Rove’s PowerPoint: How Bush’s Architect Has Politicized The Federal Government
Rove’s PowerPoint: How Bush’s Architect Has Politicized The Federal Government
The Washington Post reported today that General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan and Karl Rove deputy Scott Jennings held a videoconference earlier this year “with top GSA political appointees, who discussed ways to help Republican candidates.”
Jennings, the White House’s deputy director of political affairs, gave a PowerPoint presentation on Jan. 26 of polling data about the 2006 elections.
When Jennings concluded his presentation to the GSA political appointees, Doan allegedly asked them how they could “help ‘our candidates’ in the next elections,” according to a March 6 letter to Doan from Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Waxman said in the letter that one method suggested was using “targeted public events, such as the opening of federal facilities around the country.”
These activities are now being investigated as potential violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits partisan campaign activities on federal property.
They are the latest in a series of reports over the last several years about Rove’s controversial PowerPoint presentation:
– In June 2002, during the lead-up to the Iraq war authorization vote, an earlier version of Rove’s PowerPoint titled “The Strategic Landscape” was leaked:
Rove’s private PowerPoint presentations included advice to candidates to “focus on the war” in their fall campaigns. When friends ask whether Bush really plans to invade Iraq, Rove has been known to reply, “Let me put it this way: If you want to see Baghdad, you’d better visit soon.”
– In January 2002, in a case similar to the current GSA controversy, Rove gave his presentation to regulators and policymakers in the Interior Department:
Rove met in January 2002 with Interior Department managers, where he discussed the importance of the regulatory actions in key states…to Republican candidates in the coming elections. The paper says Rove used a PowerPoint presentation also employed to solicit Republican donors.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Rove delivered his presentation after a trip to Oregon, where a Republican senator was facing reelection. “Republican leaders there wanted to support their agricultural base by diverting water from the river basin to nearby farms.” Within months, Rove had delivered his PowerPoint presentation and the Interior Department had authorized the water to be diverted over protests from environmentalists and Indian tribes.
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46 Responses to “Rove’s PowerPoint: How Bush’s Architect Has Politicized The Federal Government”
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KKKarl was just KKKidding.
He would never politicize.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:47 pmRove in 2002: “Let me put it this way: If you want to see Baghdad, you’d better visit soon.†- - Cuz it'll still be dicey in 2007.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:51 pmIf the president's turd-blossum did it . . . .
March 26th, 2007 at 2:52 pmthat means it's not illegal.
I hope the reich-wingers focus on war and the economy. The country is pissed about both.....both talking points are victories for the Democratic Party.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:54 pmwait, let me guess: soon jake will crawl out from under his rock and say something like: "What right does Congress have against PRIVATE power point presentations?! Even McCain-Feingold doesn’t go this far in violating the First Amendment." or some hosesh*t like that. right, jake?
March 26th, 2007 at 2:57 pmHe's a divider, not a uniter.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:58 pmKarl Rove: Guilty of treason against the United States.
[Jake is on my ignore list.]
March 26th, 2007 at 2:58 pmRove in 2002: “Let me put it this way: If you want to see Baghdad, you’d better visit soon.â€
Of coarse they were waiting on the UN inspectors to give some honest assesment of the Iraq WMD situation before they made any decisions right?
More like the intelligence was being fixed around the policy to wage war on Iraq.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:58 pmi meant "horse", but with jake, "hose" may just work...
March 26th, 2007 at 3:00 pmGee, it's great to know that Justice isn't no longer blind but politically biased and tainted with the root of all evils. (greed)
This must be how the Romans destroyed themselves. Pity really.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:04 pmAm I the only person in America who hates Powerpoint?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:08 pmThis is what you end up with when the President of the United States appoints a political hack to a cabinet level position. You get the politicization of the entire government.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:14 pmBTW, just what kind of "executive privilege" is a political hack like Rove entitled to? What advice does a political hack like Rove give to a President that should be protected? Would a political hack be unable to give the President advice on dirty tricks, skullduggery and crimes if he had to testify under oath?
Is the President allowed to keep the testimony of a political dirty trickster as an "executive privilege"?
A political hack is not the Secretary of State, the Vice President, Secretary of Defense, Director of the CIA or any other important, traditional confidant of the President. It doesn’t matter what title the President bestows on a political hack, he’s still nothing more than a dirty, low life, political hack who doesn’t deserve to be hiding behind the cloak of “executive privilegeâ€, period!
I guess that's more of Rove's "The Math (TM)", eh?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:15 pm#11 Deniz Yeter
Nope, I hate it also. In fact, I don't think I've ever used for any presentation. Just give me good old poster board.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:16 pmThis must be how the Romans destroyed themselves. Pity really.
Comment by Zep Tepi
So, who is playing the fiddle?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:16 pmGOP 2002 Strategy -- "Focus on War and Economy"
Dem Current Strategy -- "Focus on War and Economy"
heh.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:18 pmInteresting. It's not ok for Republicans to politicize war, but it's ok for Democrats to.
AND after that horrific pork and run bill the Democrats passed Friday, you better believe their will be a political response. War politics are ugly and change quickly. The Democrats desire for defeat in Iraq will backfire in 2008.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:22 pm...Oh goody...
...another investigation...
Who knows?
...maybe THIS one'll stick...
March 26th, 2007 at 3:23 pmGOP 2002 Strategy — “Focus on War and Economyâ€
Dem Current Strategy — “Focus on War and Economyâ€
heh.
Comment by Midwest Product
No, it should read like this:
Dem Current Strategy - "Focus on ENDING War and RECOVERING Economy"
March 26th, 2007 at 3:23 pmIs that a photo of the Karl stain on our US flag?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:24 pmSo, who is playing the fiddle?
Comment by Proud Dem
Don't think the Romans had fiddles. Maybe it was Pan and a flute.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:25 pmOnly 666 days left until the devil's...excuse me, Bush 'presidency' ends.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:34 pm"It is our job to say we're not
getting over Florida." (last slide in PP Presentation)
Oh. My. God. Now we know why they stole it from Florida in the past few elections. They couldn't gracefully accept a defeat again. Jack a$$e$.
I hate to say that I live in Florida.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:40 pmMore evidence that Democrats are HYPOCRITES.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17801144/
March 26th, 2007 at 3:41 pmI have a poopy diaper.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:41 pmSpeaking of violating obscure laws by politicizing government services, does anybody know if anything happened to Alphonso Jackson, Bush's Housing secretary who admitted cancelling a contract because the winning vendor woiuldn't swear alliegance to the Bushies?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:45 pmLHT,
The aide was carrying the Senators bag that had the gun in it while the Senator was parking the car. The aide had no idea. OOOhhhh. big scandal.
How would that make him a hypocrite anyway?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:49 pmHatch Act Smatch Act, these guys are truly a clASS act!
March 26th, 2007 at 3:49 pmUh-oh--Kyle Sampson to take the fifth. (thanks for the link, poopy pants, it's the banner on top.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:56 pmI do not wear diapers, I wear Depends.
And please free my patriotic heroic friends listed above!!
March 26th, 2007 at 3:56 pm#17 – Compared with the repubs last budget there is no pork in the “war†spending bill. What percentage of this spending bill is actually going to our soldiers and what percent to “contractors� You might as well buy a decal, stick it on the back of your SUV, can call that supporting the troops.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:01 pmLHT, nobody is gonna take you serious with suck stupid nickname.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:01 pm[...] Think Progress: Rove’s PowerPoint: How Bush’s Architect Has Politicized The Federal Government [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:22 pmmore proof that rove eats babies http://karlroveeatsbabies.com/
March 26th, 2007 at 4:25 pmFor the sake of architects everywhere, please stop labeling Rove as an architect!!!!
How about Pompous Portly Puppet master?
How about Captain Enormous Crapface?
Ok, for brevity, how about Hot Karl?
Anything but architect.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:28 pmSweet Chunks:
I think Geppetto would be upset with "Puppet Master" -- what about the Architect in the Matrix movie -- do you like him?
March 26th, 2007 at 4:37 pmLHT,
Patriotism is the last refuge of a tyrant.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:50 pmJake,
March 26th, 2007 at 4:53 pmAt least he (Matrix-dude) created something, even though it was at the expense of humanity's freedom.
Holy balls, maybe they are one and the same. When I break out of my gel filled bubble and join Morpheus to save the world, Karl will be sitting there surrounded by hundreds of tiny TV's ready to describe how he created this f@#$ed up world.
I still like Captain Enormous Crapface.
I'm going to go with Himmler.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:01 pmSome food for thought. Karl Rove, at the tender age of nine, supported Richard M. Nixon for his presidential run (against Kennedy). One would wonder what about Nixon would so intrigue a nine-year-old's support.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:34 pmI also remember hearing that they were trying to exclude Pelosi and other Democrats from any opening events.
One good thing about the AG scandal is that stories such as these, which were lightly reported at the time, are now getting the attention they deserve.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:04 pmit's amazing what oversight can do.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:07 pmI think Geppetto would be upset with “Puppet Master†— what about the Architect in the Matrix movie — do you like him? Comment by Jake — March 26, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Who has their hand up your *ss, pinocchio?
March 26th, 2007 at 7:34 pmINSTEAD OF "A PIG IN A POKE," IT'S TIME TO PLAY "POKE THE PIG AND MAKE HIM SQUEAL"----WHICH CONSISTS OF PUTTING FAT-F*CK Rove NAKED IN A PIGPEN WITH LOTS OF MUD, THEN GETTING LONG, RAZOR-SHARP SPEARS AND SEEING HOW MANY TIMES ONE CAN STICK Rove BEFORE HE DROPS DEAD-----Rove MUCH PREFERS THE SHIT-STABBING HE RECEIVES ALONG WITH CHIMPya and FRANKENCheney FROM THE "SPEAR" OF Gannon/Guckert IN THOSE white house NIGHT-TRYSTS WHICH ARE RECORDED IN THE NOW-SECRET, SECRET SERVICE LOGS----hee hee hee hee hee!!!!!
March 26th, 2007 at 8:16 pm[...] Scott Jennings held a video conference with top GSA political appointees, “who discussed ways to help Republican candidates.” Jennings, the White House’s deputy director of political affairs, gave a PowerPoint [...]
March 28th, 2007 at 12:12 pm[...] Last January, that presentation was presented to dozens of political appointees at the General Services Administration by Rove deputy Scott Jennings. When Jennings concluded his presentation, GSA chief Lurita Doan “allegedly asked them how they could ‘help “our candidates” in the next elections.’” [...]
April 4th, 2007 at 12:32 pm