Bill Moyers on Karl Rove: "Rove is riding out of Dodge City as the posse rides in."
Friday night on PBS Bill Moyers tells his personal take on Karl Rove, his career and his long, destructive political journey with the worst President in American history. If you enjoy Bill Moyers work, or are just a fan of the truth, you'll want to take a look at this clip. If you'd like to watch the entire segment you can watch it here.
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Moyers: "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 inhis back pocket and make him governor of Texas, was to sell him as God's anointed in a state where preachers andtelevangelists outnumber even oil derricks and jack rabbits. Using church pews as precincts Rove turned religion into a weapon of political combat -- a batteringram, aimed at the devil's minions, especially at gay people.
It's so easy, as Karl knew, to scapegoat people you outnumber, and if God is love, as rumor has it, Rove knew that, in politics, you better bet on fear and loathing. Never mind that in stroking the basest bigotry of true believers you coarsen both politics and religion."
(thanks to Bill W for the video)
Moyers will always be frist in my book!
The true believers won't believe that they were manipulated.
It takes a particular kind of mental gymnastics to support Bush and ignore CHeney's new granddaughter.
I watched this segment, and nodded my head in affirmation throughout. Moyers is right-Rove was able to take a loser and package him as the new savior, and that played so well with true believer dominionists that it even seemed palatable to more reasonable religionists.
It is only in hindsight, in the wake of the tragedy of war, the shredding of the Constitution, the stench of corruption, that American citizens have awakened to the fraudulent sales job perpetrated on us. Too busy with our consumerist goals, or simply with survival, we allowed ourselves to be persuaded that the emperor had royal, sacred rainment. But he was naked all along. And Karl Rove was the chief persuader. His legacy is that he has helped cause the destruction of the United States of America's good name, the death of hundreds of thousands of innocents and thousands of our own military, the postponement of constructive action to alleviate global warming, and not the least, made us less safe against our enemies.
Karl Rove has helped bring our nation to its proverbial knees, and not in the prayerful way his fundamentalist Christian followers would have hoped.
It will take decades to undo his despicable legacy. But we owe it to our children and to the world, to begin.
You've got to give it to him, he's got a lot of reading to do. Who want to go down with sinking ship!!!! ------> http://www.youpolls.com/category.asp?cid=6&view=recent
The only good thing I can say about Rove is he did take those reich wing knuckle-dragging Christofascits bigoted hate-mongers for a ride.
Even in a creature as reprehensible as Turdy one can find a positive.
Why is it so hard for the American people to see and to admit that they were used and abused by Rove and his frightening agenda? It is frustrating for us on the outside looking in to witness the loyalty shown to these traitors. The intellect of the average U.S. citizen is questioned when we see the accolades Rove is given.
Bravo to Bill Moyers, a true American patriot.
I used to be cynical but i can't keep up.
Speaking of cynical exactly what does Karl believe in? Is it merely power and/or greed? If i were him i would not want there to be a hell either (Unfortunately there isn't.) The fact of the matter is i am having a hard time believing in justice these days let alone God.
In a fair and just world, there is a posse riding in to arrest Rove. But this ain't no fair and just world, is it?
will this movie end well, will the posse catch this horse thief? will the grizzeld sherrif beat the shit out of the culprit? and as the movie ends will thier be a haunting mellody playing as the horse thief swings from a scaffold after a short trial? god i love clint eastwood spagetty westerns
Will you be posting any of the debate clips from the recent Dem debate?
Moyer's is one of the calmest, clear headed, intelligent, an non reactive investigative journalists left on the scene.
He tells it like it is without all the testosterone laced adrenaline, drama, hype, and infantile self centered "this is show business" approach most other so called journalists these days engage in.
What posse?
Moyers raises the standard every friday. He's a national treasure
I think we can now count the investigative journalists on one hand.
The next generation won't even know what it means.
Rove has great instincts for timing his exit...
