Lobbyist Karen Johnson cools Rove friendship, dates rancher Rhett Hard

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.radarmagazine.com/fresh-intelligence/#report_003758

Rove and a Hard Place

As if he didn’t have enough to worry about, Karl Rove’s legacy may be in for yet another blow. With indictments in the Valerie Plame case expected imminently, Jim Moore and Wayne Slater who co-authored the 2003 blockbuster exposé, Bush’s Brain, are releasing an updated paperback version of their book this week with a new title: Rove Exposed: How Bush’s Brain Fooled America. If Rove lands in the big house, it’s safe to say it won’t be on his reading list.

But Slater and Moore aren’t the only ones looking to kick the Boy Genius while he’s down. In fact, several Texas political insiders say Rove’s longtime relationship with lobbyist Karen Johnson may be in jeopardy, too, if Johnson’s relatives have their way. In July we reported on the very close relationship Johnson, a single, Austin-based lobbyist, has enjoyed with Rove since they met over a decade ago in Texas. But now that Rove’s White House tenure is looking increasingly shaky, friends are whispering that the forty-something lobbyist—who pulls in well over $1 million a year thanks to her administration connections—may be cooling toward the married presidential advisor.

“Everyone knows how close Karen is to Karl, but she’s sick of it,” says a person familiar with the situation. Johnson’s disapproving family has long urged her to settle down with the improbably named Rhett Hard, a handsome ranch foreman whom Johnson has dated sporadically over the last few years. “Karen’s dream has always been to own a cattle ranch, and two years ago she bought Cinco de Mayo and hired Rhett to manage the place. They even joined the Cattleman’s Texas Longhorn Registry together.”

But while the movie-star handsome Hard shares Johnson’s affection for the president (he contributed $2,000 to Bush’s reelection campaign in 2004), one Austin social observer doubts that their relationship is going anywhere. “If Rhett hasn’t married her by now, he never will,” says the source. “Karen has never been married. She’s what I call a serial dater.”

[underpants]

1. Rhett Hard??? You have to be kidding

I googled it

Nothing

[Captain Hilts]

Sound's like a porn star's name, doesn't it? nt

[underpants]

4. Almost like a joke on a fake porn name

Oh well

[htuttle]

6. Check the adult film actor database for him

Just a guess...

:shrug:

[OneTwentyoNine]

22. BAWHaaaaaa.....Remember the bit on Mad TV about porno names?

Jesus....someone applying for a new name should have used this one. Hahahahaha..........

[grasswire]

2. well, well.....

...here's a pic of Rove's apparent girlfriend.

[electropop]

3. Rhett Hard?

What kind of movies would he star in? :evilgrin:

[klook]

5. This is from Lynne Cheney's new novel, right?

"Rhett Hard, a handsome ranch foreman..." LOL

[Tesla]

9. He's probably the only "Hard" thing Lynne has seen in years!!!

[Captain Hilts]

14. Cheney's novel leads wouldn't be much interested in Rhett Hard...

if I recall correctly.

Lynne likes 'girl on girl' action, as does one of her daughters...

writes its own joke.

[ewagner]

7. This is a joke right?

It's a spoof of some kind isn't it?

[underpants]

8. Oh I am sure someone actually likes Rove

someone...uh pretty much has to.....don't they?

[applegrove]

10. Is this a dupe? Based on the name of her cowboy beau?

[efhmc]

11. Hint, someone who OWNS a ranch and runs livestock is a rancher.

Someone who WORKS for that person is not.

[robbedvoter]

12. I prefer Buck Naked, but smooth way to suggest Karl is heterosexual

How comes we never heard of karl's women before? After all, he was a sympatetic character on "That's My Bush' a show where he worked as a consultant. Where was his teevee "Karen Soft"?
Also, check their previous Rove piece "A Fork in the Rove" if you doubt that they are actually trying to prop him
http://www.radaronline.com/fresh-intelligence/2005/07/26/index.php#report_001974

[Jane Austin]

16. I wondered about this, too.

First we heard of her, she'd flown up to D.C. to attend some function with Rove.

This came on the heels of lots of "Rove is gay" speculation, here and elsewhere.

The tactic of putting it out there that he is an adulterer (and therefore not gay - whew!) has the Rovian stamp all over it.

Think back to the Dan Rather thing.

Rather was about to come out with the AWOL story, and suddenly there's a fake document in his hand, supposedly documenting the AWOL bad news for bush.

This is how Rove does things. Bad news coming out? Pre-empt it with FAKE bad news that will garner all the coverage instead.

It's the way Rove does things.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

13. "a serial dater.”? I wonder,

what would the "family values" people would call her?

[cassiepriam]

15. So you get a $1million a year for being Rove's girlfriend??

[mitchum]

23. Hell, she's still underpaid for that loathsome duty

[cassiepriam]

24. Really. There isn't enough money on the planet to take that job.

[Cactus44]

17. Well, at least his name is Rhett and not Richard, right?

<rimshot>

[Jacobin]

18. I thought Rove was married?

:shrug:

Family values anyone?

[cassiepriam]

20. Only dems have to be faithful, follow rules.

[Jacobin]

21. How could I have forgotten

:crazy:

[stevedeshazer]

19. I think most women would dump a guy about to enter prison, don't you?

:)

[cassiepriam]

25. Has Fitz talked to her? Might find some interesting pillow talk?