Forget Karl Rove.... I want George W. Bush!

Since at this point we're just picking apart each new little tidbit in this story and speculating what it means, lets go for broke with Plamegate.  This goes all the way to George W. Bush.  You know it.  I know it.  The American people know it.

Remember when this whole thing broke and George W. assured us that he would insist that everyone in his administration would fully cooperate with this investigation.  And some - mostly on the left, but including Joe Wilson - demanded that if the President knew anything about this, he should just turn that person in and end this whole affair.  Well... on it has gone and now two years later we seem to be nearing some conclusion.  And that conclusion is that Karl Rove was one of the leakers - or at least was the immediate recipient of the leaked information.  Either way - and this is the important bit - Karl Rove was right in the middle of this.

You mean to tell me Karl Rove was in the middle of all this and George W. knew absolutely nothing about it??!!!!??

I don't buy it and neither should you.  You lawyerly types can answer this, but isn't it a crime when you know about a crime and don't come forward about it?  Perhaps more importantly, isn't it very unPresidential-like to know about a crime and then lie to cover it up?

The right spent almost all of 8 years trying to bring Clinton down for every teeny tiny thing imaginable.  We are sharpening our knives these days, but we're settling for Karl Rove??  Not me.  Karl's just an appetizer.  George W. Bush is the main course here folks.  There is no way this whole scandal occurs without Bush knowing about it and we need to start that meme going right now, because I assure you, if this were the 90's, the right wing spin machine doesn't settle for George Stephanopolous.  Rove may get indicted, but the politcal spin we need to get busy with has to go after Bush!!

•  It's even worse....

  In any other world, Bush would have fired Rove.  In this world, he promoted him.

  by landrew on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 07:17:37 AM PDT

•  Recommended.

  At best, Shrub has a loose cannon as his chief political adviser.  At worst, he knew Rove outed Plame and has done nothing about it.

  by Christian Dem in NC on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 07:18:21 AM PDT

  •  Close

    Actually 'worst case' scenario for Bush:
    It could very well be that Bush not only knew Rove outed Plame but actually planned it beforehand personally in a daily strategy meeting with Rove, Cheney, and others. Then when it backfired, perhaps has for the last umpteen months been actively, personally, involved in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. How's that for 'worst case' for him?

    by mike20169 on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 09:33:53 AM PDT

    •  Actually, knowing about Rove's conduct and failing

      to do anything about it is enough to impeach--we'd have a president who knew a crime had been committed and did nothing about it.  If that's not an impeachable offense, nothing is.

      by Christian Dem in NC on Tue Jul 12, 2005 at 07:18:03 AM PDT

•  Remember, Bush is a lame duck president

  Getting Bush (Impeachment) is about revenge, which would be sweet & even succulent. But not likely without winning Congress.

  But getting Bush is about the past; getting Rove is about the future.

  The genius of Rove is the kernal to the future longevity of the Republican hegemony.

  by The Messenger on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 07:26:25 AM PDT

  •  No, holding Bush accountable is about...

    ...the future; more specifically, it is about demonstrating that the people of the United States have both the capacity and the will to hold their leaders accountable, as a means of deterring similar wrongdoing by leaders in the future.
    

    by cdicely on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 08:44:24 AM PDT

•  This is Chess

  The King is a very weak piece and requires the others to protect him.  You've got to take out the rooks (Rove), the knights (Rummy), and the queen (Cheney) to render the King defenceless.

  Rove is Bush's brain.  Without Rove, there is no damping effect on Cheney and the administration goes open loop.  God protect us from nuclear holocaust.
  

  by Caelian on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 07:30:52 AM PDT

  •  I agree to some extent..

    But politics is also about perception.  The voters didn't like Karl Rove.  They liked Bush.  They didn't want to have a beer with Karl Rove.  They wanted to have a beer with Bush.  They didn't think Karl Rove was an honest man with good values, but they did think that about Bush. I'm not talking about legal action here - this is purely about political spin.  Take out Bush even further and it weakens the whole party.

    by TheC on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 07:41:17 AM PDT

    •  Here's the spin from my winger officemate

      "I almost look forward to getting rid of Rove.  Then you libs won't have anyone to focus on and Bush can get on with the business of being President".

      Me:  "But how can he function without his brain"?

      Him:  "I though you said that Cheney is president anyway"

      by gothamite on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 09:23:57 AM PDT

  •  Chess

           I thought Rove was the queen?

    by irate on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 08:00:47 AM PDT

    •  One in every crowd

      I knew someone would say this!
      

      by Caelian on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 08:17:08 AM PDT

      •  My apologies

             Sorry, I couldn't resist.

        by irate on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 10:19:46 AM PDT

•  One step at a time, my friend

  Remeber that Watergate took a good two years to unfold. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single indictment.

  by kenlac on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 08:03:01 AM PDT

•  Then focus on

  winning the midterm elections.

  by The Messenger on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 08:46:17 AM PDT