The only obsession out there is with the Clintons with the White House. Nothing wrong with that generally, but she's going to go about it in such a manner that I think she'll lose. She already has a huge base of people that are against her and as per any longterm Congressperson running lately, she has a record of not doing anything constructive and just pointing fingers, making excuses and wasting money while voting for raises. This goes for both sides. I think the winner of this election will go to the person who has some experience but is not the political lifer that you see normally running. That person will have charisma and not be viewed as a Washington insider. That being said I think it will boil down to Obama and either Thompson or Giuliani. I would lean toward Thompson at this point just solely due to the fact that he hasn't said anything that would pose a problem for himself. I think that Obama will get the lead soon since he is the only one giving an actual distinction for himself as being against the war from the beginning and also stating that he'd talk with leaders of enemy countries. All the other dems have attacked him on that. He'll win the nomination just for that reason.

does Rove think that by speaking out against Clinton it will hurt her chances…He has to know hes one of the most reviled people in this country…Its another shrewd tactic, this time to get Hillary elected.

E. C. of Houston, Texas writes:

“Can one even imagine a Female Hormonal, loud, crass President like her… battling Fundamentalist Islamic Extremists when Muslims don't even acknowlege 'the Female Gender?'”

I think you may be confused EC.
The Loud, Crass, President is the one all the world can't wait to get rid of, His Name is Bush. And he's on his way out thank heavens!

Of Course Rove is Obsessed with Hillary. She's the Front Runner!
This is Rove's "Actionable Intelligence" Strategy! It's just too bad that neither He nor Bush has any intelligence. If they did, they would know the world sees right through their window of deception.

Mark Ramsey

YOU are simple.

Ever heard of reverse psychology?

Don't under-estimate rove.

He got our sorry excuse for a prez, elected twice.

Filled with veracity that Hillary does have an incredible negative rating and yes, that is alarming, even to someone like me, a huge supporter of Hillary. But, are we not all forgetting a very important missing piece of the puzzle..her running mate? Her running mate Obama? That ticket will be unstoppable, make history, and bring the needed change and experience.

The Republicans always have to have someone or thing to hate whether it be the communist or welfare mothers. that is their great achilles heal they do not

know how to govern in the majority. Hillary will not lose. You guys are dreaming. Does the country want another 4 years of a Republican Ppresident?

Clinton fans are as blindly loyal as Michael Vick fans. They are completely oblivious to facts and believe anything they say regardless of the facts. I don't understand it. They make excuses for the negatives and do not even have a clue about who they REALLY are. It has to be the medication.

Mary Jo ~ Salt Lake City

Before calling others stupid and remarking about their "low level brains" you MIGHT want to engage yours.

Dr Dobson has never been gay. It was Ted Haggard, Colorado Springs Evangelical Leader, that confessed to seeing a male prostitute.

Most people find it a bit ironic that "Madams" and Porn stars are coming out in support of Hillary, Bill Clinton's wife. It's just another reason Hillary will be the most divisive candidate in the next Presidential election.

Just what poll was Rove using for his "negative numbers" on Hillary Clinton? Who was polled and how were the questions worded? Statistics can be made to say anything and, in Rove's case, twisted to his advantage. Unless he can show that the polled group was a ramdom sampling and the questions were not leading, I'd take things with a barge of salt.
And for those who look to the Republicans to save us from the evils of gay marriage and abortion remember this - The Republicans had the majority in both House and Senate and control of the White House, so why did we NEVER see an amendment to totally ban either? They could easily have passed either into law, but then they would have lost their hot button items for the elections. And the sleaze goes on….

Mary Joe, if a person was supported by organized crime what would you assume? I think that is the point the person was attempting to make. I don't understand your association of an evanglist with being a homosexual. I miss that. Please explain your point. Doesn't Hillary and the liberal left fully support homosexuality. I think the point the that the person was trying to make is the old addage of birds of a feather.

Mary Joe, how many priest are child molesters and how many evanglist are sex offenders, 2% or less maybe. How many prositutes are posititutes, 100%? Get the point, or are you spinning? Larry Flynn also supports Clinton. Ever wonder why? Think about it. Before you question someone elses brain level you should evaluate your own first. Would you like a prositute as your moral guidance or larry Flynn providing the reading material for you schools? Wake up and smell the college and consider a GED.

Its pathetic that someone from Virginia is assuming that the support from Hollywood Madam or DC Madam to Hillary would tarnish her image. Do you expect a support from some evangilical person to Rudy Guliani would enhance his image? Remember-Dobson an evangilical preacher who was a staunch supporter of the republican party was a homosexual living two lives. Does that mean that all these sex offenders who are preachers are for republicans? It is stupid for CNN to give a headline and at the same time these idiots who make such comments have nothing intelligent to say against Hillary on policy issues make these stupid remarks to show their low level brains.

Rove has to attack Clinton. Clearly the frontrunner, she is already focusing on the general election. He attacks Clinton now because the Republicans are busy attacking each other.

Did Rove acknowledge that Hillary's negatives are coming down at the same time the republicans' negatives are going up? That she beats all the Republican candidates in one-on-one polling? Of course not. Rove has no vision for this country. His only vision was to win regardless of what lies had to be told. Remember what he did to John McCain in South Carolina? Distributing leaflets accusing him of fathering a black child. He is even willing to attack an innocent adopted child for the benefit of his ego. How can any decent Christian in this country stand behind or beside this truly evil man? He and his form of politics disgust me and the majority of thinking Americans.

BionicWoman,
At this point there are 106 comments on this blog - more than all of the other columns.

Thanx Rove - for the free publicity!

Ask yourself, if Rove is a master of campaign trickery as he proved for G. Bush, why would he want to give publicity to someone who is a threat to republican presidency. Read between the lines.

Hey Hillary supporters, here are some of your fellow supporters, "Heidi Fleiss isn't the first former Madam to express support for Clinton's White House Bid. Deborah Jeanne Palfrey, also known as the D.C. Madam, said last May she's pulling for Clinton. And, famed porn star Jenna Jameson has also said she is supporting the New York senator." Do you feel stupid yet?

Conservatives with a short memory_

Yes, you people ARE obsessed with Hillary! I've seen so many "HIllary is so delusional"-type comments here it's ridiculous.
There's more anti-Hillary books in the bookstores over the last decade than any other politician. Maybe there's more about Bush now–I don't know–but Hillary was NEVER a president (yet!).

