Marc Ambinder blows the lid off the story that John McCain’s “biography tour” may have been Karl Rove’s idea. This blockbuster info was supplied to him by his “G,” “a reliable man of integrity” who took notes when Rove spoke at the University of Pennsylvania on Feb. 20.
Mind you, this was not some super-secret event.  Rove’s advice was printed in the school paper at the time. He gave the same basic advice in the Wall Street Journal shortly thereafter, and it was not in code.  Indeed, in January, Rove spoke to a group of state Republican officials:
Rove also offered advice to whichever Republican candidate wins the GOP nomination.
He said the candidates had to first “create a sustaining narrative about themselves.â€Â
The reason Rove was giving this advice? Because it is what you would tell elementary school kids about running for president.
While Ambinder noticed from “G”‘s notes that Rove seemed to know most of the specific cities — but not all of them – he missed the obvious inference. Unless one assumes that Rove was already an expert on McCain’s bio, the more likely possibility is that Rove already heard the details of bio tour by the time he spoke at the U of Penn and was tossing them out so that when the tour was announced, people would say, “Rove, you magnificent bastard!”
Does anybody have the number of that turnip truck? Because Ambinder just fell off and went boom.
I thought he was a beat farmer?
Blasphemer!
Having run a campaign against him, and knowing that Rove is nothing if not detailed, I think that’s a fair assumption. But still, a fifth grader could indeed figure this stuff out without being a magnificent bastard.
If Rove remembers the cities where McCain was stationed off the top of his head eight years later, I would be truly impressed. It’s possible, but I still think my scenario is more likely. Rove & McKinnon chat frequently.
It’s also smart politics. Beyond us political junkies most voters don’t know the interesting life story of John McCain. This bio tour allows McCain to define himself and burn in brand into the public consciousness before Obama has the time to focus his attention on him.
The stuff Rove can rattle off the top of his head generally impresses me. And given his new role as the expert electoral pundit, it wouldn’t be surprising that he’s done a refresher. Either way, Ambinder is a tool. John Kerry could have figured this out, if he’d had the resume for it. If Rove had personally delivered this advice, the likely response would have been “Well, duh.”
Why is it every time I read that person’s name, I think that it’s “Armbinder”?
Karl-
I went to school with a guy who could recite the capitol, states, main exports/imports and generally the leader of any country you could mention.
I also worked with a (totally incompetent) aviation tech. who could memorize any tech manual you handed him in a single reading, and he only reads slightly slower than I do. He read the NEETS module ONCE, in A school, and could recite any passage from memory years later. (A normal novel usually lasts about one three-hour flight, with naps.)
Such nearly psychotic abilities exist.
PJ Media today had an interview with McCain’s guy Steve Schmidt. They said that he’s a Rove protege who ran the Bush/Cheney election war room in 2004. I would be surprised if they’re not talking back and forth, and I think I read on some lefty site that Rove is informally advising them. If so, he probably wants to keep it under the table so as not to frighten the indy voters.
#7 N. O’Brain
I thought it said “Assbender”… Marc certainly is making as ass of himself.
*an*
Silly hedgehog…
The only thing that would be surprising about it is that McCain wouldn’t hold a grudge over the 2000 South Carolina primary. But I guess McCain figures Rove didn’t mean it personally, and could still offer good advice.
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