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Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime political guru, refused to obey an order to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday. Rove's lawyer asserted that Rove was "immune" from the subpoena the committee had issued, arguing that the committee could not compel him to testify due to "executive privilege." The panel is investigating allegations that Rove and his White House allies dismissed U.S. attorneys and prosecuted officials who they saw as political opponents. The panel subpoenaed Rove in May after his lawyer, Robert D. Luskin, made clear the former White House deputy chief of staff would not appear voluntarily. Luskin...

Washington (AP) Karl Rove says he didn't interfere with the Justice Department's prosecution of a former Alabama governor. President Bush's former chief political adviser told ABC's "This Week" program today that he only learned about the investigation and indictment of Don Siegelman "by reading about it in the newspaper." Siegelman was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a 2006 bribery conviction. He was released in March thanks to a federal appeals court ruling. He has accused Republican operatives of pushing his prosecution. Rove also told ABC today that it will be up to the courts to decide...

The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former White House adviser Karl Rove as part of its inquiry into whether the Bush administration politically meddled at the Justice Department. Accusations of politics governing decisions at the agency led to the resignation of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The subpoena issued Thursday orders Rove to testify before the House panel on July 10. He is expected to face questions about the White House's role in firing nine U.S. attorneys in 2006 and the prosecution of former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama, a Democrat.

The House Judiciary Committee threatened Thursday to subpoena former White House adviser Karl Rove if he does not agree by May 12 to testify about former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman's corruption case. In a letter to Rove's attorney, committee Democrats called it "completely unacceptable" that the Republican political strategist has rejected the panel's request for sworn testimony even as he discusses the matter publicly through the media. "We can see no justification for his refusal to speak on the record to the committee," the letter states. "We urge you and your client to reconsider ... or we will have no...

One of the main themes of my new book, Right Is Wrong, is the role the media have played in allowing the lunatic fringe now in control of the Republican Party -- the people who believe in torture but don't believe in evolution -- to hijack our democracy. I document how the real problem comes not from Fox News or the likes of Limbaugh and O'Reilly, but from a mainstream media that has so internalized the Right's framing and messages they have now become a part of its DNA. And the media seem intent on confirming this point again and...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- The House Judiciary Committee is taking Karl Rove up on an offer to testify about claims that he influenced a federal corruption case against former Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama. The committee on Thursday asked former White House adviser Rove to appear under oath soon. The panel also wants the Justice Department's inspector general to investigate allegations that political motivations drove the Siegelman case and several other . . .

Rove a big draw with youth By Salena Zito TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, March 3, 2008 Karl Rove suspects some members of the sold-out crowd coming to see him tonight at the University of Pittsburgh might only be interested in seeing if he has horns and a tail. "I always get the occasional lunatic ranting and raving, but most people want to hear what I have to say and want to ask questions," the former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to President George W. Bush said Sunday. "That is when we get engaged in a dialogue about things they want...

Will American politics ever be sexy? Violet Blue thinks Elliott's new book might make it so - Local writer Stephen Elliott has never been the kind of boy to hold back. That is, unless he's all tied up, literally. The New York Times Book Review called his book "Happy Baby," "surely the most intelligent and beautiful book ever written about juvenile detention centers, sadomasochism and drugs." In 2003, Elliott went all gonzo on us and went on the road with John Kerry's presidential campaign, detailing every angry inch in "Looking Forward to It: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying...

Wallingford, Conn. (AP) -- Following protests from students, former presidential adviser Karl Rove has withdrawn as this year's commencement speaker at a prestigious prep school, the school's headmaster said Monday. The choice of Rove as speaker for the June commencement at Choate Rosemary Hall had led some students to plan to walk out of the ceremony. Others had sought to bring comedian Stephen Colbert to campus for an alternate speech. Instead of commencement, Rove now will speak at the school on Feb. 11, headmaster Edward J. Shanahan said. Shanahan said he will deliver the commencement address at the school, the...

President Bush, down and all but counted out by friend and foe alike just three months ago, is rising like a bloodied but unbowed prizefighter, and Karl Rove predicts peril for Republicans and their presidential nominee if they shun the lame-duck president on the campaign trail. The president had been pummeled ever since Democrats retook control of Congress in January, but he has pushed ahead with his second-term agenda on issues ranging from opposing federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, pushing for peace in the Middle East and establishing security in Iraq. Some in his own party broke with him...

