LOS ANGELES.–Former President Donald Trump, 77, unloaded on 73-year-old former George W. Bush chief strategist Karl Rove for his role as a Fox News pundit. Trump had nothing good to say in 2016 while running for president at 77-year-old former President George W. Bush, especially for his 2003 Iraq War, costing nearly 4,500 lives and over $1 trillion dollars. Trump confronted the Republican establishment for wasting so much taxpayer cash, but, more importantly, destabilizing the Mideast with the Iraq War. Rove congratulated Trump for his victory but it comes with barbs, last night was no exception. “A strong night for Donald Trump,” Rove said, stating the obvious because Trump won 14 out of the 15 races on Super Tuesday with Haley only winning Vermont because Democrats decided to vote in the GOP primary to deny Trump a Vermont victory.
Rove has nothing but contempt for Trump, largely because he’s a Never Trumper, joined with other Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Ut.) to oppose Trump at all costs. Romney carries his childish vendetta against Trump for his criticisms of Romney during the 2020 campaign. Trump said Romney “choked like a dog” in 2012 running against former President Barack Obama. So, when it comes to Rove, Trump heard all he can take about his great wisdom imparted to Bush. “There’s still some work to be done to unify the Republican Party, and that’s going to depend a lot on his tone tonight and whether or not he stops doing things like calling her [Haley] birdbrain and threatening that if you gave money to her campaign, you’re gonna be permanently banned. And we’ll see how he does tonight,” Rove told Medialite. Rove can’t hide his contempt for Trump.
Rove is such a minor player in the GOP, much like former Obama strategist Donna Brazille that no one’s listening. Why Fox News relies on Rove is anyone’s guess. Trump would like to see Fox News fire Rove, largely because he harbors so much animosity toward Trump. Why does Rove think that Trump must win over the Never Trumpers? Trump has more than proven himself to the GOP, pulling off the most improbable feat of a political comeback with the weight of the government on his back with 91 felonies and multiple criminal trials. Rove can’t give Trump any credit because he won’t acknowledge that Trump is a far better campaigner that George W. Bush at his prime. Rove wants all the credit for Bush’s win over former Vice President Al Gore in 200 where the election was actually decided by the Supreme Court, probably riddled with fraud in Florida.
Trump doesn’t like the fact that Rove refuses to give him any credit for running a brilliant campaign, largely on his own without pundits like Rove telling what to say and do. “He did well in Iowa, with his victory statements—unifying, humble, gracisous—no so good in New Hampshire. And tonight is going to a big night,” Rove said, urging Trump to placate the anti-Trump mob who’s fought against his campaign from the very beginning. Rove joins other Republicans like former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) who says Trump can’t beat Biden in the general election. Ryan doen’t have a crystal ball and has no way of predicting the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats don’t know whether or not Biden can pull off another win with everything voters know today that they didn’t know in 2000, namely, that he’d spread inflation and perpetual war.
Rove is off-the-wall thinking Trump needs to placate the Never Trump crowd, getting it completely backwards. Never Trumpers need to go to Trump to show their support like Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) who got over his misguided conclusions about Trump’s allege role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Democrats and the press tried but failed to pin the incident on Trump. Democrats like to talk like they’ve got proof that Trump planned-and-orchestrated the Jan. 6 riots but they have not facts only wild speculation. Special Counsel Jack Smith likes charging Trump with obstructing the Electoral College vote certification but he has no facts, only partisan attacks like Rove. “And he’s going to set an important tone for the either a unified Republican Party or a divided Republican Party,” Rove said, blaming Trump for why some anti-Trump Republicans continue to hold out.
Trump must get over his obsession with Fox New that has gotten rid of its most reliable conservative voices, especially firing its top-rated host Tucker Carlson. Trump and Carlson’s views are far more aligned that Rove, who’s Republican message is now 24 years old with George W. Bush leaving the White House in 2009. Trump doesn’t like listening to Rove lecture him on making up with the GOP’s anti-Trump faction. “My record on Endorsements is unmatched by anyone. EVER! Put on people who understand what is going on in politics. And while you’re at it. GET RID OF KARL ROVE!!,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump shows he’s his own man and doesn’t follow has-beens like Rove and other past pundits. If Never Trumpers like Rove want to win his way in Trump’s graces, he needs to stop lecturing and earn his way back into the fold.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
