“The sword of Damocles hanging over Rove”

[Me.]

FDL's take on an article in Mother Jones

“Although it is astounding that Rove would blatantly describe such a despicable ethos (if you can call it that), it should not have been unexpected. In the world of campaign politics that Rove has so long inhabited, smears and personal attacks are designed to seem as if they were spontaneously generated. They can then wander around, undirected, until they finally curl up in America's living rooms like so many mysterious, uninvited guests. These intruders may be rude and destructive, but no one is supposed to be able to get rid of them, in part because no one is supposed to be able to sort out or pinpoint how they got there in the first place. Thus, although Karl Rove has lurked in the background of an unprecedented number of whisper and smear campaigns -- that, for instance, John McCain had an illegitimate child (a rumor spread during the Republican primaries that preceded the 2000 election), or that former Texas Governor Ann Richards was a lesbian (a persistent rumor that was spread during Bush's Texas gubernatorial campaign) -- he has never been held accountable. And that is a state of affairs to which Rove became accustomed.

Rove has escaped responsibility for his sneaky campaign tricks because the candidates for whom he has worked -- most prominently, George Bush -- have had a stunning ability to accept, unquestioningly, the miraculous appearance of information that takes down their opponents. They had no problem about endorsing brazen dishonesty or the least interest in ferreting out bad actors in their camps. At the same time, opposing candidates have had neither the resources, nor the time to fully investigate the attacks before plummeting in the polls. Afterwards, of course, it was already far too late.

If you think for a moment that a man like Patrick Fitzgerald will allow a person who he believes to be guilty to walk free if there is anything that he can do to bring about justice against that individual, then you know nothing at all about what it means to be a true prosecutor. The bile that rises up in my throat at the thought of Rove's machinations -- through the years, but especially in outing a CIA NOC purely for political payback purposes (and potentially for the broader purpose of bringing the CIA to heel) -- I can't even describe it.

For Fitz and his team, having immersed themselves in this world for the last months and having seen how these people operate, the fiduciary obligation to the citizens of this nation taking a seat far behind the needs of political expediency for this President and his corrupt band of Machiavellian cronies, their ends justifies the means no matter what the damn cost methodology -- if you think for one moment that a man like Pat Fitzgerald and his staff aren't completely disgusted...well, you are just hopeless.” Cont…

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/

[kohodog]

1. The recent revelations seem to back this up.

Now that it looks like Cheney and Bush are in the line of fire I see how this may enter into Fitzgerald's strategy. If this goes to completion Rove will not escape justice except for a reduced sentence for his plea and implication of his superiors (?)!

[xray s]

2. unfortunately the pardons in January '09 will set them all free

Rove. Scooter. DeLay. Kenny Boy.

They will all get their get out of jail free cards as Bush sashays out the WH door one last time.

I am sure of this. As sure as I am that his old man did it in '89.

[Virginia Dare]

6. The difference is..

The old man knew how not to leave a paper trail, and cleanly dispose of anybody who might talk, not sure this bunch does, their own arrogance might do them in.

[Me.]

18. Their Arrogance Is Astounding

And because they didn't think they had to cover up they didn't do it until too late.

[Tigress DEM]

17. He can't sashay if he gets IMPEACHED first....

This dirt being dug up can be used --- BETTER BE USED by the House Of Representatives to bring about IMPEACHMENT.

These boys have played outside the rules and have left their DNA (Do Not Answer) trail on the murders and crimes they have committed. See when they had all these people cover things up, it just means there are lots of people who will be able to turn them in to get a break on their own convictions and sentences.

Today.

Bush-Blair memo that shows Bush lied us into war. In his own words.
Conyers is already aware of it.
Olbermann supposedly covered it.
USA Today had an article about it.
Bush has a scandal of 83+ American Female soldiers raped by our own men - some died
Tax cuts passed for the rich put us in bankruptcy
Bush already abandoned his "military leaders will make decision" position
He's still spying on Americans.
Um. Katrina.
Abrahmoff - got pictures?
If he was part of Plamegate, it's hasta la bye bye.

Cheney has had his hands in all kinds of messes
He's in trouble with Fitz too for emails he DELETED.
He probably gave the actually instructions. It's his MO.
8.8 billion lost in Iraq
Approx 1 million in bribe money to Iran for their "nuclear" secrets
Haliburton has been in Iran giving them help to get WMD going.
What about all the crap he put in legislation after votes were cast?