Karl Rove has left the relatively low paying White House job to become an
"independent political consultant".

He's just getting started. BWAH HA HA HA HA !!

I think all Democrats should just let Rove do his dirty work, ignore his pathetic and disgusting attempt to character assassinate Hillary, and make up their own minds. Trying to ascertain whether or not Rove is trying to help Hillary by attacking her and coalescing Democratic support, is just a waste of time. Analyzing his tactics, trying to determine if this is just a sham and he is really after Obama and Edwards is also pointless. Rove is going to do what he always does - be the hatchet man for the Republican party. He will attack whoever the Democratic nominee is. It's all he does - attack, attack, attack and try to manipulate public opinion and divide Americans. The less we think about whatever putrid garbage comes out of his mouth, the better off we will be.

The truth is that any of the major Democratic contenders would be head and shoulders above the lowly crowd of Republican pretenders. We should celebrate the fact that we have three such worth candidates in Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. After the debacle of the Bush administration, we really have nowhere to go but up.

There are going to be spirited debates and disagreements among the top tier of Democratic candidates. That is as it should be. But focusing on scum like Rove just serves as a distraction. I think this is our election to lose and if we play it smart, we can take back the White House, and hopefully, our country.

I have grown to like Hillary very much. I may not agree with everyone of her proposals, but I admire her intelligence, her spunk and her wonkish knowledge of policy issues.

I had never realized how small she is physically (she's 5′4″) until she was standing next to the other candidates at the first debate. She almost seemed vulnerable, at least until she started responding to the questions presented to her. At which point she appeareed to me to be as tall as any of the men surrounding her. The more time passes, the more presidential she seems in my eyes. I think that our country we'll be just fine if she does become president.

IT MUST BE REFRESHING!

How long has it been, Hillary, since a man has paid so much attention to you?

Just by the shere amount of comments articles about Hillary garner, it is clear that Rove and company are scared out of their witts if she's the Dem. nominee. Why? Because unlike the other dem contenders, she's the only one who can really give the repubs a real fight.

I don't understand that these Hillary haters can't come up with a single reason as to why they hate her so much. Is it because she is strong and smart? Or is it because she was a first lady and very popular outside USA and her husband was one of the smartest president but stupid enough to behave reckless in personal matters? But, thanks to Rove who is helping with a free publicity. If he is really smart, he should come up with a reasoning as to why people should not vote for her. Just saying that the negative baggage is STUPID. Just shut up and hide somewhere in Texas.

Van - NY

You wrote, "Obama has the same Washington insiders in his campaign that everyone else has in theirs, he gets his money from the same places the others do, his voting record on the Iraq war, since his election to the senate is the same as Senator Clinton's, with only one exception."

Let's be intellectually honest for a minute. Obama and Hillary share similar ideology but they are NOT the same.

Presidential campaigns are nothing more than a popularity contest. Rove, Gingrich, and the GOP are going to use every "negative" against whoever the democratic candidate turns out (Just like the dems, move-on.org, etc will use against the Republican).

What you have to decide - who is more electable - Clinton or Obama. Which person has more baggage? (Clinton -hands down). Which person has higher negatives? (Clinton - hands down). Who motivates the republicans to get out and vote? (Clinton - hands down).

As a conservative - I would be more concerned about an Obama campaign than Hillary. Obama is fresh, seemingly genuine/honest, and (so far) run a campaign without special interest dollars. Hillary represents the same-old politics of polarizing, dividing, and angry rhetoric.

That's my humble opinion.

As I said elsewhere:

What's Hillary's plan to restore Constitutional government?

When she has one, I'll look at her.

Meanwhile, IMNSHO, I look see her as having identified with her abusers, in classic Stockholm Syndrome fashion. Joining a prayer group with the very same VRWC types who were staging the coup against Clinton is a little bit much, I think.

And having identified with her abusers, she's become their candidate. Hillary won't change the Beltway one iota. That's why Rove is attacking her: He wants what he believes to be the base to rally round her.

Of course, I'd vote for Hillary in the general in a heartbeat. I'd rather be ruled by a sane emperor, like Marcus Aurelius, say, than by an insane one, like Caligula, which is what we have now. Nevertheless, I don't want to be ruled by an emperor or a monarch. I want to be governed by a President.

So, it's because I think Hillary will do little or nothing to arrest the trend of the country toward authoritarianism that she's not my candidate, nor ever will be.

After all, if she wanted to get some cred on restoring Constitutional government, it would have been very simple: She could have brought the Senate to a halt to prevent the passage of the Orwellian "Protect America" Act, preventing FISA from being gutted, along with the Fourth Amendment. Instead, she went on vacation, which I guess was more important to her.

Too bad. Maybe she's learned from her health care disaster in the first Clinton administration that left so many without any coverage. And it would be great to have a woman as President. But I put not gender, but the Constitution first, and I don't believe that Hillary does, either in words, or in action.

It's imperative that Democratic candidates prepare the party for what is inevitable: spectacular dirty tricks that have become the basic election process tactic of radical Republicans for over 50 years. Rove and his ilk are what make make "exporting democracy" so ludicrous. They have no idea what it's about.

he leaves the election process with the higher negatives than would have been though possible and HE has a comment about Hillary Clinton?

No matter what repugnant-cans try, it will not work this time. the "internets' will defeat the ignorance they depend on to get their favorite criminal (aka the gop candidate) elected.

they need the small minded to accomplish their agenda, so if some of you are still supporting them, get therapy or whatever it is you need and make sure a democrat is elected.

only the fate of the world depends on it.

anyway, it's time for a woman to be president, how much worse can she do than the idiot men who have been taking us down the toilet for too, too, long.

women rate in '08!

We get the candidates we deserve. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton (?); we Americans are nothing if not consistent, and predictable. The fact is that we've forgotten the principle of enlightened self-interest.

I work in publishing with a fairly well-rounded group of people, yet ask any question in any setting about politics and you hear either about how broken the system is or how uninterested in politics someone is. We let our leaders define what patriotism means, hear the constant drumbeat of that message through the MSM, talk radio, and opinion pages, and latch onto those beliefs which match our own. In this time of lazy thinking, where polemicism and partisanship pour from the screen as easily as cereal from a box, we lose our way, we forget that democracy is an experiment in action.

