least. In a year friendly to Dems, you folks picked a loser.

Now I am a big fan of the Mitster, but Rove is right in his critique.... Hopefully Romney will learn from this experience and be able to win his way into the cue in the future.

ABRanteweia | 10:42 p.m. July 14, 2008

I do not understand what Karl Rove saying about Mitt Romney that he is uneven performance in his campaign for running mate of John McCain. Romney is a very honest man than other candidates for VP.

ABRanteweia | 10:55 p.m. July 14, 2008

I totally agreed with Rove critiques to Romeny. As I know of a surety that Romney will learn from his past uneven performance.

dems are desperate | 11:01 p.m. July 14, 2008

the democrats should have this electoin sign, sealed, and delivered. Between Iraq, an unpopular incumbant, and the economy struggling, the democrats should easily win. But they'll be lucky to win. Why? Because they don't have a strategist like Rove. Say what you want about Rove, but he understands politics and human behavior much better than David Axelrod (Obama's strategist).

I'm not a fan of either candidate - but it's sad that Obama was the best candidate that they could come upw ith in such a critical election year. This guy who has been a senator for two years, who has never shown any ability to be moderate in his votes, and he's as politically engineered as you can get. Just look at how he used the black baptist community in Chicago to rise the ranks of politics in Chicago - and how quickly he turned his back on them when it was politically convenient.

He's going to be so exposed come October and November, and even though they have no business winning - McCain and the GOP will win in 2008.

Mark B | 11:08 p.m. July 14, 2008

H-D 9:58 seems to want it both ways. First he reminds us in a paternal moment that adults can disagree, but then calls Obama supporters "silly people". Hey, at least most of US didn't decide to give Bush a SECOND term. Now THAT was silly.

Poyman, do you know anyone that could teach Constitutional law, then run a national campaign that allows a guy with a funny name to win over several better-known candidates, including one from one of the nation's best known families? Loser? We'll see.

Tellin' it like it is | 11:11 p.m. July 14, 2008

I'm a fellow Latter-Day Saint of Romney, and a fellow alumni of Olympus High School for Rove. I think on a political level Romney was by far the best candidate. I say that irregardless of religion. I yet think Mitt has an arrogant side to him that could take notes from Ronald Reagan, and George Bush Jr. (both men I consider to be more down to earth). I've been raised conservative. I'm at a horrible place politically that could lead me to be cynical of politics altogether. Conservative politics only function when the capitalistic wealthy do what the government would otherwise do for a higher price. The private sector is always best. I'm concerned that Barrack and Hillary were runner ups simply by the merit that Barrack is black, and Hillary is a woman. I'm concerned that John McCain has a little too much Rambo in him, and that he hasn't functioned (as Romney said) in the private sector. For any of the down to earth, "tellin' it like it is", none of the candidates in my book are there. Obama's stance on an abrupt withdrawing of troops from Iraq probably freaks me out the worst.

true blue | 11:21 p.m. July 14, 2008

I considered voting for Obama before he started talking. Now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place because I don't trust McCain either. These last 3 elections have been real winners Bush/Gore, Bush/Kerry, McCain/Obama. Maybe I just won't vote.

Ed H | 11:18 p.m. July 14, 2008

American politics are like no others. We call honest men dishonest because they do not want to set precedents established by the supreme court themselves regarding the powers of the Presidency and to whom that privilege applies.

Rove is spot on on this one. While watching the primaries it was hard to watch Romney. I know that those of the faith could not see him self destructing, but the rest of us did. Too bad, I actually believe he was the best person for the job.

Indiana | 11:21 p.m. July 14, 2008

Poyman.... thanks! Well said and agreed

tosu | 11:24 p.m. July 14, 2008

'the Mitster'?

poyman, are you 12?

rove was going to get a 'permanent' conservative majority. my how that backfired.

president cheney just couldn't pull it off, with invading soverign nations, shooting friends in the face, telling people to off on the senate floor. but hey, it's god's own party, so it's ok.

oh well, puppet boy can go clear all the brush in the world for the rest of his life on his fake ranch in texas.

Iron Cold Steve | 11:30 p.m. July 14, 2008

Rove the big Political guru? What a joke. He was cut from the mold of the Clinton Camp. Just wear the GOP Sackcloth and makes millions. What makes me sick his association with Rumsfield, Cheney, Condi Rice all like Al Copne. All gangsters. Over 4000 dead soldiers in Iraq. Where were the so called "Weapons of Mass Destruction?" No comments on Mr. Romney please, go live in the back woods of Arkansas we don't need or want your opinion.
AND THATS THE BOTTOM LINE !!!

Maggie | 11:37 p.m. July 14, 2008

That 'strategy', that oh-so effective strategy has lead this country to where we are today. So how about we call an end to this game, and lend the supremely successful strategist his due. He, and the entire Bush administration are a disgrace.