But unfortunately when it comes to Sen. Leahy and all those investigations...
You can run but your can't hide, sir...
Emerald @ 3:
Well said. I was surprised to hear that Rove is a self-confessed agnostic. I did not know that, and I would think that factoid would get more play out there...
Btw, where I live, Bill Moyers in on 11pm Friday!
I watch online, and I send voided checks to WUNC.
Bless Bill Moyers. In a world where the trivial and trifling are routinely rewarded (hello, broadcast news and any "news" on Fox), his honest, pull-no-punches insights are sorely needed. He should be making the millions that I'm sure Chris Matthews pulls down. Thank God he continues to speak out.
hadenuf @ 14:
Many will think it means traitor if things keep going in the direction these assholes are taking this world.
hadenuf @ 14:
You got that right. "Journalists" will mostly be jog hoppers who are jumping from one gig to the next better one.
Weather Anchor, Sports, on up the ladder to Host of Idol, Makeover, or Hollywood Squares where the "big bucks" are.
Tremendous analysis from a man I respect. Keep up the good work, Mr. Moyers!
I have no respect for that hypocritical, treasonous POS named rove, who used the fears and neuroses of "the christianista faithful" to help get bush elected at least once - in Texas. The national elections for president, however, must go down in the history books in a fashion similar to the batting records of barry bonds - with a bold-script asterisk (*) beside them.
May rove rot in hell for the damage that he has brought to the United States.
I liked this one...
• Detox from Fox: Starve The Beast
I don't believe in hell, so may Rove rot in a physical 3D jail cell.
Should be required viewing for Matthews, Gregory, Russert, and the rest of the "journalists" on teevee.
Dont forget to mention election fraud,election rigging and attacking big city precincts to make it impossible for lower income people to vote
Kucinich/Moyers '08
Media Consolidation = Lame Stream Media
The media's analysis of Rove's impact seems to focus on the effectiveness with which he carried out his goals, and it's hard to deny his effectiveness. But effectiveness alone is not the criteria by which we should judge whether a politician is worthy of admiration. If it were, we could say that Adolf Hitler was to be admired because his regime was so effective at slaughter. No, effectiveness is only admirable when it serves laudable goals. Rove should be judged by whether he was effective at attaining goals which we can agree are worthwhile.
Moyers is brave, but the political monsters in the dark forest will have him.
An excellent piece from a journalist who retains his integrity!!!
Why is it always hindsight that reveals how stupid we are? In hindsight we are able to realize the collapse of the 'sub prime' mortgage debacle, the fraudulent failure of Enron, the shameful role this administration has played selling a useless war.
Is hindsight the only tool we humans have to recognize the truth of a situation? If that is so we are doomed to be the eternal victims of the shysters of the world.
Couldn't we just ask more questions of those who presume to know what's best for us. Isn't it possible that we might be able to raise the bar a little when electing or hiring our consultants? We are the one's paying. We are paying in everything from our life's blood to our life savings. Couldn't we, at least, demand from our employees a thorough and verifiable resume?
If we don't try something to stem the tide of greed and incompetence which permeates our country we deserve to be the eternal victims.
Moyers started his show with a look at Katrina 2 yrs later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk-TrboVN4g
so wrong. :(
NevadaBlue @ 26:
Great Idea to bad Kucinich is considered too radical-fringe.
Job number one is getting a President who is going to work tirelessly to heal the divisions in this country and repair our hopelessly damaged reputation around the world. I worry this country has become fragmented into so many pieces it might take decades to put it back all together again.
The function of government is the creation/maintanance of civil society and the protection of the common man and his interests - public commons - from predators; the greedy, corporatists, aristocracy etc. (OSHA, FDA, EPA, FEMA etc etc)
Without government, no group of citizens is strong enough to defend themselves, civil society or the public commons from predation.
The predators have convinced the common man in the US to dismantle that which preserves and protects them. The predators have been unchained on an ignorant and gullable citizenry. They will be 'eaten', which is what they deserve. The world needs to watch and take careful notes so as not to repeat this mindless blunder.
