Challenge: Democratic Rove

I'm very happy he's with us :cool:, but if the Dems had one, how would that affect US politics? POD 1990. And he has to use the same tactics and have the same near-perfect success rate.
 
It would be tough. Karl Rove built his strategy on exploiting "Hot Button" issues, such as Gay Marriage and Abortion, that played very well with the Religious Right Crowd.
The Democrats just don't have the kind of substance on those type of issues, so unless you change the Democratic Party, Rove-ian tactics just wont work.

But if your challenge was merely to have Karl Rove as a Democrat, thats too easy. just have him hook up with some Liberal chick, who pulls him over to her side.
 
No, I want a homegrown Democratic Rove. Though that's not the Hail Mary pass for a losing campaign. Bush '92? Maybe, but definitely not McCain '08...
 
If there are any highly emotional liberal issues, they might have to be economic. Maybe an unashamed populist sort of figure, demanding revenge on the robber barons. But that sort of politics has never gotten much traction in the US beyond certain groups. Reeks of socialism, don't you know. I guess someone of Rovian genius could find a way to make people care viscerally about their health care and a more sharply progressive income tax.
 
I'm very happy he's with us :cool:

Hey, so is every Obama supporter on this forum, no kidding!:D

Toryanna68 said:
but if the Dems had one, how would that affect US politics? POD 1990. And he has to use the same tactics and have the same near-perfect success rate.

The problem with Rove isn't just that he is a ruthless motherfucker. Rahmbo is a ruthless mofo, as well.

No, the problem with replicating a Rove in a Dem administration (or even another GOP one) is that he was/is functionally illiterate on policy yet had extraordinary power over policymaking as Bush's closest special assistant. He was the inspiration for the expression Mayberry Machiavelli, coined by a disillusioned ex-Bush appointee.

A fulltime political strategist shaping US domestic policy at Rove's level had never happened before. Guys like Clark Clifford or Jim Baker or the aforementioned Emanuel have had influence in both spheres, but never at the expense of almost totally ignoring the mechanics of governing. Likewise, those fulltime political & media strategists like Mike Deaver or George Stephanopolous had never been given the authority over policy Rove was assigned by Bush.

Nixon's two gatekeepers were powerful, but Nixon hardly relied on them as Dubya relied on Rove.

For another 'Bush's Brain' you need a president as uncertain of his own leadership abilities as the occupant of the White House '01/'09 was of his.

And I don't believe such a man can win the Democratic primaries, or get to the top of a VP selection list.
 
A Republican President Rove would be *interesting*. Better than Palin at any rate. No, I mean the master strategist specializing in *Spec Ops* for the Dems.
 
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