Less than three months after he left his post as the White House’s deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove has agreed to become a Newsweek contributor and will pen opinion pieces for the magazine and its Web site. Rove will turn out several columns on the 2008 campaign up until inauguration day, according to the Washington Post. In a statement, Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham said: “Newsweek has a long tradition of asking practitioners and opinion-makers to offer our readers the benefits of their experience in occasional opinion essays. “Whether one agrees or disagrees with Karl, there is no arguing that...

Egypt (AP) - Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden plans a new video addressing the American people regarding the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, terror monitoring groups said Thursday. SITE Intelligence Group said an Internet announcement of the plan included a photo of the al-Qaida leader from the upcoming video—his beard, which in previous messages had been streaked with gray, was entirely dark.

Crawford, Texas (AP) -- Master GOP strategist Karl Rove won't let up in his attacks on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, but the intriguing question is why. Is it a sign that Rove, who masterminded Bush's two presidential victories, is worried about Clinton? Or a calculation that the GOP attacks will get Democrats to rally to her side because the GOP would prefer not to take on Democrats John Edwards or Barack Obama? "The Democrats are going to choose a nominee. I believe it's going to be her," President Bush's departing political adviser said Sunday, noting her negative rating...

You have many things for which you can be deeply grateful. Here is one of the biggest: Yep, you've done some horrible things in your life. Embarrassing things. Stupid. Mean. Violent, even. Eaten dirt. Smacked a baby. Kicked a kitten. Stomped some flowers. Stole. Lied. Cheated. Beat up a tree. Spit instead of swallowed. Drank bad wine. Voted Republican. Shared a needle. Promised to call and then didn't. You know, the usual. But maybe some of these things now make you cringe and recoil and slump down a little lower in your chair when you think about them, because, well,...

GEORGE W. Bush ran for president promising to be a "uniter, not a divider." That didn't happen. I asked top Bush adviser Karl Rove - the man who didn't deliver national unity and has announced he is leaving the White House - over the phone Monday: Why? "I think a number of Democrats never accepted (Bush) as legitimate and instead adopted a strategy of blind obstructionism," he answered. Moreover, some Democrats "hated" Bush, and they were joined by a group of Democrats who "for tactical reasons, said that we can never give (Bush) a political victory, and anything that passes...

Thus The Economist sums up what it calls "a new blow to an increasingly isolated White House," although, it adds, he "may have outlived his usefulness" (especially after the 2006 GOP drubbing) Despite the pledge of undying friendship from a "grim-faced" President Bush, "Rove leaves the White House in anything but victory," opines Adam Nagourney at the New York Times. His legendary reputation was seriously diminished by the Republican defeat in the 2006 midterm elections, and has been eroded almost every day since then, . . .

Reaction to Karl Rove's announcement Monday that he is resigning as President Bush's top political strategist: ___ Karl Rove was an architect of a political strategy that has left the country more divided, the special interests more powerful, and the American people more shut out from their government than any time in memory. — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. ___ We worked together so we could be in a position to serve this country. And so I thank my friend. I'll be on the road behind you here in a little bit. — President Bush. ___ Mr. Roves apparent attempts...

CBS) NEW YORK What was thought to be a violently windy thunderstorm that plowed through Brooklyn Wednesday morning turned out to be a weather event of historical proportions. The National Weather Service confirmed that the storm brought with it Brooklyn's first ever tornado since such weather events were recorded. Officials measured it to be an EF2 twister, characterized by winds of anywhere from 111 to 135 miles per hour.

NewYorker article. Only link allowed by Excerpt and Link rules. Interesting material inside. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/06/04/070604fa_fact_goldberg?printable=true

Did terrorists cause SF's freeway meltdown? How about your lousy haircut? Spilled coffee? Sure! This is how it works: Random accidents happen all across America, every single minute. Water mains burst, light bulbs pop, smoke alarms wail, bad haircuts resound, you run out of hot water in the shower and the evil coldness rains down upon your humble flesh and your nipples are like oh my God someone please make it stop. It gets worse. Traffic accidents wreak havoc, fires erupt in old buildings, trees fall and sinkholes collapse and birds die and Britney shows the world far too much...

