who hasn't worked for that boss? it has to more stress-inducing when the guy has the power to torture people, though.

Rove has it wrong -- no surprise

"the Senator who will raise his right hand on January 20, 2009"

All members of congress are sworn in before 1/20. My recollection is that they will be sworn in on the first business day of January 2009.

Plain speaking, straight talk and dissent must be encouraged because Obama is a wacky Democrat who needs to be set straight on his misguided agenda. It wasn't necessary for Bush because, despite some adorable little quirks of personality, he was headed in the right direction at all times.

You're all being unfair to poor Karl. Clearly this is his way of admitting how thoroughly his boy mucked up the job. In the Bush White House, we didn't have candor, and look at how that turned out. Karl is just saying, Don't do what I did.

:)

Faux Newx commentators, however, can continue distorting, fabricating and pontificating to their heart's content as long as it weakens the Democratic Administration or Congress.

By the way, can't they convict Rove of something just so we won't have to listen to him anymore?

Say Anything

because the rubes have no memory and the pet news media won't provide context. The rubes also have no idea of what "logical consistency" is (outside of some effete librul atheist thing), so you can say "A" today, "not A" tomorrow, and "A" again next week, and they'll cheer you on, all the way to the bank, polling place, or whatever.

It's been working for well over 20 years.

That Aide Puking Story

There have been at least two stories in the last month of First Dawg "Barney" biting reporters badly enough to draw blood and require first aid.

Maybe the poor animal is reflecting behind the scenes yelling and screaming and other stresses that might now be going on in the White House? He used to be friendly, according to reports.

Yes, the name Rove is equated in Dante's Comedy with Brutus, Judas, and Cassius as far as I am concerned! -Kevo

The "Dry Heaves" Administration. Yep, sums it up pretty well...

Karl obviously believes that dissent in the White House is only needed if the President is a Democrat.

(BTW, I believe he is referring to Obama when he says "the Senator who will raise his right hand on Jan. 20")

Filling the WH with 'Yes' men didn't work for 8 years.

Maybe Karl's finally learning (?)

Irony watch? The opportunities abound, and not just on the tubby jerk front, either. I nearly fell out of my chair this morning when, talking about the carmakers' loan, the Treasury Department fembot said something about how you can't trust "the government" to make good decisions about who to loan money to.

Karl Rove is not stupid, evil maybe, but not stupid. He has realized from eight years of the Bush fiasco that there needs to be a circle of people willing to tell the president that maybe he doesn't get it. Rove can see what the opposite situation did to the Republican image so now he wants change. Good for him. Too bad he didn't realize this eight years ago. There would be a lot of people alive yet who have died needlessly and a lot of people would still have jobs.

shortstop: "...[Bush] was headed in the FAR right direction at all times."

Fixed it for you

Skroo Karl with a hot curling iron

Bob, ol boy, I could be worng but I think Rove was referring to Senator Obama.

"Less obvious is how to create a White House where forceful debate can take place. Plain speaking, straight talk, and dissent must be encouraged...."

And Rove is supposed to be some kind of expert on government? Oh, right. Rove is just a draft-dodging, deferment pussy (yet a conservative war supporter)and itinerant student who became a dirty tricks artist.

UTX should seek a refund for the salary it paid him for teaching(?) government classes.

Come on now! He couldn't very well be having dry heaves if he'd drunk the Koolaid before the meeting like he was told to, now could he?

Oh that funny Karl.

He was just doing his Jon Stewart impersonation.

shortstop has it pegged!!! IOKIYAR.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/12/20081218-2.html

MR. DeMUTH: That's fascinating. Let me pursue one point that you made. Ronald Reagan was once asked if it was true that his Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense were arguing openly in front of him. And he said, "All the time." Have you encouraged people to argue to move the hard questions in the Oval Office?

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Creating tension is good for decision making, so long as it doesn't become destructive. And I see Leon there, we've had some serious debates inside the White House on stem cell. And they were open. And they were -- all opinions were welcomed. And there was a variety of opinions.

Sometimes issues are easy to resolve, where the national security advisor and the domestic policy advisor could come in and say, we discussed the issue internally Mr. President, and we all agree. But in matters of war, for example, there's difference of opinions. The surge, for example. There was a lot of different opinions on the surge. And that's the way it should be. People say, well, do you ever hear any other voices other than, like, a few people? Of course I do. And I have enjoyed listening to the debates among people I work with. And I also like the idea of people being able to walk into the Oval Office and said, have you thought of this? Or, the debate is headed this way, I'd like you to consider this.

And sometimes that can be disruptive obviously, but the President has got to have a -- be grounded enough and have enough judgment to know how to manage the advisors.