Rove's "Divide and Conquer" Election Strategy Finally Catches Up With Him

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Karl Rove is a smart guy. He got a much dumber man into the White House - twice - while securing several Republican Congresses. For years, his strategy of appealing only to the most zealous right-wingers while ignoring everyone else won elections. However, the results of the 2006 midterms have proven that this "divide and conquer" approach will only work for so long.

Rove knows that as long as you merely call yourself a Republican and a Christian, you can literally get away with murder (among other things). There are enough stupid and ignorant people out there who will rubber-stamp just about anything unquestioningly, and it is possible to win by simply being so radical that these people will show up to vote.

In 2004 Bush won the closest reelection in American history with this strategy, and we all remember his gloating: "I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it." True to his word, he certainly withdrew plenty from his capital. . . not to mention from our treasury.

But sooner or later, everyone has to pay the piper. From Iraq to the national debt, Bush sunk this country down a hole from which it will take many years to recover. One congressman told BuzzFlash that he feels sorry for whoever becomes our next president because he or she will inherit such monumental problems. Bush's failures were destined to be exposed; one of the most significant victories of this election is that Bush himself is being held accountable.

Call it justice, karma, or even retribution. Voters across the nation are furious at Bush and those who support him for wrecking the nation. Yes, the die-hard Republican base is still active, but moderates and even many (relatively) sane conservatives stood up with liberals yesterday to reject Rovian division. There is a reason Barack Obama's book The Audacity of Hope is the #1 best-selling nonfiction book right now. The American people desperately need the unity and inspiration that Bush told us he would bring six years ago.

Republicans are trying to displace blame for the election results. The observation that midterms often go against the president's party seems to be a popular excuse. But the truth is that this election was ultimately a rejection of Bush's failed policies and leadership that stemmed from "divide and conquer," along with the resulting culture of corruption that has plagued Washington. Another excuse given by Bush today was that most races were about the candidates, not Bush's policies. But Democrats did not lose a single seat in the House or Senate. Even all six gubernatorial shifts went from red to blue. This was no coincidence.

Much like with Bush, the legacy of Karl Rove is crumbling before our eyes. Rove's strategy promised infallible success at the polls, regardless of the grim realities surrounding an election. His model certainly seemed to be working, and a final triumph would have perhaps solidified his genius. Instead, the American people handed him what Tom DeLay is calling a "Texas whupping," and his man will spend the last quarter of his presidency a lame duck without an ounce of political capital or either house of Congress. Had Bush truly been a "uniter not a divider," he would likely have had reason to be as cocky at his press conference this afternoon as he was two years ago.

It may be impossible to make all the people happy all the time, but that does not make it all right to repudiate the president's obligation to at least try to govern with respect to all Americans. People outside the radical Religious Right live in this country too, and we vote.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

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