Once the people divorce themselves from it's covenant, there is nothing to stop a regime of consistentcy from taking over the levers of power. Sure, the emphasis of priorities shifts between parties, but the money still flows where the influence is found, one hand washes the other, no matter who leads the nation. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Spit your venom where you like, but take a good look in the mirror when you do.

As for me, given a choice between a candidate running on morals versus one running on understanding, I'll take the one who understands the world every time. Republicans have no such candidate, Democrats have a couple. We can no longer acquiesce our desire for morality-based leadership, which by it's very nature is intractable and unresponsive to challenges, to informed, considered, realistic governance. Anyone who is honest about this fact will not dispute that we need a change in the direction of reason, no matter how anathema to our political inclinations it might be.

It's time to abandon the false divisions constructed by the power elites, embrace the peaceful conflict of ideas inherent in our Constitution, and BELIEVE in democracy again.

"She enters the general election campaign with the highest negatives of any candidate in the history of the Gallup poll," Rove said

Another LIE by Carl Rove. According to the Gallup poll, 52% of Americans DISSAPROVED of the job Bush was doing in May, 2004, and yet he went on to win the election (or at least, it was close enough so that he could steal it).

The thing about Carl Rove is that he ALWAYS lies. The only question is figuring out why.

Rove Explains Why He Hates Strong, Politically Motivated Women…and little girls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHDeqTsenXA

At this point there are 106 comments on this blog - more than all of the other columns.

Thanx Rove - for the free publicity!

Of course she can win. She will win.

And Obama is helping here there too. He is in the way of the other candidates getting any traction. His blame tactics do nothing to enhance his status.

So, go ahead Rove - and anyone else. Give Hillary some more publicity and make sure we get to hear about her more than all the other candidates put together!

What does it say about America when it can produce people like Karl Rove?

/***
Clinton's budget surplus had nothing to do with the Clinton himself — we can thank conservative Alan Greenspan for that.
***/

Wrong. Clinton and Gore cut hundreds of millions of government spending in 1993, which took a modest recovery and turned it into the roaring economy of the 90s, resulting in a budget surplus that the Repubs promptly lost.

Alan Greenspan, however, IS responsible for slowing the economy down in the late 90s, blaming phantom, non-existent inflation fears for raising interest rates until, indeed, the economy tank.

Try again.

Hillary supporters, Karl Rove is your worst nightmare. (evil laugh)

/*** Re: the Great Mitt Romney & Hillary

So we'll conclude that not only does she not have success and financial responsibility, but she has no experience budgeting to avoid a deficit.
***/

Mitt Romney is a flip-flopping liar. Hillary's husband BALANCED THE BUDGET while in office. The Repubs have destroyed a budget surplus, and replaced it with the biggest deficit in HISTORY.

Sounds like you don't know much about financials yourself.

Its a typical Rove spin. There is no republican candidate as smart and famous who can beat Hillary. That is the reason Rove is creating this propaganda. Hillary is not perfect, but these right wing machine is implanting hatred amongst democrats and independents so that she is not nominated. Hope the american people ignore the comments of this looser Barny and vote their conscious.

/***This is the 2nd time that she has decided that someone is obsessed with her.
***/

That's right, Sternberg. Anyone, like you, want to laugh at her "vast, right-wing conspiracy?" The one that got us President Howdy Doody, Criminal Cheney, the Iraq war, the Constitution turned off, the rich richer with tax breaks, etc. etc. etc.

Now, your comment smacks of a scared little boy who doesn't want his mama elected president.

Get over it, kid. A big "girl" is about to become president.

And if Karl Rove isn't obsessed with Hillary Clinton, then he must be in love with her. He talks about her all the time.

Sounds to me like a little high school girl type of conceit on her part.

/***
Joe Biden 08!
***/

Mr. Can't Write His Own Text doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades of becoming the nominee. You said second tier, not sixth.

Nice seeing the former shadowy criminal Rove sweating like a pig over Hillary.

And just think how her husband will do campaigning for her. Didn't Bill have about the most effective election machine in Democrat history? Can you imagine Rove et al skewered by TWO Clintons at once?

Priceless. These two ain't Gore *or* Kerry.

Takes one to know one

As much as I hate to admit it, Karl rove is righton this one. Hillary is "fatally flawed". She won't receive any of the independent swing votes. Too many people have made up their mind about her and she enrages the religious Right like no other. She will cause conservatives to vote against her in record numbers.

Why can't the democrats choose an electable candidate? Any one BUT Hillary on the Democrat side is a gauranteed victor. However if Hillary is the candidate I fear this is going to be a repeat of the '04 election.

Who wants Carl Rove's opinion after what he's done to the republican party? Do people still think he's such a great adviser? Terrible man he is. Nothing is illegal in his opinion. Is this the kind of people we look up to ? Whats happened to America?

Joe Biden? Thanks to him not having a spine we have Clarence Thomas on the supreme court. Anyway, I think the Repubs keep pointing out Hillary's unfavorable ratings because they want to scare the Dems into voting for Obama or any of the other candidates they think they can beat. I'd never for a second think Rove's comments are meaningless, he's always on plan. Know thine enemy!

I think Hillary is obsessed with Rove. I mean who really believes any politician. Be it Rove, Clinton, etc. Both Clintons are proven liers, period. Check out the list of losers that the Democrats have given us, Obama -a face without any experience or substance. Clinton, a born-again lier. Edwards- a millionare ambalance chaser. Face the fact, what is your opionion of any lawyer you ever met? Case closed on that one. Sadly, the Republican canidates aren't much better. I thought after Gore, who couldn't even win his home state, and Kerry, the bigest fake and phoney you will ever meet that the Democrats could help but to come up with someting even a bit better than those teo jokers, but they haven't. Lord help us all.

Rove just loves Hillary. She's a Jane Fonda for him to throw at the Swift Boat mentality crowd. And he also realizes that Dems have strong opinions -good and bad- of her.

More of the Divide and Conquer tactic brought to you by RasRoven.

