"The billionaire donors are livid."

[RandySF]

Many of the lightning bolts were aimed at none other than Karl Rove, the former Bush administration political genius who oversaw the deployment of nearly $400 million in campaign spending through outside groups American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS toward the presidential race and toward numerous Senate and House races.

"The billionaire donors I hear are livid," one Republican operative told The Huffington Post. "There is some holy hell to pay. Karl Rove has a lot of explaining to do … I don't know how you tell your donors that we spent $390 million and got nothing."

Rove even suffered the indignity of being insulted on Twitter by the blustery Donald Trump, who had attended Romney's election night party here on Tuesday night, but left early after it was clear that Obama had won a second term.

"Congrats to @KarlRove on blowing $400 million this cycle. Every race @CrossroadsGPS ran ads in, the Republicans lost. What a waste of money," Trump tweeted, inaccurately.

Crossroads GPS spent money in the Nevada Senate race, where Republican incumbent Sen. Dean Heller defeated Democratic challenger Shelley Berkley. The group also spent money on numerous House races.

Rove was forced to defend his group's expenditures live on Fox News on Tuesday night, and will hold a briefing with top donors on Thursday, according to Politico.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/republican-reckoning-defeat_n_2090510.html

[grasswire]

1. oh god please let someone videotape that briefing

please please please

[Lucinda]

16. +1 - I still hope someone will get Rush talking about duping his listeners some day too

But yep, Rove on video trying to explain this election away would be awesome.

[Mme. Defarge]

28. Can't wait

for the tv dramatization -

[pepperbear]

29. they should be used to the "crapshoot" nature of the our system by now....

seeing as how they've gambled before and won....and lost.

[lunatica]

68. Except they weren't gambling in their minds

When you buy everything in sight you're definitely 'hedging' your bets. You're not letting chance get a chance.

[mac56]

70. +1000

This is about them, expecting a return on their investment.

[pepperbear]

75. good point.

[malaise]

65. +1,000

[RagAss]

2. I wish I was a fly on the wall when he has that meeting with them.

[Lugnut]

26. I'm glad I'm not Karl.

It sucks to be him.

[liberalhistorian]

81. Or a serving person with a

hidden camera!!

[bluestate10]

3. Maybe those billionaires will give Rove a mafia burial at sea. nt

[BouzoukiKing]

30. I can't condone that, sorry.

The carbon dioxide emissions associated with cement are well-known.

[nc4bo]

4. They should also blame themselves right along with KKKarl.

They were the ones who thought they could buy our government with their filthy money and evil, selfish intentions.

Wonder how that Adelson investigation's humming along?

[newspeak]

85. yes, they've got even wealthier because of little boot's obscene tax cuts

they want more and more; while the people have less labor rights and must take shittier jobs without benefits. they want it all--if they funneled money in and didn't get a return; i'm glad. because, that means the MAJORITY of the american people may still have some protection and representation from these goons.

[HangOnKids]

91. Little Boot's Tax Cuts Changed My Family

Those on the receiving end became total assholes. Hated labor before and now loathe it, Really? They were working stiffs once, but money came into the equation it really fucked things up.

[PatSeg]

5. Eventually

Everyone will be held accountable. Rove's day is overdue.

[Barack_America]

6. They spent $390 million -AND- are now going to have to pay higher taxes!

[Cha]

25. $390 Million Down Norquist's Bathtub!

[eShirl]

51. suckers!

[calimary]

73. And they're the ones who insist they're the most fiscally responsible...

Gee, richies - do you always make business deals like that? How is it that you became so successful, with judgment like that? MAN, that's one impressive return-on-investment!

[liberalhistorian]

82. You'd think it would have been cheaper

to have just paid the damn taxes in the first place, like the rest of us do, lol!

[closeupready]

89. Actually, I didn't think of it in those terms, but

honestly, I do think that's correct.

Oh, well. Not feeling any sorrow for them, either way.

