Rove 'GENIUS' NO MORE - Instead Brought GOP Massacre (New York Post)

[kpete]

'GENIUS' NO MORE
REPUBLICANS POINT TO MASSIVE ROVE BUNGLING

Rove: His bid for GOP dominance instead brought GOP massacre.

November 13, 2006 --

NO one's calling Karl Rove "Boy Genius" anymore. After last week's election debacle, some Republicans wonder aloud if it's time for President Bush's political guru to follow Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld and walk the plank.

The final blow for many Republicans was President Bush's decision to fire Rumsfeld right after the election - instead of a few months before, when it might have helped save the House and Senate.

"Everyone knew the election was about Iraq except them," says a disgusted GOP strategist, noting that it was Rove's job to make sure Bush knew.

The White House line is that Bush didn't want to dump Rummy in July because that would look like he was playing politics with military policy. But acting in July would have shown that Bush was in charge. Firing Rumsfeld after losing the election still comes off as playing politics - and it looks as if Bush is a follower, not a leader.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11132006/postopinion/opedcolumnists/genius_no_more_opedcolumnists_deborah_orin_eilbeck.htm