HILLARY IS THE DEMS BEST CHANCE FOR WINNING THE WHITE HOUSE, and Rove knows it. She is, by far the smartest of all the candidates of either party, and she has Bill. Who but Bill could mend our relations with other countries? Right now, we are so hated around the world. Do you think that makes us more secure? Hillary is friendly to Wall Street. That's good thing. She understands global markets. That's a good thing. And she will not be fool enough to raise taxes or ruin our economy. Don't be fooled by the Right wing rhetoric or the swift-boating sure to come. But when it does, she will handle it like the pro she is.

Rove doesn't need to endorse her - all he needs to do is very publicly attack her. Nothing would suit the Bush/Clinton neocon/DLC circle more perfectly than Clinton as the Democratic nominee. It's win if she loses and win if she wins for them - and lose-lose for those of us who would prefer not to be "governed" by shills for the military industry and the global corporate power structure.

Obviously Rove was freed from the schakeles of the Bush administration to be a loose cannon for the Republicans in the 2008 election…as is proven by his recent rhetoric regarding Clinton. As for the personal attacks against her by the other commentators, I ask this - do you know her personally? I highly think not. So how can you make such personal attacks against her like, for instance, she's "two-faced" or she's "evil" etc. Try having an honest intellectual debate, rather than make comments one would excpect from the likes of Paris Hilton.

I don't think the Reps want to face Hillary, shes widely known, and she is the only one that can fight them on security, the only issue they've got in /08

Let's see, Prince Carl ordained during the last Presidential election that Kerry should get all the GOP's early free advertising from the Republicans because he was the candidate they wanted King George to face in the election…figured they could beat him, so why not have the dirt throwers start dishing it out even before he was nominated. And, allegedly, Prince Carl, in his role as jester to the throne was instrumental in this ploy.

..AND WHO DO YOU THINK PAID HIS SALARY AND GAVE HIM COMPUTERS AND ALL THOSE OTHER TOYS TO DO HIS WORK? ALL OF US…SAY IT AGAIN….ALL OF US.

WHAT A JOKE!

Karl Rove is doing what he does best: spinning and attempting to manipulate opinion. His involvement in the government and politics has been thoroughly disasterous for the USA — why should anyone listen to him or give credence to anything he says?

Hillary Clinton accuses Karl Rove of doing exactly the same thing she does: Obsessing over herself. According to Hillary, everyone in the world is either totally enamored of her or plotting some nefarious plot against her. She is completely narcissistic, and her obsession goes as far as getting the FBI to compile an enemies list a la Milhous.

I can't see how a person who has demonstrated such behavior can be trusted with the extra constitutional powers Bush has appropriated for the presidency due to the bad stewardship of people like Sen. Hillary Clinton. Sorry, Rodham, your vote for the Bushwar DOES demonstrate your politics and character!

If the USA wants more of Karl Rove, but with a shirt that buttons from the other side, a vote for Hillary Clinton is the best way to obtain it.

Its funny that Rove says that she is unpopular, but she still wins her re-election in New York with getting 67% of the vote. Yeah,she is so unpopular.A lot of people say they hate the Clinton's but the Clinton's always win. Even during Bill's scandal his lowest approval rating was 61%. That is almost twice than Bush's approval ratings now. When people start remembering how the Republicans totally messed up America the last 7 years, it is not going to matter who the Democrats get on the ticket. Most Americans want Bush to be impeached right now. Because of the Republicans thumbing their noses at the Constitution, and the American people for the last seven years, Americans are going to punish the Republicans for years to come. It started with the 2006 elections. America yanked the power from the GOP in Congress. Now in 2008, America is going to defend itself by yanking the Republicans out of the White House,with or without Clinton. That what Karl Rove knows and every Republican. They all know Americans are pretty pissed off at them. Clinton might not be liked, but Americans know that she will be better than any Republican.

'Fatally Flawed Hillary' should be so lucky to have such a man as Karl Rove 'obsessed' with her! If I.Q. were measured by EGO, Hillary would have the highest in the country. Hillary only 'thinks that she is smart.' In reality, she is the least qualified candidate to be the President of this great Nation. Also, these 'new-found.. High Poll Percentages' leave the validity of such figures extremely doubtful. As Rove has stated, Hillary has a high percentage of Negatives, not Positives. She will never win the General Election, either way. Who would want Hillary to represent this great Nation?

Hillary — Not even Bill is obsessed with you! Too bad he knows what the rest of us don't….

Karl shouln't be talking about high negatives. I'm sure his are much, much higher thatn Hillary's. Also, it's interesting that none of the TV analysts have said yet that what Karl's really up to is getting ready to do to Hillary what his boat bums friends did to Kerry last time out.

Finally! Someone of the opposite sex that's "obsessed with me"…

I find that most people who I know and have negative comments about Hillary are men who have a problem with a women telling them what to do. I hope that is not the case here. Instead of generalizing that people do not like Hillary, one should be more specific. If one has a negative comment, they should also tell us why (with examples) the other candidates are better on that specific topic. This is a serious debate and general hateful comments have no place when the future of our country is at stake. Republicans would love to have Obama as their candidate because they know they can destroy him by repeatedly calling him by his middle name, his stay in Indonesia,etc. and using his inexperience. However, Republicans are scared of Hillary because they know that will have to face a very experienced campaign machine and they have nothing new to throw at Hillary than keep repeating some of the old and false allegations. So naturally,Rove is worried! He is the perfect disciple of Lee Atwater!

No politician tells the truth all the time. But, why is it that we are blind towards the candidate we like and hate the other candidates? The good of our country has to be above the interest of one candidate and one party.

I find it extremely interesting that Karl Rove continues to diss Hillary Clinton with such vehemence, such vitriol and with such rancor. It would seem that, as Mr. Rove put it, if Mrs. Clinton has so many "negatives" and so much "baggage", that he would welcome her as the Democratic candidate.

No, I think he, and many other Republicans, are actually terrified of her candidacy and, paraphrasing Shakespeare here, certainly "protesteth too much."

It is sad most of you ladies and gentlemen are still blind from the truth. Not open minded. Does not any change. Better yet, most you are still lingering on what Bill Clinton did. I have news for guys. HILLARY IS NOT BILL, SHE WILL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A THIRD OF WHAT HER HUSBAND ACCOMPLISHED. AND YES, SHE IS AN EASY TARGET FOR THE REPUBLICAN BECAUSE OF ALL THE HIDING SKELETONS SHE HAS IN HER CLOSET.