[hifiguy]

7. People have wound up in oil drums

for scams involving 1/100 of that mountain of cash. Or even less. If I were KKKarl I'd find a damned good excuse to spend about ten years in Thailand or someplace even further away.

[reformist2]

8. I love that the billionaires are now out in the open about controlling the GOP... LOL!

[CoffeeCat]

14. Good point!

I noticed too that the article included the quote about donors contributing hundreds of millions of dollars and now they'll get nothing.

Wow. Why don't these vampires just come right out and say that they were purchasing our government and our politicians and their votes????

They don't even hide that our government is for sale and that rich people can buy a slice of democracy via campaign contributions.

It's rather sick.

[argiel1234]

32. unfortunately now

those billionaires may be targets

Im certainly not saying its right and I dont condone it

However, they may now be targets for retribution

[Turborama]

45. Unfortunate, how? n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

66. +1.

[Blue Palasky]

47. Well,

Stop trying to cheat.

[magical thyme]

72. I don't think they'll be targets for *retribution* so much as

*redistribution* of their ill-gotten gains!

[caseymoz]

46. What did they expect?

They were so overconfident. They should have known there was a high chance it would fail, but no, they really thought their money could sell Mitt Romney. My father was Madman, and one thing he told me was there are some products that no amount of advertising could sell.

But the problem goes deeper than just Romney as a candidate. Anyone they had running this year would have been just as impossible a sell. Here's the real problem: who in their right mind would vote for John Galt? The people who rise to leadership in conservatism tend to be liars, thieves, idiots or personality disorders. They're not going to be able to field a candidate anybody would vote for.

[reformist2]

69. Yep. Romney was an Edsel.

[Cha]

27. Plutocrats VS We The People

All that Money and all those Lies but we Won!

[PoliticAverse]

9. In the end, the turd did not blossom... n/t

[nc4bo]

11. Sounds like one of our super secret DU codes....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1723445

[spiderpig]

10. My Feel-Good thread of the night

Couldn't happen to a more deserving pack of jackals. (No offense to actual jackals.)

[TTUBatfan2008]

12. So I reckon around Friday we will...

hear news reports that Karl has mysteriously disappeared.

[Canuckistanian]

37. Don't tease us

Tell us you know what's going to happen.....

[lpbk2713]

13. I'm glad twice.

I'm glad they wasted all that money.

And I'm glad they're pissed at Rover.

[Wellstone ruled]

15. Something strange is going to

happen to the Turd Blossum me thinks. Maybe Court House bound finally.

[Prometheus Bound]

17. So sad. Maybe we could hold a bake sale for them or something.

[Jamastiene]

42. ...

You got me. I just woke up. You owe me a new keyboard,

[Mariana]

18. So don't donate to Republicans next time.

Then you won't have this problem.

[BainsBane]

19. Assholes think they can buy anything

America is not for sale.

[tomm2thumbs]

20. He can always sell his body to science

*a. if he believed in science
*b. if they'd pay by the pound (of lies)
*c. if anyone would have it

[orwell]

21. Rove was a big winner...

...I'm sure he padded his pockets.

So was Bain Romney cycling Rove/GPS ad money through his Clear Channel radio empire.

It was a classic grift...

[ToxMarz]

34. I bet he put as much as 25% in his pocket, and I bet they want it back! Hehe!

I think only 50% of those types 'non-profit' can legally be spent on "issues and advocacy" the rest for administrative.

[Zambero]

22. After this fiasco...

how much will they be willing to pony up in 2014? As the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted. I'm thinking that, next time around, these Rove-stiffed deep pocket check writing fools will not be quite as hasty to donate to the "cause", thereby recertifying their fool status.

[Cha]

23. Yeah, somebody/somebodies were being an Ostrich!

Just read this article on Politico.. they actually thought they were going to win(isn't that why mitt didn't have a concession speech ready?) They thought they "had the Women Vote"! Again, Really?