Rove is a parasite. He will return, probably attached to the arse of Romney.
Again, the American Public gets what it deserves.
Bush received over 52% of the vote in 2004.
And in the Chutpah Department:
The voters overwhelmingly supported the president in going to war in Iraq
back in 2002-2003. And now many in the public are DEMANDING an apology
from Hillary Clinton (whom I can't stand) for her vote to go to war - a vote that
most of the public supported. 'Eff the public, 'eff Karl Rove.
Moyers has more going on in tip of his finger then MSNBC,CBS, ABC, CNN combined...Fox doesn't even count.
And no, no one will have Moyers, as truth is never destroyed, only delayed.
A little family history about Rove.
http://www.bmezine.com/news/guest/20070818.html
Rove seems really to be an amoral opportunist in the real politik sense.
What's on in my area instead of Bill Moyers:
NC People
zzzzzzzzzzzzz
For every time I get embarrassed by Texans (Bush, Rove), I am reminded that Ann Richards, Molly Ivins, and Bill Moyers are/were also from Texas. Thank goodness there's some compensation.
Coarse?
Hah. Miss Piggy Rove feeds on coarse.
But maybe's Karl's really going down this time.
bernarda @ 38:
Oh, great; yet another son with tons of father baggage. Yet another someone--untreated--who leaves a wake of disaster behind him. Welcome to the world of When Society Becomes an Addict, predicted a couple decades ago.
Hypocrites love their own. There aren't enough true believers to elect a dog catcher. They play to the self-righteous, the judgmental. That is why gay preachers and congressmen are so popular with the church going crowd. Keep it in the closet, and be cool, and everything will be okay. The only difference between sinner and saint is that the "sinner" usually doesn't pretend to be something he's not, and doesn't usually try to pretend to be better than anyone else. Don't kid yourselves kiddies, there are some nasty messed up mofos filling up the pews on Sunday.
Moyers' analysis is spot on. Rove has been called many things: the Brain, the Architect, the always endearing turd blossom but what I've always thought is that he's the Great Makeup Artist. No one is better at getting lipstick on the pig than Karl Rove.
Why he picked Bush as his masterpiece we'll never know for sure but I suspect it was the challenge. This was his Everest. The sad part is that at no time did he consider the consequences for the United States of marketing a person of such limited intellectual capacity. For those of us foreigners who appreciate the positive role the U.S. has historically played I beg you: come next election please don't do that again. We don't need two forty watters in a row.
Bill Moyers: Punk Rock Superhero.
As I recall, the right wing crazies tried their best to get rid of Bill Moyers. He "retired" and it looks like the retirement didn't take - thanks be to God. He has always been the voice of the religious center and we have forgotten what that sounds like.
yep, what he says.
Rove thinks the Dem nominee's gonna be Billary, but I think he's wrong, it's Obama. It'll be Obama vs. Romney, w/ Obama winning.
The only Republican who'd beat Obama is Ron Paul. Fortunately, the Republican base is too stupid to ever figure that out.
I'm tired of hearing people refer to Rove as some kind of genius. Please. I'm sure he has an above average IQ, but the term genius is usually reserved for those who create something new that is of value. Therefore, I don't think the term "evil genius" should even be used. How about smart a-hole? The reason that Rove came up with so many interesting ways to lie and manipulate is because he spent his days thinking about this in earnest. This is the same reason why most people don't regularly come up with new ways to scam elderly people, while some people can be professional con-artists. Their mind just work that way for some unfortunate reason. So let's just call Rove what he is, a reasonably smart, mis-directed a-hole, not political genius.
P.S. If he was a real genius, we wouldn't be on to his game.
