Rove's Dismal Legacy By Dan Froomkin

[rodeodance]

Rove's Dismal Legacy


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Monday, August 13, 2007; 1:54 PM

Karl Rove's legacy will not be what he wanted it to be.

The political guru who made President Bush what he is today had hoped to leave behind a permanent Republican ruling majority. Instead, his tenure will stand as an example of how divisiveness and partisanship are not conducive to successful governance.

After years of being lauded as a political genius, Rove nevertheless leaves his party in worse shape than he found it, with his boss profoundly discredited in the eyes of the American people.

When historians look back at Bush's squandered opportunity to unite the country and even the world behind a shared agenda after 9/11, part of the blame will go to Vice President Cheney and the decision to invade Iraq. But part will accrue to Rove for choosing to use national security as a wedge issue.

Why Did He Resign?

[Demeter]

1. I Thought This Section Especially Telling

"Rove and Cheney have been Bush's two most intimate and important advisers, more or less splitting the presidential portfolio -- with Cheney taking lead on foreign policy, intelligence and energy and Rove taking the lead on most everything else.

Rove's departure can't help but increase Cheney's clout at the White House. In fact -- who knows? -- Cheney may even have engineered it.

To me, one of the great White House mysteries has been how Rove and Cheney get along.

You may recall that at the obstruction of justice trial of former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the defense argued that Libby and Cheney at one point believed that some of Bush's top aides were trying to "scapegoat" Libby, rather than let top Bush political strategist Karl Rove take the fall.

So it's possible they don't get along at all."