Romney supporters point to a series of brash statements made by advisers that seem out of touch with reality in retrospect. Inside the Beltway, Republicans trained their fire on senior Romney advisers like Ed Gillespie and political director Rich Beeson for appearances on last weekend’s Sunday shows. Gillespie said the electoral map was expanding, and Beeson predicted a 300 electoral vote win for Romney.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251234736

The whole article is Chock Full of "Seriously, dude?"!

Thanks for this one, RandySF

Someday Quack is going to insult the Wrong person..

[fujiyama]

24. Words are unnecessary

Who the hell am I kidding?

[easychoice]

31. Karl! Stay away from Back Hoe's,Airplanes &

late night meetings in poorly lit places. "wink" "wink"

[DollarBillHines]

33. But the skim is in, isn't it Karl?

You got yours, fuck.

You and who? Bobby Jack Perry?

[Canuckistanian]

35. Oh, God

I'd LOVE to be in that room on Thursday to hear Rove get a spanking

I'd pay good money, too

[Incitatus]

36. Fuck them

Billionaires don't have shit to bitch about. The working class trying to pay their mortgage and put food on the table for what the billionaire owners pay them, however....

[Canuckistanian]

38. Rachel said tonight

That Rove should be dreading any call from the 702 area code. That's Las Vegas.

[Zoeisright]

39. It would have been easier to pay your fucking taxes, you blowhards.

I am SO happy about this. Those jackasses wasted their money. Pay your taxes, you cheap brats.

[SammyWinstonJack]

67. +1000!

[closeupready]

90. +1001.

[NBachers]

40. The Very Rich have an underbelly of goons & thugs they use to protect & collect on their investments

Sometimes a little muscle is necessary to recoup money lost or keep people in line.

KKKarl will shit his pants when he finds out what they've got in store for him.

These people don't like themselves being made fools of.

You're walking around with a target on you, Karl

You scammed them for their money

You didn't deliver

You can't hide

[TXDemoGal]

59. KKKarl could probably use some donations of new Undaroos right about now

Couldn't have happened to a nicer Turd(blossom).

[DRoseDARs]

41. Dead man walking. I actually feel sorry for him.

...

Wait, no, that's just gas. My bad.

[lexw]

43. It wasn't just Karl Rove, Romney was a horrible candidate.

If that's the best they can do, than so be it.

[Jamastiene]

44. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

I know Rove won't be walking along in the streets, incoherently muttering to himself anytime soon, but it is good to see him cornered and asked to explain himself, at the very least. If Trump is pissed off at Rove, he had better get his damn birth certificate out and be ready to provide further documents upon request.

[Mopar151]

48. So how many votes did they steal in vain?

And how much vote theft was thwarted? How badly did the poll blocking in Florida backfire?

And, most importantly - how many people hated those friggin' horrid attack ads? The creepy music, that whiny woman's voice, the messages that have had America screaming at their TV's for the last 2 years?

[caseymoz]

49. This might just make them re-consider Citizens United.

They've given just huge amounts of money to media companies. Literally, re-distribution the wealth. They might have been better off paying higher taxes.

[DirtyDawg]

50. I hope...

...they make him squeal like a pig...the shitass.

[Lettusgetogether]

52. He'll Be Back!

He may be bruised but he's not going away as much as I would wish it could be so.
He's a rich man is a much richer crowd, but he'll survive... damn-it!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

55. But he only knows one method. And it's failed him in 06, 08, (10?) & 12

I don't think his efforts made a difference in 2010.

[gtar100]

53. I doubt they're all that worried. They will not be rolling over any time soon.

No time to rest on our laurels.

[NYC Liberal]

54. There's one upside of Citizens United: It let these rich fucks waste $400 million for nothing.

Too bad, so sad.

Money CAN'T buy an election when the people are fired up.

[geomon666]

56. The mob used to make an example out of people who lost their money

Poor Karl.

