Steve Clemons on Rove..Grand Jury assembles again on Wed.

[Gloria]

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001395.php

Karl Rove: Don't Plan on AEI Speech Being His Last Word

Wednesday this week, the Valerie Plame grand jury will assemble again, and that might be the day that Jason Leopold's report on Rove's indictment last Friday either makes global news or fizzles out.

While I haven't been in the position to work my own sources who have been close to the Fitzgerald investigation, one of the nuances of the Rove-watching I have done in the past may be in play here.

A week before the 2004 presidential election, Rove was decidedly despondent. His numbers showed him that John Kerry was likely going to win, but the furor about Teresa Heinz Kerry's comments about Laura Bush as well as a last minute Osama bin Laden video gave momentum to a turn-around that Rove saw unfold in the last few days before the race. According to those around him, his mood turned cheery and upbeat, really rather than falsely up, and TWN reported this.

Likewise, before the Libby indictment -- about a week before -- when Libby had received a letter notifying him of his pending indictment and Rove had not, Rove's mood reportedly shifted from utter despondency to a much more positive mood. And this indicator proved correct and was also reported on TWN before the five count indictment was handed down. Rove missed the bullet that day, and Libby was taken down.

I don't have a good read on Rove's spirits today, but what is suspicious is the degree to which the White House spin machine has gone out of its way to show Rove as calm, in control, witty. . .up.

He was ebullient -- too much so -- in his AEI speech today. And AP is pushing a line that Rove's retainers are in unison divulging how "unfazed" the guy is about the Fitzgerald investigation.

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[Gloria]

1. And this--about how there's no evidence that Dems aren't beating Rove yet.

....Rove apparently gave a humdinger of a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, and some are clucking that this could be the last word from Bush's "architect".

If indicted, Rove will send Bush's favorability levels to astounding lows for the self-proclaimed "war-time" President. But while distracted by legal matters, Rove will no doubt likely to lurk behind the scenes of Republican grand strategy for some time. He's a real genius when it comes to knowing how to gut the Democratic party and call the issues that get the Republican 'base' to turn out.

Clearly, Rove & Co. are weakened, but those challenging today's status quo -- whether as dissident Republicans or Democrats -- make a major mistake underestimating Rove's strategic political senses -- in or out of the White House.

The best way to beat Rove is to out-Rove him and Bush's fellow travelers, but there is scant evidence that that is happening yet.

[magellan]

2. If he ain't worried he ain't paying attention

The long arm of the law is hunting him. Will it tap him on the shoulder or walk on by? Time will tell. I can't think he'll escape unless he rolls on Cheney.

Thanks for the optimistic read.

[Tiggeroshii]

3. very interesting.

let's hope good stuff happens.

[bleever]

4. "...what is suspicious is the degree to which the White House spin machine

has gone out of its way to show Rove as calm, in control, witty...up."


While TWN is a great source, IMO, his conclusion about no one having out-Roved Rove yet may be immaterial, as Rove's world is lawless politics, and he is now subject to the world of plain law.

[WiseButAngrySara]

5. "The only way to beat Rove is to out-Rove him"...That calls for an evil

mind! Only rare minds can come up with the horrid political tricks this B*tard uses, thank God. That's why most of us are not sociopaths.

Thanks for the post. I so hope that Leopold wasn't Rathered.

:kick and R!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

6. He hasn't checked his own sources, but...... Yeah, okay. Next.