Bill Moyers just oozes integrity.
i cant for the life of me figure out how dennis kucinich can be considered to radical for the american voters, hes for getting out of iraq now afganistan allso getting rid of the monkey on our backs nafta cafta wto, impeaching bush and cheny getting rid of the k street lobbiests, for national health care , hey this bastard is to radical the american people wont stand for a sawed off dont look like a movie star kind of prick whos got ideas like that , they want more of the same that they allways get corporate whores running america!
Matthews: "[talking to Rove] is really like talking to a fire hydrant."
??????
W. T. F. ???
Annoyed Canuck @ 53:
I think tweety got Rove confused with Chimpy.
oh and if you can believe it for restoreing the costitution and all the civil rights rove cheny bush took from you , the gaul of the man!
American Uber-Christians are suckers of the first degree.
Annoyed Canuck @ 53:
Tweety's into watersports.
[...] Video here [...]
Moyers speaks the truth, but what does it matter now, after 4 years of war, the defacto partitioning of Iraq, 3000 dead Americans, 20,000 injured veterans, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis and $500 billion of borrowed military expenditure?
Moyers looked very sad in that clip. He must know, better than anyone, that this is an age in which the most damning truths can be spoken, and have no positive effect whatsoever except to apportion blame long after the damage has been done.
I wish to God I had Moyer's facility with words.
You could just listen to the tone of what he was saying and think..."Oh, he's just expressing a mild displeasure."
But then the actual words kick in and you understand that he has totally destroyed someone with out ever using an expletive.
I love his show and I am so glad that FCC jerk got fired for getting him kicked off the air.
REALLY glad he's back!
bernarda @ 38:
Good Christ. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction. Something tells me that link is going to be all over the web, real quick.
There is the study of history (which is in a sense hindsight), which should be a lifelong thing, not just confined to the sanitized narratives from high school, or the handful of credits one was required to take in college. And also the self-discipline to never, EVER allow oneself to think, "Oh, we would never let that happen again. We're so beyond that as a society." The latter is equally important. Quite possibly more so.
a guy at 12, "What posse"? I wonder too. I think it's supposed to be the Democratic majority, but they're more like the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight. They have a few days of hearings and then drop the ball, or they keep backing down on the subpoenas. We won't even mention impeachment. The discussion of the Plame Case between Rove and Gregory is a good example of what I'm talking about. Was that it with the Congress? No more hearings, no calling Fitzgerald to question him?
what! KKKarl Rove doesn't believe in God??? No! You're pulling my leg. What are you saying Bill? That he's just a cynical, corrupt politician manipulating the masses?
Jeez.... who woulda thunk it...
I pray there is a hell so fuck head rove can burn in it!
Karl Rove, a genius? I don't see it. What I see is a man so totally lacking in personal integrity that he eagerly lied, cheated, stole and manipulated the religious beliefs of millions of earnest, gullible evangelicals. I have to assume that nobody has told these poor rubes about Rove's scam, or they'd be out in the streets with pitchforks and torches, looking for some biblical payback.
No, the rubes are just as ignorant as before, and now they'll be fed the same crap on behalf of another clown messiah - Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, etc. Hell, even Brownback might be a faker. They're all just looking for the right buttons. Even "honest" Ron Paul is praying people don't notice that his platform is nothing more than Grover Norquist's wet dream.
On the other hand, maybe some of the sheep will read about Infidel Karl on one of these blogs, and maybe a few of them will start to grumble. Probably won't mean much, because if there's one thing you can depend on about Christianists, it's that they're total conformists. When the preacher says vote Republican, they'll follow orders.
I'm watching the Rove interview right now....if this murderous little Elmer Fudd clone says "You bet!" one more time, after posing a straw man question to himself (a la Rumsfeld) I will kick my TV in!!!!!!
If Rove willingly admits he is an agnostic, imagine what the truth must be. He probably 'worships' by dancing nude around a pentagram, raping male goats while he slits their throats.
But it is surprising to know that he is more of a mendacious hypocrite, and less of an ignorant boob, than he appears.
...and the gullible, ignorant, apathetic General Public fall for it every time!