[queentonic]

57. Rove in Deep Doo-Doo

Rove demonstrates that intelligence is not required to be ruthless. His pathetic response to the Ohio election call on Fox indicates he can't think on his feet. Thursday, when he goes before his donors to defend himself, he'll hear the Trump's famous quote: "You're Fired!! Soon his Super Pac will become a mini pac. It's time for Social Security and Medicare to kick in for you Turd Blossom.

[Raine]

58. Sucks to be Rove better take them some consolation gifts. How about some RR Tshirts

that should help take the sting out of spending $390 million and getting nothing.

[Monk06]

60. "Leave the gun, bring the cannoli."

[DCKit]

61. Yeah, I'm weeping as I type this. nt

[K-Matt]

62. The billionaire donors are LIVER

Chopped, to be specific.

[luckyleftyme2]

63. THIS IS MY POST IN MAINE FORUM

LIKE ALL OF YOU WE HAD A GREAT INFLUX OF PAC MONEY IN OUR STATE! I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE KICKED "ALEC","HERITAGE" AND OF COURSE ALL THE FRONTS THE KOCH BOYS BILLIONAIRE CLUB HAS BUTT! WE TOOK BOTH THE STATE SENATE AND HOUSE BACK!
BUT BEST OF ALL WE SHOWED THEM THE DIFF. BETWEEN A SILENT MAJORITY AND AN ANGRY MAJORITY!
THIS IS MY LATEST POST IN OUR FORUM
" I noticed the lack of those bold blowhards who believed the crap they were spreading before the election! you know the ones that claimed your thoughts were conjecture and theirs were fact! the ones that had a handful of followers who repeated bunk so often it became fact! hmm well Bruce I accomplished what I set out to do-kick your butt of my tax dollar!And you Charlie to sign a pledge to keep grid-lock in place(see ya)! And BILL you would contradict the safety net that the majority of us seniors depend on to keep our homes ,our dignity and our families till the end!(medicare) good riddance to ya! Oh and for you who still haven't got the message its true we aren't the silent majority ! WE ARE THE MAJORITY AND WE WILL PLAY LIKE YOU DID! SO REMEMBER MOST OF US DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR TRASH TALK OR LISTEN TO YOUR WHINING ! ITS NOT CONJECTURE ITS FACT!"
WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR OUR BELIEFS AND INSIST ON THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS TO COMPROMISE-NO MORE GRID LOCK!

[tavalon]

64. Methinks today will not be good day for Turdblossom

[GeorgeGist]

71. Trump, the genius ...

who bankrupted a Casino. Twice.

[randr]

74. When you go to bed with a turd blossom

you wake up with shit on your face.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

76. Bwahahhahaha! Bwahahahhaha! Bwahahahaha!

Oh, I love this. How I love this!

The Republican bitch makers are bitching!

[4_TN_TITANS]

77. A $390 mil ass kicking...

sucks to be him. He had to have thought that the 'fix' was in, but didn't happen.

[demo dutch]

78. Trump probably a big donor

[lpbk2713]

79. Thanks for making my day

I love knowing they lost their ass in more ways than one. I know Rove
spent heavily on negative ads against Florida Senator Bill Nelson because
I would see several of them every day. Nelson won with no problem.

[mick063]

80. That wasn't Rove questioning Fox's call on Ohio

That was Rove begging for his life. Even Kelly was smirking. That smirk seen before the village.stones the lottery loser to death.

[Gregorian]

83. Hey, they played chicken with reality. And lost. Citizens United vs. Reality. Ha...Ha!

It's refreshing to know that gravity still works. You'd never have known it after 8 years of Bullshit.

[librechik]

84. And congratulations to broadcast media, which lapped up a huge proportion of that $$$$

they are laughing all the way to the bank
Except for PBS--please donate to Big Bird today!!!

[closeupready]

87. Separately, I have to confess that

I am getting really satisfying shiver of schadenfreude here.

[Zorra]

88. Occupy

[Blue Owl]

92. Fuck 'em -- let 'em weep on their giant piles of hoarded money

n/t