Opinion: Rove and some Democrats find common ground

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

It is not surprising that Karl Rove, in the interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal’s Paul Gigot signaling that he would announce his resignation today from the White House, would describe Hillary Rodham Clinton as a ‘tough, tenacious but fatally flawed’ presidential candidate. One would expect the Republican Party’s most famous political guru to press that case.

What has much of the political world abuzz is that apparently quite a few Democrats agree.

Based on more than 40 interviews, Ron Fournier of the Associated Press reports that ‘Democratic candidates, consultants and party chairs from every region in the country’ are concerned that a presidential ticket headed by Clinton could hurt the candidates listed beneath her. You can read the piece here.

Reflecting on the story, MSNBC’s First Read, in an item headlined ‘Hillary’s a Drag?,’ notes that ‘the Clintons’ own successes haven’t always translated into successes for the Democratic Party.’ It recalls that while Bill Clinton was winning the White House in 1992 and winning it again in 1996, Democrats lost Senate seats. And there was that little problem in the 1994 mid-term vote, when Democrats lost control of both chambers of Congress for the first time in 40 years.

Calming the anxiety within Democratic ranks that nominating her for president in 2008 could undercut what otherwise would be a strong year for the party may be the major challenge facing Clinton. Meanwhile, her campaign chugs along, unveiling its first television ad. Slated to air in Iowa (coordinated with several stops she plans to make in the state Tuesday and Wednesday), you can see it here.

-- Don Frederick