Tell them any Bullshit, anything at all. It doesn't matter, because they are stupid, ignorant and gullible and just too damn lazy to either look for the truth or to think for themselves.
..the more outrageous the Lie the more likely they will believe it to be true.
On many of the forums I visit most days, I find that some of the questions people ask and some of the answers told are so stupid it amazes me.
And I'm not referring to peoples beliefs, whether they be religious or crack pot conspiracy theory's but the straight up ignorance and intellectual laziness that people constantly display.
That is what has allowed people like Rove and Bush to flourish.
George W Bush is an idiot and I say that in all seriousness. The man is, simply put, not brainy enough to even understand the complexities of his office and responsibilities.
That is why he keeps referring to the "White noise" he blocks out...He is a genuine disaster for the US.
Government is planning another attack, Dirty Bomb or Tainted water. Marshal law is coming. Buy guns and water. No 08 Election
Alas, we are a nation of imbeciles.
I mourn for my country that we were so easily and completely deceived by low-grade morons, incompetents, charlatans, and liars.
Now that is the truth about Mr. Rowe as most Americans know and feel about him and that is the kind of reporting of these people that we deserve, instead of the mess we are given by these National Networks, Right Wing Radio Stations and our Local News Papers who are simply attempting to change the view of Americans and sway them into thinking that what is going on in our political arena is good for us.
Rove and Bush have for the past six years made me feel my father's wounds and the death of his friends in WWII were for nothing. Within the lifetime of the survivors of that war a Nazi regime somehow took over America from within.
B. buckman @ 31:
Enron was a scam where the facts were hiden until a whistleblower uncovered the scam and came forward. Unfortunately, by then it was too late. On the other hand, the mortgage mess has been predicted by people in the industry for several years. Their warnings fell on deaf greedy ears. You could see the mortgage mess from miles away. It was the S&L failures of the 80s on steriods. It is not that we don't see the corruption. It is that the corrupt do their damnest to hide their crimes and/or the politicians will not insist on prudent regulation because they are bought and paid for with campaign contributions. Either way, the people loose.
Here is an astute quote from Rove in the recent interview on "Meet the Press"
"The Democrats are going to choose the Democratic nominee and the Republicans are going to choose the Republican nominee."
Um, OK Karl, I can now see why you've been called a brilliant Republican Strategist. But I guess this is the way you need to speak to your base so they understand.
[...] WHY ROVE SUCKED DONKEY BALLS [...]
It's a blessing that there are still some people in the tube that speaks thruth to the people, when there is an obvious one that speaks the opposits (of the truth). It is of NO surprise, that for everyone person who is gifted to tell the truth, who has sided with the moral standing and truth for the good of all people, there are tens of those who have foolishly, chosen or accepted to do it for the other-side. Same are true, that there are those who will choose the less popular "quality" over the most popular "quantity. Or the easy and fast way over the long and well thought out processes.
Just like GOD gave us One brain, One heart, One life. We have One chance to do the correct, or a many dozens other mistakes to do the same. It is up to us. But many will choose the path of the plenty over the path of simplicity. For those who chose the latter, will preserve clarity over the muddled plenty.
Be careful how you choose your path, for if you chose to listen to a man who ( in this case) have linked to a man (man) with many broken path, you may find yourself listening to a story with many pages missing in his mental Journals, that makes a his paraphrases incomplete, full of missing facts and tainted with many distortions. Rove is this man; a foolish architect of a broken path. He knows that as long as the missing link (pieces of truth) remains hidden in a dark cloud, his truth (which is tainted with so many lies) will be the only story to be told. So long as it is hidden no one will know for sure.
However, it is true that clouds do evaporate and clarity will eventually sets in to place. When the time comes, the truth will emerge. The missing pieces is beginning to emerge as the light shines on Harriet Miers, Alberto Gonzales, Donald Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Condi Rice, Richard B. Cheney and wife lynn, George W. Bush and his Bush crime family, and the Clintons and Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid/John Conyers stories become clearer.
xargaw @ 73:
That is because Americans are reactionaries not pre-visors. There is never been long term thinking in this society, "we want what we want and we want it now" is our motto.