RE: Mitt Romney closing a Budget Gap! - Phooey!

Living in the state of Massachusetts - he closed a budget gap alright, but people are still getting taxed for it through their Town taxes! The money he found came at the expense of town and state support for basic needs such as health, education and environmental protection funding and jobs. Individual towns now must make up the difference to his "closing the budget gap."

For all of his "holier than thou" rhetoric, he is a master at spin. He once called a reduction of a 9 bIllion dollar deficit to an 8 billion dollar deficit - a 1 billion dollar SURPLUS. Do you think he does his own checkbook this way?

RE: Karl's Obsession - I think he doth protest too much! I think he's in love with Hillary in a Carville and Matalin kind of way - hahhahaha!

I actually think HIllary can get things done and Karl Rove knows it. And it won't be to his likings at all!

"yada yada yada
someone take the sand away from these kids.

Posted By Paul Phx AZ : August 19, 2007 1:37 pm"

yah, this is about the size of it. Sounds like Hillary is obsessed with Hillary. Mitta Rove is too calculating to be obsessed with anything. Me, I'm obsessed with all this rain.

You people should please tell me if I am wrong or right!

Almost Every article on CNN talking about Obama always have a TITLE ending with this sign(?). so as to question the Senator on every new ideas he come out with in the campaign.

But title of Article talking about hillary are always well shaped, that always almost without the sign (?), which means that CNN journalist have no question to ask when it comes to the "So Called experience " of Mrs HRC.

I start to ask myself if there is not a kind conspiracy made up by the media in order to let Mrs clinton win the Dem nomination and lose against a republican nominee !

So my dear Dems, open your eyes and use the right candidate !
thanks

It amazes me that Rove mentioned polls,on Hilary,when we know that he and the Pres don't believe in polls,isn't that what we were told,for the last few years,now they count when they fit to use against Hilary,I wish he'd go back to Tex and crawl under the rock he crawled out of years ago.

Yea he is obsessed with just like Bill was obsessed with Cigars and Monica.

He is not obsessed with her. This is not the first time she's said this about Rove. If anything, the Dems have been obsessed with Rove. This is not a story.

Women frighten Rove unless they're waitresses; and even then he turns red when they bring the food and looks at the floor until they're gone.

Get over it Hillary! Rove's gone back to Texas to shoot quail (pick on something your own size, Karl) and little else.

We get Hillary in '08 and, thanks Yogi, it's deja vu all over again. She'll have no coattails at all and we'll end up with either a split Congress or the GOP in the saddle. Do we really want all the old baggage going around the horn again?

I agree that there will be a woman President, but not this women. Wake up Democrats, get someone who can command a majority. There are a number of other fine candidates. We don't need a hereditary Presidency. Just look at what we got this time around.

Rove must be an Obama man, as many bad things he has done to this country how could he call anyone flawed, he needs to take a good look in the mirror.

The only person obsessed with Hillary is Hillary.

Please, people can't you see. . . this woman will say anything and do anything to get elected. She manipulates, schemes, and does "what it takes" to get her way. With, I might add, the help of mainstream media. CNN, you should be ashamed of yourself with this headline. This simply makes it look like Rove is running around attacking Hillary. That is simply not the truth! David Gregory asked him about Hillary. He answers, and then gets accused of be obsessed by every partisan cook. So, the next time Hillary answers a question about Obama, I would like to see him respond by saying "this woman is obsessed with me", and I want it on the ticker at CNN.

Sounds like the Republicans are scared of her. You know that is what they said when she first ran for US Senate. They said she would never win because of all the negatives…besides the fact that she WON, she won by a strong 10 percentage points.

PS I bet Zogby that she would win by 5% points…..he did pay the bet to charity.

I am ready to make the same 5% point bet on her again…

First off - Karl Rove is FAR from being "evil" in fact he was a "great political strategist" and advisor… although i must admit he was indeed quite cunning and shrewd in his smart perspective… But u seriously could not be as dumb enough as to criticize him as being bad or evil or nething… considering he labels the KEY elements and characteristics of what exactly politics is about. If u got problems w/ it; do something to truly change it.. if not - jusst don't get involved in smth u can't understand. Plus, Clinton is just as "foul" and "plastic" rlly… as Rove.. cept maybe she's not as good. She's a self-centered ignorant if she TRULY thinks that Rove is "so obsessed with her" - I mean who does she think she is to think she rlly deserves all that attention? The queen or smthing? Karl Rove hasn't even directly bluntly accused her or attked her!! In fact he's being entirely honest and technical - she's showing the examples of a corrupt, and fool-headed Politician.

The Republican'ts are scared silly of Hillary because they know that she is VERY INTELLIGENT and can beat them. The main thing that we as Americans need to keep in mind is this. Keep a watch on Republicans rigging elections and committing voter fraud and trying to keep the people's voices from being heard. I am a Democratic caucasian male and it sickened me the way the Republicans discriminated against everyone and got their votes not counted in 2000 and 2004. The Republicans are a racist party and can not stand African Americans ,Hispanics,poor whites, etc. How any African Americans, Hispanics, poor whites, etc. could ever vote Republican boggles the mind. The Democrats have actually won the last 4 elections and were cheated out of the last 2 with Florida being stolen from Al Gore in 2000 and Ohio being stolen from John Kerry in 2004. If America wants to see progress in this country and in the world then I strongly suggest they vote for the Democratic party in 2008 no matter who the candidate is. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would knock the pants off the Republicans by running together. That would be the racist Republicans worst nightmare by seeing two bright individuals that they hate the most (African Americans and Women) win the White House. We can get the Democrats in the White House America, but we have to stand up against these racist neocons and nutcases to get it accomplished. We are all people and we all deserve a chance in life. This racism and ignorance way of life has got to go and that is exactly what the Repubican'ts want to continue with. Think about it!!!!!

Does anyone really care what Mr. Rove has to say? In my view he has at no point been of any service to the people of the US. He is just an overinflated (in a couple of aspects) mouthpiece.

Who cares what Rove thinks. His only success was in winning elections. If he sacrificed his party or his country in the process, he could care less.

He also thought the Repubs would win in '06. This man should be in jail.

The only people who seem to be obsessed with Hillary, are Hillary herself and the main stream media. Especially CNN.

