How can you call a guy a failure when he got a spoiled, dim-witted frat boy elected to the most powerful position on the planet... twice. Rove also helped George W. Bush beat a popular governor in Texas. A weak-minded simpleton like Bush could not have done it alone; He has Karl Rove to thank for it.
Follow me to the flip side for a few accomplishments made simply because Karl Rove helped to get Bush elected.
- Redistriubuted our wealth via tax cuts.
- Gave government money to religous organizations.
- Attacked and occupied Iraq.
- Packed the federal judiciary with a bunch of religious wackos and corporatists.
- Helped gas prices and oil company profits reach all time highs.
- Attained the ability to listen to your phone calls without a warrant.
- Unseated Senate Minority/Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
- Turned government agencies into branches of the GOP.
- No Child Left Behind
- Clear Skies Initiative
- Healthy Forests Initiative
- Bankruptcy Reform
- Medicare D
- Etc.
- Etc.
Many of these accomplishments are reprehensible IMHO. But to the people who helped get Bush elected, these accomplishments are heralded. Karl Rove achieved much of what he set out to achieve. From his perspective and the perspective of his supporters on the right, Rove was highly successful.
As a human being, I would certainly call Karl Rove a colossal failure. But as a political consultant, he is extremely sucessful and will likely continue to be successful working behind the scenes for the GOP.