Check for example the fact that there is literally no predictive medicine network in this country, compared to the network of ambulatory clinics overseas. Rather than have a cold checked and treated, Americans always rush to the emergency room with a full out case of pneumonia.
We are a nation of greedy stupid myopic fuckers, and we have always been that way...
Hitler too; was a "genius".... Rove is and was a foul, damaging force in America, I never could understand how the lowest and sleaziest of the bunch squeeze their way into power. Oh yeah thats right; they cheat.
a guy @ 12:
That would be Congress, one would hope.
Petro @ 16:
Makes sense to me he is an agnostic. I have a hard time believing any person of faith would use others in such a callous and manipulative manner.
Bravo to Mr. Moyers for pointing out the disgusting legacy of Rove. I only hope there are no more men like him out there....
Bryan H. Bell @ 28:
Exactly. The essence of Rove's success is not genius at all but a willingness to cheat, lie, and steal, bringing the political process down into the gutter, a place in which he is quite comfortable, because it defines the nature of his personality.
If I were on the Nobel nominating committee I would nominate Bill Moyers, Keith Olbermann and Helen Thomas to share a joint Peace Prize. They have remained true to truth while the rest of their peers joined the fascism band wagon. To the extent that one person can make a positive difference in the world and help change it for the better, or prevent it from changing for the worse, these people have done it. When journalists do their job with integrity, they serve the rule of law, they serve justice and they serve peace. Giving them such a prize would honor them as they deserve, and also shame those who deserve shame - had they but the sense or conscience to know it.
Speaking of Rove and lying, he recently started blathering on about how Hillary was going to be the Democratic pick, and then talking up all of her negatives.
So when the reporter called him out on it and said, "Why are you helping Hillary Clinton?", he replied, "Didn't know that I was. Don't think that I am."
One of the common indicators of lying is speaking in incomplete and vague sentences. Rove's response was a classic evasion of that type.
Someone who ISN'T lying will say something firm like, "I'm not trying to help Hillary Clinton."
Of course, I suppose I'm over-analyzing, since the best indication of Rove's lying is that his lips are moving.
Rove is like a "fire hydrant" alright... one that I'd like to piss on.
is there complicity on the part of the media. look no further than the accolades on rove brought forth in this clip. if there ever were a doubt as to where mainstream news stood on the bush crime family, look no further. for our state of affairs that we as a country find ourselves in today, i blame almost entirely, the media. sadly, as this chapter comes to an end, the media will test the wind and bend and take up the visage of having been there all along. and the forgiving and gullible American people will blink and then allow it to pass.
There is other on the media scene that has the stature, insight and clear articulate voice of Bill Moyers. Thank God for this man.
Dave,
That was probably a bad bet. If you don't post for a couple of days, I'll assume that you had to go to the hospital to get the glass shards removed from your foot.
Karl Rove: Known in Gay Circles as 'Miss Piggy'. November 2, 2006
[...] Crooks and Liars » Bill Moyers on Karl Rove: “Rove is riding out of Dodge City as the posse rides... [...]
[...] Bill Moyers on Karl Rove: “Rove is riding out of Dodge City as the posse rides in.” [...]
Is everyone on this web site always this miserable, unhappy, depressed and pessimistic? It's politics, people. Happens on the right; happens on the left. I'm out of here. Have fun being miserable! :)
And yet... so many people willing to throw themselves in the mud for Rove to walk on to prevent him from soiling his shoes. Makes me wonder what those people are believing in... sure isn't the Christianity I know and love.
The Moyers Blog has posted a letter from Bill Moyers to Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday, where Karl Rove was shown a clip of Moyers' comments about Rove's resignation. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2007/08/response_to_my_fellow_texan.html
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