Go Hillary GO!!! you bet time for a lady and a first lady as President,she has got baggage bucketloads of it EXPIERENCE I lived well when bill was in there..there terrified because when she gets in there , rove, tony snow all of them are getting out she just might find something interesting,i bet dick cheney steps down and out soon.

Rove the architect of 6 years of political failure is back to tell us how the country should be run! This Guy got the nerves to stand on national TV ,and try to gain some credibility on politics. Please Mr Rove goes home, and reflect on the result of your last 6 years of lies and deceiviness to the American Poeple.We deserve better than to listen to your sorry, pathetic lessons about political future of this country. Because of your mis-managment of State's affairs about 4000 American Soldiers, and 1/2 million Irakis have died in the past 6 years. How can you be so wrong Mr Rove. What of a Legacy you left us!!! Nothing to be proud of!!At least give Hillary a break, I do not believe she is capable of making a mess as you did..

Reply to Greg,

I already read that story and commented on it, and I've read many of your comments from the other stories on this ticker too. I pretty much think most of the nonsense you post is ill-based and to scare people away from voting for Clinton in the primaries. No offense to you personally.

I've been keeping up with the polls, and probably know a bit more about how to interpret them then you might think. (Though, thanks to the person that posted the link to the website with all the polls, this is an invaluable resource and save me a lot of time!) This is what I think: it is very early in the campaign; in fact, it is actually too early to see how a democratic candidate would do in a match up with a republican because they haven't even started campaigning against each other because they are too busy campaigning against each other.

I think your forget that this race started much earlier and that we're still in the primaries. However, based on the comments I've been reading from you. I doubt I'm likely to persuade you otherwise - again no offense meant.

However, my original post about this article still stands. I believe this is a scare tactic used by the Republicans, i.e. reverse psychology, and that they are scared to death that Clinton will win the Primary and take the White House. The sure way to assure that doesn't happen, is to convince democrats to not vote for her in the primaries - thus making sure she is not in the general election. I mean come on this is basic high school politics. Surely dems are smart enough to see this is what they are doing.

Rove must be ROFL'ing at Hillary's "Rove is obsessed with me" remark. Look, if the Dem's didn't have a Rove to hate, they would create one. Directed hatred is a time tested propaganda technique used to control the thoughts and behavior of a group. Interesting that this approach gives Rove an enormous amount of power over democrat politics. He really IS a genius!! It's fun to watch, just the same.

If they can destroy Senator Clinton because they know they can beat Barack Obama or John Edwards in the General
Election. The Republicans are scared of The strength of an Clinton administration. And they know she can beat them.

Its very simple, the country is tired of the gop failed policies and we are ready for a change with Hillary Clinton in the Whitehouse as President because this is the only choice americans have.

Well we now know what family Rove is going to spend time with, the republican family. Its obvious the white house is secure in thier hands for the next year and a half, so what else is there to do but send out your top strategist without morals to knock down the top opponent who might kick you and your cronies off penn. ave. .

After you get away with Libby tried, convicted, and pardoned, and this no end in sight murderous war gets worse and worse, then all your staff can ignore federal summons that question your policies and actions, its clear there's not much more you really need a strategist to help keep you in office any longer.

What better to do than send him out to tear down your opponents and make sure you passover to your fellow republicans. We wouldn't want anyone else getting into office so soon and showing america what you really have been up to.

I bet we see alot more of Rove In the coming year, especially his mouth! I'm sure it will not be from his home or anywhere near his family.

Tear it up Hillary, stand strong
show these boys how a LADY has shown up at the dance.

"A woman who doesn't take crap from men" Excuse me? Have a cigar whoever wrote that.

She's just distracting facing comparison to her conservative counterparts. Why not talk about your accomplishments Mrs. Clinton?

For example what have you done to show us financial responsibility with public money?

Let's compare and contrast with Mitt Romney. He successfully closed a $3 billion budget deficit without raising taxes. Hillary simply took more and more from the people in order to tax and spend. So we'll conclude that not only does she not have success and financial responsibility, but she has no experience budgeting to avoid a deficit.

Posted By xtina chicago IL : August 19, 2007 12:37 pm
Mitt Romney?, Come on, if you are going to pick a GOP candidate to compare with Hillary you should at least pick one that's not a joke. Mitt has flipped on just about every issue there is http://www.mittswaffleshop.com - I don't think this guy could get elected as dog catcher.

Rove, like his president, exists in an insulated fantasy world with no concept of reality…..On the other hand, maybe he does have some sense of reality and the fact that Hillary is one of the most intelligent, knowleageable candidates ever!He is obviously threatened by her expertise, experience, and political acumen.

If Karl Rove believes Hillary and Barack are bad…then it can only mean that they are probably possessed of integrity, good decision-making abilities, and all that is positive.

Having served under one of the most corrupt (if not THE most corrupt) administration's in this nation's history, he has zero ground to speak.

Really…think of it:
a) Patriot Act? Equals Alien and Sedition Acts
b)Grant's Whiskey Ring? Equals oil companies exploiting middle America with exorbiant prices.
c) The Spoils of Andrew Jackson? Equals incompetant leaders such as Rove and Attorney General Gonzalez.

E. C. of Houston, Texas writes:

“Can one even imagine a Female Hormonal, loud, crass President like her… battling Fundamentalist Islamic Extremists when Muslims don't even acknowlege 'the Female Gender?'”

So let me get this straight, E.C., you’re going to let the opinions of fundamentalist Islamic extremists dictate who we can elect as President of the United States?

OMIGOSH! Someone said something less than adulatory about Hillary Rodham Clinton. It's unthinkable. What a monster, with no heart! No soul! NO shame! Who does he think he is, answering the press' questions! He is no one. Do you hear me? No one. We don't know who he is. Queen Hillary must reign and THAT's what Everyone KNows! Do you understand? Now, on with the show…. muttonheads.

wonder what Mr Rove has to say about the POLLS in regards to the current administration and the PREZ Mr Bush himself?Not to mention the POLLS about the war in Iraq?? just so they know howz lowest in the history of the nation? Not the poll company?
Nevermind the POLLS for next year's presidential race?
So true each party will have their best candidate going at it and the votes will be counted to determine the outcome?
Americans from coast to coast are looking forward to have their VOTE counted ..good luck all..

