Not long ago I did a piece on the sandbagging words of key Bush cabinet leaders. Condi Rice and Robert Gates offered the most imprecise language regarding the sobering fields of Afghanistan and Iraq. The likely author of those words spoke to conservatives in Canada. Karl Rove had much to say:
Karl Rove, the Republican political strategist often described as President George W. Bush's "brain," says his Svengali image is a media fallacy. "I'm a myth. I'm Grendel in Beowulf. Nobody has really seen me. But they think of me often."
Rove made the comparison to Grendel, the monster-like character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf who is feared by all but Beowulf, when asked about his role in the 2004 election, "But I like the myth. Keep it going, it adds to my shelf life."
Later in his talk, Rove defended the President on Iraq. The language he used sounded similar to Ms. Rice's and Dr. Gate's. Here it is:
"I think we're seeing the emergence of a potentially stable democracy in the heart of the Middle East."
Hedging his words and his bets? After five years we're now "seeing, emergence, potentially"? Sorry Karl, I didn't buy Condi's or Bob's. Why should I buy yours? My exploration of your style of politics shows it to be well out of date, at least for most citizens.
Karl Rove, the Republican political strategist often described as President George W. Bush's "brain," says his Svengali image is a media fallacy. "I'm a myth. I'm Grendel in Beowulf. Nobody has really seen me. But they think of me often."
Rove made the comparison to Grendel, the monster-like character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf who is feared by all but Beowulf, when asked about his role in the 2004 election, "But I like the myth. Keep it going, it adds to my shelf life."
Later in his talk, Rove defended the President on Iraq. The language he used sounded similar to Ms. Rice's and Dr. Gate's. Here it is:
"I think we're seeing the emergence of a potentially stable democracy in the heart of the Middle East."
Hedging his words and his bets? After five years we're now "seeing, emergence, potentially"? Sorry Karl, I didn't buy Condi's or Bob's. Why should I buy yours? My exploration of your style of politics shows it to be well out of date, at least for most citizens.
