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One Man Influences a Nation

Comment by Larry Ross, August 20, 2007

So much of recent history, has stemmed from the influence, character, and malevolent skills of one Machiavellian manipulator - Karl Rove.

He created the grand strategies that won elections, and the words issued from George Bush's mouth. The following article shows how easily freedom and democracy can be corrupted in the name of practicing freedom and democracy. Wealth, plus greed, plus fear, plus lies, plus corrupted media wins 'democratic' elections for born again tin pot despots like George Bush. Rove knows when to get out - like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.

Was the 'Bush born again, whispers with God' appeal to right wing religious punters just invented as part of the electoral game? This is what Moyers implies. But I think Bush really believes these myths. Most leaders like to claim 'messages from God' and Heavenly consultations to justify wars based on lies. It tends to sanction their crimes and give them a scapegoat when things go wrong.

A major value of Moyers article is that it demonstrates how much, and how easily, the history and future of humanity can be shaped by unprincipled malevolent individuals.

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Bill Moyers Bids Farewell to Karl Rove

August 17, 2007

Bill Moyers: Some closing thoughts now on politics. When Karl Rove announced his resignation from the White House earlier this week, he got some rave reviews. Here's a sample circulating on the Internet.

CNN Correspondent: We should be congratulating Karl Rove for a long successful run - this is a guy who elected a president twice- who's known as one of the most brilliant political activists of our time...

Chris Matthews: If you've ever talked to him he's almost got, almost like a blinder's on his eyes- he looks you right in the eye - and he talks fast- faster than I do - really fast right in your face totally intent on you - and it's really like talking to a fire hydrant...

Bill Plante: He's not only the mastermind behind everything - he's the president's senior advisor...

MSNBC Correspondent: Boy genius, Bush's brain, the architect...

Karen Hughes: Karl is brilliant - he is funny - and he's a passionate advocate...

Andrew Card: Karl Rove is a superstar- he's very insightful - he's a great friend to the president- he's also a very broad thinker - he is one of the more intelligent people that I know - he's very quick witted- he's got a great sense of humor and the president will miss him...

Chris Matthews: Well generally where there's brains, there's Rove...

Bill Moyers: There is, of course, more to be said. What struck me about my fellow Texan, Karl Rove, is that he knew how to win elections as if they were divine interventions. You may think God summoned Billy Graham to Florida on the eve of the 2000 election to endorse George W. Bush just in the nick of time, but if it did happen that way, the good lord was speaking with a Texas accent.

    Karl Rove figured out a long time ago that the way to take an intellectually incurious draft-averse naughty playboy in a flight jacket with chewing tobacco in his back pocket and make him governor of Texas, was to sell him as God's anointed in a state where preachers and televangelists outnumber even oil derricks and jack rabbits. Using church pews as precincts Rove turned religion into a weapon of political combat - a battering ram, aimed at the devil's minions, especially at gay people.

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