Clinton evaded answering the question about her negatives. She doesn't have a plan to win I guess. She is just going to hope people change their minds. That's not good enough for me.

Karl who and republicans worry that Hillary will be nominated and elected, and she will ruin the republican's fortunes of federal money.

IF Giuliani will be the republican nominated candidate, Hillary beats him now accroding to the polls, and I predict Hillary's winning margin will be much more as the election days are near, when the american public knows more about Giuliani.

Giulinani has lots of personal baggages already known, and more will surface. He is a one day (9/11) wonder, but he did nothing to prevent it or has done anything significant since. Giulian knows nothing about the federal and international politics. His new york city administration was not impressive at all, esp when he put the emergency command center and personnel in the twin tower. The new york firemen and police hate him.

In Hillary's first senate race, Giuliani withdrew "for personal reasons", and he will be run over by Hillary's campaign machine in this election.

Some people say the Hillary is polarizing, but these people are just republicans, or other dem candidates' supporters. Jealousy is the reason for these people saying that. If you ask the 45% dem voters who has given her the nomination votes, Hillary is the best since the slice bread.

Hillary is winning and the republicans are whinning. Go Hillary go!

Just a little analysis here …please!

The headline says "Rove is 'obsessed with me'"
The text of the story says he 'expanded' recent comments.

Where was he? Being interviewed on Meet the Press, right? What do they do on Meet the Press? The interviewee (Rove) is asked questions by the interviewer.

A guy that just quit his job would be a fool to turn down a paid appearance on a national new show. He was asked a question, and it looks like he just regurgutated the stuff he said the other day, "negatives high, party split dah, dah, dah…"

An expansion of his 'attacks' would be if he took it upon himself to hold a press conference then started levying accusations. But, in this case, he answers a question on a talk show and it is spun that poor old Hillary is being subjected to the vast right wing conspiracy again. I was watching various talk shows the other day on MSNBC,Fox,CNN, C-SPAN and saw several references to her high negative polling numbers, but you only see these stories when it comes from one of those dastardly Republicans.

But, the flap this has caused on this board is amazing. We have everything from Rove and everyone he knows is a lying crook and if any of you agree with him or voted Republican in the last 12 years you're a bible-thumpin' neo-con that wants to take away my rights. The other end of the spectrum s the YOU GO GIRL!!! crowd singing the praises greater-than-steroid-enhanced strength of this noble visionary woman and calling each other names. Enough already, the story and headlines are a rehash of yesterday's news.

Hope everyone's had a good weekend and will have an even better week!

Chip

UG. Hillary is so divisive. She accuses the present admin. of being divisive. She's dividing the people on this blog big time— can you imagine how she'll divide the country?!

Years ago it was the "vast right-wing conspiracy". Now it is Karl Rove. Isn't it possible that the only person really obsessed with Hillary Clinton is…Hillary Clinton? Just wait until the summer of 2008. By that time she may say that the Mormons, Masons, Knights of Columbus,the Priory of Sion, Mary Poppins and the AARP are "obsessed" with her also. Her candidacy to the presidency is going to be a lot of fun.

Karl Rove was asked to resign specifically for this purpose he is currently serving. It is a big smoke screen. We all see through it. Hiliary has nothing to worry about. We love her.

Of course the Republicans want to run against Hillary. Any other Democrat, particularly Edwards or Obama would beat any of them hands down. Hillary's negatives are earned over a long term and are almost immutable. The right wing nuts would be mobilized and energetic too. The Democrats are foolish for nominating Hillary…it must be Edwards or Obama.

Mrs. Clinton has my vote.

Yeah right Hillary…….your own husband isn't even obsessed with you!!

Hillary is going to have an easier time bringing down her high negatives when Independents & people capable of reason realize that much of those negatives were driven by the Republican Noise Machine. It's credibility has taken a huge hit since Iraq/Democracy in the Mideast and just about all of their agenda has proven to be a pipe dream. When real math collides w/Karl Rove's math guess who wins?

Mr. Rove is criminally-insane. I feel sympathy for anyone who is the target of this person's "obsession".

Rove should do all of America a favor now that he has stepped down - LEAVE US ALONE! He should go have a quiet life somewhere and build model trains in a basement.

Very interesting…UN, for a while "I am not American. I cannot vote." Then why do you care so much that Hillary wins the presidency? I've been following your thread.

Rove should be in jail for what he's done to this country.

Interesting how rove can harp on Hilary for some negative marks..(By the way Karl, she still leads any and ALL Republican candidates in the general poll!) when he just 'advised' Bush to some of the lowest approval ratings in history!
Personally I am (as of now anyway) going to vote for Obama and am glad that the 'Reds' are focusing all their attention on Hilary. All it does is help Obama in his quest to be president.
Stick a fork in Rove…he's done!

Karl Rove knows that Hillary is the best qualified of all the Democratic candidates. This is why he is trying to influence the Democratic Primary because he knows when Hillary wins the Democratic nomination she will get the most Democrats, Independents and Republicans to support her and win the General Election.

Rove is an evil little man. He is no idiot. He is in fact very very intelligent. Anyone who could convince the country to elect an absolute moron to be President is a pretty smart guy. Evil, but smart. I certainly hope that Rove never holds a powerful position in the government again.

To all you HRC supporters that claim she is by far the better candidate. Oh yeah she really has a firm grasp on things and has a lot of experience. She proved that by how well she has handled her husband the first rapist while he was in office. Lest we forget her healthcare debacle. Oh yeah and if she was so strong why didn't she run for the senate from her so called home state of Ark. Probably didn't want to represent a state that has disbarred her husband. Yeah the Clintons have it all over the Bushes, Huh?

" Name me one cadidate that has no " baggage ", and most if not all have more than Hillary."

Excuse me??? Hillary Clinton has no baggage?? What kind of drugs does one need to do to become so DELUSIONAL??

I had forgotten how easily liberal brush aside supporters of Bush as either stupid or ignorant. Surely people could not have a differing opinion after having all of the facts, right?! I mean, it HAS to be ignorance or stupidity. And if that doesn't win the argument, start throwing out names like pig fascist, Hitler, chickenhawk, etc. Some of you folks just migrate over from the dailyKOS?

Seriously, I think most of these comments have Godwin'd this entire thread!