Steveo | 11:43 p.m. July 14, 2008

Rove is the best propaganda man since Joseph Goebbels. He is a corrupt son of a gun as ewell.

re: Tellin' it like it is | 11:59 p.m. July 14, 2008

you said, "I'm a fellow Latter-Day Saint of Romney, and a fellow alumni of Olympus High School for Rove. I think on a political level Romney was by far the best candidate. I say that irregardless of religion."

first, what is a fellow Latter-Day Saint of Romney? And irregardless is not a word. And even though i know what you are trying to say, i really doubt that religion played no part in your stance.

Raygun and Shrub down to earth? Are you serious? Two elitist repubs that have done their best to destroy this country, a country that other countries used to look up to.

Well, Obama will win, and have a dem majority in congress. It will be time to reinstitute the New Deal ideals of FDR and re-introduce regulation on out of control corporations.

Oh, and if you make over 200k, get ready to pay your War Tax.

Ace Ventura | 12:39 a.m. July 15, 2008

Karl Rove's analysis of Romney's shortcomings aligns perfectly with mine. I liked Romney better than any of the other candidates, but he did fall flat several times. His withdrawal speech at CPAC was by far his best speech of the campaign (you can catch it on YouTube). I've said several times to many people that if he's communicated like that during the campaign he would have won, but he was too guarded, too tentative, and not the bold, impassionated, patriotic clear thinker that he was at CPAC. The conservative crowd there was eating it up--couldn't get enough, that is until he announced he was suspending his campaign. At that point the crowd yelled "No!!" in disbelief. The man had finally arrived in full battle gear and he was bowing out!

I hope Romney will, in fact, learn from his mistakes and win the nomination in 2012. We need an experienced, dynamic, yet steady hand to right this listing ship, and I'm sorry but it isn't Barack Obama!

JazzFanInHouston | 1:21 a.m. July 15, 2008

From a marketing perspective Rove is right. Romney changed positioning strategies several times as he tried to find one that would work. He did not quite connect as a born again conservative. He is getting a lot more comfortable with that role now. He did get the economic conservative positioning to work but McCain lucked into the right combination of states (NH, SC and FL). Rudy handed McCain this election by pulling out of NH and by flailing in FL. It really was a team effort by Rudy, Huck and McCain against Romney.

Romney also learns from his mistakes and is making great strides. He will be in the cabinet, VP or get the nomination in 2012.

A lot of people in the party that were not for him in the beginning are solidly behind him now. He also has a much better understanding of how to run and position.

Larry | 2:15 a.m. July 15, 2008

You might call it false patriotism but the fact that the Senator will not wear a flag pin and that he will not place his hand on his heart honoring the flag tells me more about his true feelings about this country than any book he wrote or any speech he gives. We don't need someone leading our country who does not honor the flag.

a Mitt for All Seasons | 3:34 a.m. July 15, 2008

Romney demonstrated time and again that he is without honor and dishonest. How many lies must a man be caught in before we can call him a liar? What's the cutoff? How many stances can a man have in a decade? I'm not talking about the decade from age ten to twenty, I'm speaking of a man in his later years. Seems to me that he would have made Hillary a better VP...he's got that Clinton-touch. He's just another used-car salesman that the nation is better off without.

Cats | 6:42 a.m. July 15, 2008

To: Tellin it like it is: There is no such word as IRREGARDLESS!

Would some of you people just grow up! I can't believe how nasty some of these blogs are. Karl Rove(who by the way, is NOT LDS) is an outstanding professional political adviser. Maybe you don't agree with him, but he's brilliant. Democrat political operatives totally respect him even if some of them both fear and hate him.

His analysis is fair and unbiased. He is not dissing Romney. He often says that he thinks Romney would be the best running mate for McCain.

It would be nice if some of you people could be a little more mature and less emotional about this. I can't some of the hatred that exists on some of these blogs.

Alex | 8:38 a.m. July 15, 2008

When Rove gives political advice, your ears should perk up. Romney is smart enough to listen to good outside advice from people with a record of success. An outside post-mortem is healthy.

Alaska | 8:40 a.m. July 15, 2008

The cat fighting in this blog is discouraging, Cat is right to expect this blog to discuss ideas without immature name calling. People need to keep respect for others with opinions that differ from their own. This is America. Mature minds can disagree without using words for daggers! Try it. Thanks.

poyman | 10:17 a.m. July 15, 2008

Alaska, I'd like to be able to agree with you.... But talking in a rational and mature way is something that most Liberals are just simply not capable of.... It's not in their playbook....

tosu and Mark.... I am willing to bet that you guys are either on public assistance looking for handouts or Frshmaen in college who have almost no perspective of life from the eyes of a "tax payer"... Both of you have drank the Kool-aid and regardless of what facts are presented before you on the inexperience and naivity fo your candidate "Obama" you guys are going to support him...

As Rove has said in the past (and whether you aagree or not, this guy is a political genius) Obama could win this year since it is a year for Dems, But it won't be because of his experience or his abilities... Instead, it will be because of the lack of candidate knowledge from the electorate (and that is giving the electorate the benefit of the doubt).

It suck's to live in a conservative state with an inteligent and knowlegable electorate, doesn't it tosu and Mark??

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