Independent Institute
by Ivan Eland

07/18/05

Washington is a rough and tumble political town in which everyone, including journalists, has been socialized into accepting the culture of playing the game with hardball tactics. And Rove is the king of bare knuckle brawling. Remember, Rove had the chutzpah to smear two decorated war veterans -- John McCain and John Kerry -- to better the chances of George W. Bush, who didn't even show up regularly during the Vietnam era for a safe, hard-to-get National Guard position that he got through political connections. (But George W. Bush is not the first president to hire a crack political hatchet man; remember Dick Morris during the Clinton administration?) The problem with being socialized into such an 'anything goes' culture is that it becomes hard for political operatives to know when they've crossed the line. And Rove has stepped way over it this time...

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1538


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp