Karl Rove sees what he likes

By Libby

This interview with Karl Rove at GQ is already generating some buzz at Memeorandum. It was a long and fascinating exchange with some decent questions. Everyone seems to have their favorite quote and Karl's wankery is already being dissected by the wonks. Leaving the debunking to them, my personal favorite speaks to how he justifies his own existence.

So there's good calculating and bad calculating?
Absolutely.

I'm sure that I don't need to tell you Karl believes his calculating is good and Democrats' calculating is bad. But I do wonder what benefit he calculated from giving this interview. It certainly wasn't to promote his new book.

What's your goal with this book? You intend to set the record straight, as you see it? Absolutely, absolutely. Sure. You bet. I intend to set the record straight.

I imagine you're going to have a lot to say.
Yeah, exactly. Available soon for $29.95…. I gotta go! I gotta go!

So why do you suppose he was willing to give away the 'family secrets' at this moment in time? Call me paranoid but I never underestimate the long range thinking of Rove. I have to believe he had a reason and I wonder what it was.

Comments

[ChenZhen]

He's already said too much.

[Libby]

But that's the point. He doesn't do anything without calculating the results so why is he spilling all this "wisdom"?

[Dan]

Hi Libby. Congrats on the new site!

You didn't mention it in your post but the "off the record" nonsense in the interview needs to be called out. Every time a reporter lets that happen for the sake of gossip or lets a powerful source go anonymous to pass along a piece of self-serving propaganda my soul withers a little.

[Libby Spencer]

Hey Dan. You're right of course that reporters shouldn't use the "anonymous sources" when they're talking to a high level official and there's no good reason for it. But I think the off the record stuff here was just added for the gossip value. It was a cheap ploy and the author shouldn't have mentioned it at all. I let it pass this time because the interview on the whole was pretty good.

[jules_siegel]

Your fame grows, my dear Libby. Your post was featured in Joan Stivers' NLTON newsletter.

[Libby]

Hey Jules. Nice to see you here and thanks for the heads up.