The flap over the firing of eight federal prosecutors last year may be the Democrats' best chance to get White House political adviser Karl Rove out of their way before the 2008 elections. [SNIP] "He beats Democrats, and they hate it. He outthinks them, outflanks them and outworks them," said Mr. Barton, who once was a client of Mr. Rove's direct-mail company back in Texas during the 1980s. Democrats beg to differ. In their view, Mr. Rove succeeded in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections by dirty tricks along with smart tactics, and has continued to ignore ethics, and even...

Political activity by White House probed By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer 22 minutes ago A little-known federal investigative unit has launched a probe into allegations of illegal political activity within the executive branch, including a White House office led by President Bush's close adviser, Karl Rove. The new investigation, which began several weeks ago, grew out of two other investigations still under way at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel: the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias from New Mexico and a presentation by Rove aide J. Scott Jennings to political appointees at the General Services Administration on how...

Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House. Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again. Mr Gore, President Bill Clinton's deputy, has said he wants to concentrate on publicising the need to combat climate change, a case made in his film, An Inconvenient Truth, which won him an Oscar this year. But, aware that he may step into the...

Harry Reid is Wrong, the War on Terror is Right. Senator Harry Reid must be forced to resign for telegraphing U.S. defeat to our enemy before the fact. Vietnam was a defeat because we quit. Iwo Jima would have been a Vietnam, except we didn't quit. Normandy would have been a Vietnam, except we didn't quit. South Korea would have been a Vietnam, except we didn't quit. Iraq is not a Vietnam until we quit. Every battle that the U.S. has fought and not quit has become a mark of honor to our nation. The war in Vietnam is a...

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- President George W. Bush used his recess-appointment power to override Democrats' objections and install three significant appointees in office. The three were Susan Dudley, a conservative academic nominated to be the White House regulatory czar; Republican fundraiser Sam Fox, a contributor to the controversial Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, whom Bush had chosen to be ambassador to Belgium; and Andrew Biggs, an advocate of private accounts for Social Security, whom Bush had picked as deputy commissioner at the Social Security Administration. (This story and related background material will be available on The Wall Street Journal Web site,...

Karl Rove fathered Anna Nicole Smith’s baby. In an unforgettable night fueled by alcohol, lust, a lion tamer outfit, a failed attempt to freebase "Sweettarts", an Al Franken blow-up doll and some crimes against nature with a very confused puffer fish, Karl fathered her child. I think we should all be ashamed of Mr. Rove (how much is she worth again?). Now, admittedly, there is no crime in having sex with Anna Nicole Smith. If that were illegal most of the Western Hemisphere’s male population would be perp walked into a future of Federal incarceration that includes forced labor, strained...

Ok, eminem he is not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYZre8kEsuw Rich old white people should take notice: DO NOT RAP!

The House Judiciary Committee could vote as early as Tuesday to subpoena Karl Rove, White House deputy chief of staff, and Harriet Miers, former White House counsel, as part of the panel's probe into their role in the recent firing of eight U.S. attorneys. E-mails released this week show that Rove was aware of January 2005 discussions within the White House to fire all 93 U.S. attorneys, contradicting earlier White House statements about when and how much Rove was involved in the issue. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) was told by White House Counsel Fred Fielding on Friday...

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove sharply dismissed an allegation Thursday that he was behind a 2000 rumor that Sen. John McCain was the father of an illegitimate African-American child. "That is absolutely not true, and I take offense," Rove said in response to a question during an appearance at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. "If you have any bit of evidence that anybody connected with the Bush campaign was involved in that, you bring it forward, because it is a reckless charge." Watch Video:

WASHINGTON - White House political adviser Karl Rove raised questions in early 2005 about replacing some federal prosecutors but allowing others to stay, an e-mail exchange released Thursday shows. "Karl Rove stopped by to ask you (roughly quoting) 'how we planned to proceed regarding US Attorneys, whether we were going to allow all to stay, request resignations from all and accept only some of them, or selectively replace them, etc.,'" Colin Newman, a staffer in the office of counsel to the president, wrote to a colleague. The one-page document, which spans e-mails between the White House and the Justice Department...

E-mail indicates Rove role in firings By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 15 minutes ago White House political adviser Karl Rove raised questions in early 2005 about replacing some federal prosecutors but allowing others to stay, an e-mail released Thursday shows. The one-page document, which spans e-mails between the White House and the Justice Department in January 2005, also indicates Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was considering a range of options in dismissing U.S. attorneys early in President Bush's second term. But it concludes with Gonzales' top aide warning that an across-the-board housecleaning "would certainly send ripples through the U.S....