[MissWaverly]

19. we should rebuke the pardons

I was just reading how the Republicans sabotaged an investigation into Iran-Contra by
a filisbuster and by planting false stories in the press. We should never have accepted
the pardons in Iran-Contra, we should not accept pardons of this administration for
the "hoax" that created the Iraq War, outing a Plame agent, election rigging, bribery,
perjury, obstruction of justice, wiretapping or anything else.

[Me.]

23. It's Good To Have A Plan In Place

Just In Case

[MissWaverly]

24. I don't think this is going to happen though

President Ford acted in another era, every American remembers how the Republicans
crucified Clinton over something that had nothing to do with his job as president;
they are not goimg to be too sympathetic to Bushco, they have been bullies and braggerts
and are not likely to get much mercy.

[KoKo]

3. Rove will go free due to Pardon. And he wil appear on Fox News and

be like Newt Gingrich...a LEADER.

It's the way it works with Repugs. They never are held accountable for their lies, trashing of the Constitution, illegal acts, crimes against humanity, etc.

Look at the Watergate folks? Many went on to have popular Radio Shows, one became a minister and influencial in the Evangelical Movement, others went on to Lobby or work in Think Tanks ..behind the scenes.

Very little of Repugs Crimes have ever caused much harm to those involved. If Nixon hadn't died he would have been "rehabed" and maybe run again to avenge his Impeachment.

Kissinger is still out there, Negroponte, Rummy, Cheney and so many who were "studs" in the Nixon years...kids behind the scenes with much power.

Pat Buchanan who every once in awhile says something out of his lying mouth that we Dems fall all over as "Astounding" was one of them who survived. He thinks the "Holocaust" never happened.

These folks are lunatics who've convinced people that "CRIME IS GOOD!" because one lives to fight another day. They've convinced people that it's only Democrats who are evil and that their CRIMES are only the result of EVIL DEMS GONE WILD PERSECUTING THEM!

They tell us "Black is White and White is Black and Up is Down and Down is Up" and they've been doing it for so long with the Mainstream Media's help that most average Americans don't know what the hell to believe anymore..but they go witht he Bully/Strongmen who tell them what is Simple that their minds can wrap around because it "sounds good."

So...Rove will be pardoned and so will Libby and the rest. Wash, Rinse and Repeat. It's the way it's been done for so long that no one knows any different. We need to pull the plug on that tired washing machine so we can get back to a DEMOCRACY...but we out here are powerless to do it, so far. Maybe ONE DAY...they will have to answer to us as we stand there having done the "DEED" of pulling that power plug and they are left out there with no Outlet left to say it in..
:shrug:

[H2O Man]

5. Yes, look at the Watergate boys ....

only one was pardoned. Many went to jail.

[stepnw1f]

13. Only One Was Pardoned... Bummer

:nopity:

[H2O Man]

4. Nominated.

Interesting thread. I think that Mr. Rove has found that the moves he made to protect himself in 2003-4 are now the very things that have trapped him. Because he is used to playing politics, he assumed he was beyond any opponent's reach. In true competition, one must learn to measure the nature of their opposition. There are a couple men who he failed to measure correctly: Mr. Wilson and Mr. Fitzgerald. He played politics on a bigger board .... almost like he brought checkers to a chess match. But this isn't a classroom game, it's a contest in the school of hard knocks, where one must pay for their mistakes. Mr. Rove misjudged the situation.

[Me.]

8. "he brought checkers to a chess match" Explains Alot

They didn't change the rules of the game, they changed the game entirely.

[bleever]

15. "We're bringing the earthmovers in over this one", Rove said

about the Plame case, waaaaay back when it first gained any national notice.

I think you are right on target: Rove will be brought down by the tracks left by the earthmovers.

[burythehatchet]

7. The bile that rises up in my throat at the thought of Rove's machinations

says it all.

[RazzleDazzle]

9. Please post the permalink

[Me.]

11. The Link I Posted Is The Only One I Know How To Do

doesn't it work?

[UTUSN]

10. Can it hang CLOSER and SOONER, please? n/t

[Me.]

12. The Thread Is Fraying

soon it will be the width of a hair.

[stepnw1f]

14. Nominated (nt)

[bleever]

16. Rec'd. Excellent food for any who might despair.

:thumbsup:

[zippy890]

20. here's the original mother jones article

by Elizabeth de la Vega

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2006/02/rove_fitzgerald.html

excellent stuff

[Me.]

21. Agreed

It is excellent

[rodeodance]

22. nominated