I don't think that Rove's comments will change people's minds for voting Hillary 2008.
He is not wise to make this kind of comments on media. For him, be better, keep mouth shut at this time.

Hillary is the best, and she will win at this 2008 election !

Hint to Dems: Force the republi-authoritarians run away for Karl Rove. Take them on forcefully with phrases such as, "We are against the politics and policies of Karl Rove!" "____ [here insert name of right wing pol] is a Karl Rove republican." Rove's name gives new meaning to the word "slime".

I doubt if anyone in this country is obsessed with her. Seems to me that she just can't handle criticism very well.

Clinton is naive, does she really believe the Republicans are obsessed with her? She's taken the bait. They know she is leading in the national polls, so their trying to mold her into this unstoppable front-runner. The Republicans know if Obama or Edward are the nominees, they would in a general election. Clinton, however, is divisive, and a divisive candidate cannot win in a general election. If we democrats had any sense, we would nominate someone other than Clinton.

Maybe Senator Clinton is obsessed with herself? Rove is a shrewd political adviser that just stated an argument against Clinton. She no doubt talks about herself much more than Karl Rove or any other Bush politician.

The only person obsessed with Hillary is Hillary.

The Democrats can invent ways to lose national elections.

Here when 2008 should be a "slam dunk", they have decided we need to have a referendum on our first female or first black President.

You gotta love those zany Democrats!

Some have rued here that there are no really good candidates, but it mystifies that some two dozen people even want to try to muck out the stable that the Bushies, Rove included, have fouled since January 2001. Every candidate of both parties has some flaw or another, but none of them displays the combination of arrogance, imperiousness, cluelessness and general stupidity as the lying, Constitution-dismissing Chickenhawk-in-Chief who is now living in the White House. Or maybe I DO understand why so many people are racing to succeed him. Dubya makes anyone else look good.

Dear Marsha; You are right, Republican couldn't beat Hillary but they can beat Obama as a piece of cake. Everybody knew it, that's why Republicans keep attack Hillary, but most of people decided their mind, nobody can change them. Rove is jerk, if you agree with Rove, then you are a kind of jerk too. Hillary is brilliant, strong, experienced and powerful candidate, Republicans are scared to death because Hillary's popularity and supporters are growing up, Republicans knew Hillary very well, she is going to be the greatest President, she will change negative people to positive with her wisdom and make us to be proud everyday. Next year Bush's prestige will be gone completely, so they want Obama wins, Obama will be worse or same with Bush Administration, because his immature and lack of experience will cause the mistake from the first day in the Office(he made mistake a lot already). It is dangerous for our Country.

THIS IS ALL THAT KARL ROVE AND THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN POND SLIME HAS LEFT.TRY AND SMEAR AS MANY DEMOCRATS AS THEY CAN.THEY HAVE USED THESE TACTICS BEFORE. LOOK AT MCCAIN AND WHAT THEY DID TO ONE OF THEIR OWN.

Hillary has a very high negative rating. If she earns the nomination and someone like Guliani wins the Republican nomination, I see her losing to Guliani. If I were the Republican party, I would want her as the nominee because what it forgot here is that since 1988, a Bush or a Clinton has been on the ticket as President, and since 1980, somewhere on the ticket. That friends is fatigue and can be used by the Republican candidate for leverage.

Why can't we just get some good people to run the country?
Not one is running at the moment.

Karl Roves' only genius is in manipulating the ignorant…….that does include the news media by the way!

Rove just left the White House this week and here he is getting in the way of the next election. Already.
He talks about her negatives, ummm, WHAT? He is the man who manipulated an election to get the madman a second term, based on something as unimportant as gay issues and he also had a part to play in the madman starting a war. This parasite has left Washington, the war is still going on, Americans are still getting killed everyday while he has another $80.00 dinner to feed his triple-chinned pig face.
It's said that incompetent people don't know that they are incompetent. After looking at Bush, Cheney and Rove, I'm starting to wonder if the same can be said about evil people.
Go away Karl Rove! This election is going to be hard enough to decide without you fouling it up. You've done enough damage to our nation already.

Hillary is right! Karl Rove and all the Rethugblicans are obsessed with her and her husband.. They do nothing but bash her and former President Clinton and even go as far as to blame him for things that THEY are responsible for. And it is obvious that Rove is using reverse Psychology when he says that Hillary is unelectable and is the most flawed candidate. He knows that she knows how the GOP attack machine works and that she and her husband have and will beat them again! GO HILLARY!!!

As a Democrat, I am frankly not impressed with what the Dem's have done so far - Many of them are foresworn in their oath to uphold the Constitution. Be that as it may, ANYTHING is better than what we have now or any Republican candidate. It is time to join the rest of the world with a woman Head-of-State. It is definitely time for a REAL Change that will make a Change. From signed statements, no-bid contracts and billions of dollars unaccounted for, lies to support invasion of a sovereign country, making all of us defacto war criminals (rendition, torture, Guantanamo not to mention the invasion), betraying the Constitution, our children and grandchildren in the military, betraying our own (Katrina, spying and ending our Bill of Rights to serve as fodder for a dictatorship), to the ending of hundreds of years of habeas corpus - and on and on- What person in their right mind (with the exception of those who have prospered by/from this abomination) would vote for anything Republican and the way the Democratic Congress has betrayed us - almost anything Democratic? Like I said time for a REAL Change. The only REAL Change moves to what this country has never had before - a woman President. Not only a Real Change but a different direction. NOW!!!!firemoon47

The REAL question is…"Which Republican candidate will be the one to bring Rove on board to start the "HATE" campaigning?" We have had enough of the Great Divider.

Rove on the sidelines????? PUULLLEEZZZZEEE!!!!!!

Rove should spend the next year in Iraq serving his country and seeing what he helped create over there

Keith Guice
Franklin, Tn

I am not American. I cannot vote. Also I should not express undiplomatic views.

This time it's hard to resist though.

Rove is being flushed down the toilet (not one day too soon), but in an attempt to self-preservation he tries to make it look like a send-off in a volley of glory.

Come on Rove, not all Americans are as foolish as you.

Lance- You're either a plant, or just a simple-minded cheer-leader. From your latest;

"Clinton is so two faced".

"Hillary is truly becoming the "fear" c