White House senior adviser Karl Rove says that the 2008 presidential candidates have been pushed into such an early focus on tactics, fundraising and publicity that they risk a backlash from voters long before the first primary ballots are cast. "I think it is going to mean that people develop a persona earlier and wear out their welcome earlier than they would," he told The Politico in an interview. "I think there's going to come some point this year where people are going to basically be saying: 'I'm largely disinterested in the contest.' '' But Rove doubts that will slow...

The president's political guru—and counselor Dan Bartlett—have been subpoenaed by Scooter Libby's lawyers. What it means for the most-watched trial in Washington—and who's next on the witness stand. - White House anxiety is mounting over the prospect that top officials—including deputy chief of staff Karl Rove and counselor Dan Bartlett-may be forced to provide potentially awkward testimony in the perjury and obstruction trial of Lewis (Scooter) Libby. Both Rove and Bartlett have already received trial subpoenas from Libby’s defense lawyers, according to lawyers close to the case who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive matters. While that is...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARL CHRISTIAN ROVE!!! Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) is an American political consultant, and (as of 2005) U.S. President George W. Bush's senior advisor, chief political strategist, and Deputy White House Chief of Staff in charge of policy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Rove

Democrats stop celebrating, and Republicans, don't despair. I know the Democrats won the recent election on paper, but in the long run the Republicans just might be the big winners of Election 2006. In fact, I think the Republicans set the whole thing up so the Democrats could fail over the next two years, which will bring about a big Republican presidential win in 2008. What other explanation is there? I mean, do you think that Karl Rove and the rest of the Republican brain trust suddenly got stupid? I don't think so. Iraq Iraq looks like a no-win situation....

Rove Sells Election Spin; Some in GOP Aren't Buying By Kenneth T. Walsh 25 minutes ago White House political architect Karl Rove is back on the offensive, offering an aggressively positive spin on last Tuesday's elections. He is telling GOP operatives and organizers that things weren't as bad as they seemed and that the news media have been exaggerating the extent of GOP losses. "There was a rush to say there was a huge wave against the Republican Party," says a Republican strategist who is close to Rove. "That was premature." For example, Rove says many races went down to...

In the wake of their Tuesday catastrophe, angry conservatives are pointing fingers in every direction. They blame corrupt congressmen, terrible Donald Rumsfeld, the stumbling president, their disaffected rank and file. They blame social conservatives, neoconservatives, moderate conservatives, and big-government conservatives. But are they blaming "the architect"? I wondered how Karl Rove's reputation withstood the Tuesday thumping. Are Republicans holding their top political strategist responsible for the midterm fiasco? It turns out there are plenty of reasons to blame Rove if you're of a mind to. Here are a few: 1. After the national horror of 9/11, Rove chose to please...

In January, Karl Rove, the president’s chief political strategist, gave a speech that epitomized his breezy confidence about the future for the party. Republicans had gone from being “a minority party with little influence to one that is broad and inclusive, self-assured and optimistic, forward-leaning and dominant.” That speech now seems sepia tinted. The mood of the party is instead pessimistic, defensive and lacking in confidence. The congressional losses mark the most serious political defeat for the man who was the architect of two presidential election victories. Will Mr Rove’s reputation as a peerless strategist survive it? President George W...

Nov. 7, 2006— Will it rain on the Democrats' parade? Although most experts predict heavy voter turnout in today's midterm elections, some of the most hotly contested races in Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and New Jersey could be affected by bad weather. And some experts say that, based on history, Republicans should pray for rain. Brad Gomez, an assistant professor at the University of Georgia, examined weather data and its impact on elections in a study titled "The Effect of Bad Weather on Voter Turnout and Partisan Vote Share in U.S. Presidential Elections, 1948-2000." Gomez concluded that when it rains,...

Karl Rove Announces Plans to Steal Election David Swanson Let's Try Democracy October 26, 2006 Now, this could be seen as the obsessive lying of a political hack, were it not for the fact that Rove's party has stolen elections in 2000, 2002, and 2004, has recently increased dramatically the opportunities for election fraud (with new machines, new ID requirements, new purging techniques), and has already begun dirty tricks in a number of states (including machine foul ups already in Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Illinois, and the U.S. military). Rove's strategy is clearly to steal the elections and to put forth...

