Interesting: White House strategist Karl Rove, along with RNC chief Ken Mehlman, came out swinging in an appearance this week before the Republican National Committee, previewing their plans to win the 2006 off-year elections.
Far from ducking the controversy about a secret domestic spying program authorized by President Bush, top White House political strategist Karl Rove signaled Friday that Republicans plan a full-throated run on the issue in fall congressional elections."Let me be as clear as I can: President Bush believes if al-Qaida is calling somebody in America, it is in our national security interest to know who they're calling and why," the White House deputy chief of staff told the Republican National Committee winter meeting. "Some important Democrats clearly disagree."
Rove's speech, along with similar remarks by RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman and Vice President Dick Cheney, demonstrated a clear shift in strategy by the party and the White House, away from trying to defend the program toward embracing and promoting it.
"I think one of the big choices before the people in 2006 is, where do you stand on this important tool," Mehlman said. "We know that these kinds of tools would have been critical before 9/11, and so that's an important issue that we absolutely are going to talk about."
"Republicans have a post- 9/11 worldview, and many Democrats have a pre-9/11 worldview," Rove said. "That doesn't make them unpatriotic, not at all. But it does make them wrong — deeply and profoundly and consistently wrong."
Too true.
Meanwhile, Chuck Todd at the National Journal considers whether Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid has already "conceded the 2006 elections 10 months in advance."
Related:
• Video via C-SPAN (Real) - Karl Rove's remarks at 1:16 mark.
• Republican National Committee