So what have you done to send cool vibes today to our great leader and Grand Overlord, Karl Rove? (And p.o. a Democrat in the process?) Me, I've sacrificed two live chickens in a Santeria ritual! In their dying clucks, I felt the power of eeeeeevil in their blood. Post your support to Darth Rove! The Dark Side of the Force is calling you!SUPPORT YOUR MAGNIFICENT BASTARD! YAA-HOO!

SEATTLE ? Warm rainstorms subsided Tuesday after causing mudslides and warnings of record flooding to western Washington, killing at least one person and forcing rescues by the National Guard. The National Weather Service reduced flood forecasts along at least one major river, the Skagit, after rapidly rising rivers caught hundreds of residents by surprise in low-lying areas. Mud and rock slides blocked a number of highways and delayed an Amtrak passenger train. One record fell by nightfall Monday as the flow on the south fork of the Snoqualmie River east of Seattle reached 51,970 cubic feet per second, exceeding the...

52nd coolest October on record (1895-2006). All regions near to or below normal temperature (first time since February 2003 with no regions above average temperature). Only 2 states above normal temperatures in October: New Hampshire and Texas. 12th wettest October for U.S. Fourth wettest October on record for the Northeast Region. Maine ranked 2nd wettest October. Regionally, wet in Southwest, South, Central, Southeast and Northeast

Editor's note: On Monday, Karl Rove joined Hugh Hewitt on his radio program to discuss polliing, House races, the Senate and all things Election 2006. The transcript follows: HH: Hello, Karl. KR: How are you, man? HH: Great, thank you. Karl, you’ve been an optimist. What sort of data do you have? And what’s it telling you to justify that optimism? KR: Well, for the past six weeks or so, I’ve been looking at as many as 68 polls every week, for as many as 68 races for the House, the Senate and governorships. And so I see the national...

WASHINGTON - Democrats eased expectations yesterday for seizing the Senate, as last-minute polls showed key contests tightening across the country. "We have never said we are going to take control of the Senate," insisted Sen. Charles Schumer, who heads the Democratic campaign organization, showing less bravado than he did last week. "We have said we're on the edge. That's where we are."

WASHINGTON — As Republican strategists make last-minute preparations for Election Day, checking voter lists and calling supporters, they might want to consider an unorthodox tactic: a rain dance. A new study of voter behavior confirms something political operatives have long suspected: rain hurts Democrats and helps Republicans. The study found that 1 inch of rain reduces overall turnout by slightly less than 1 percent and cuts the Democratic vote by 2.5 percentage points. “Rain does have a significant effect decreasing the Democratic vote share,” said Brad Gomez, a visiting professor of political science at the University of Georgia who co-authored...

Sen. John Kerry's gaffe that Americans who do not do well in school end up in Iraq has triggered deep doubts among some independent voters about voting Democratic in the elections, according to a new Pew poll. The poll found that 18 percent of independent voters -- considered pivotal in today's congressional elections -- said they had "serious doubts about voting for a Democratic candidate" because of Mr. Kerry's comments last week. For most of this year, polls have shown independent voters supporting Democrats by lopsided margins, but yesterday's Pew poll said the Republicans "have made major gains, in a...

On my show. The first half of the first hour, and I'll replay the segments in the third hour. A transcript will be up here asap. Fair use granted provided there is attribution. The bottom line: Good momentum in most places,a surprising surge in Michigan, hope for Santorum and DeWine. Much much more. Listen or read. Tomorrow's headlines today. That's what we do. UPDATE: The transcript is up. Some key excerpts (but you should read the whole thing): On the Senate races: [T]here will be a Republican Senate. On tomorrow's "reporting" of "early data": We should be on guard against...

Do you need some motivation to get you to the polls today? I do. And here's mine. As you know, I've been extremely disappointed by the Republicans who have been in control of Congress and the presidency since 2001. They waited far too long to act on border security. They increased spending beyond imagination. Far too often, they talked and acted like Democrats. I've been a strong advocate of not voting for the lesser to two evils as a means of stimulating more competition in the political marketplace. But I'd like to present the other side of that story today,...

Anyone who needs a place to chat about the election,PLEASE COME HERE! I am so nervous and excited, I can't sleep ( east coast). Anyone want to join me, until we can fall asleep?I am tired of refreshing threads, Yes this is a Vanity, but not of Drama Queen proportions (think DU...not.) I am just not ready to call it a night. I want to hear anything exciting a positive about your area of the country!