Rove is leaving? I have a bridge you might want...

Spare me the choked up goodbye, the subsequent initial feint at trying to frame the legacy that officially begins on January 20, 2008 or the glossy retelling of the old days.

Somehow the term “genius” being applied to Mr. Rove and his tactics that resulted in 2 terms of a failed administration seems misplaced, even downright insulting, to many of the voters in those elections.

His use of gutter tactics and polarization reached new lows – even by comparison to the ways and means employed by such people as Richard Nixon and his crew. Just ask Ann Richards (phone question used -“Would you vote for Ann Richards if you found out that most of her females staffers are lesbians?”- not that anyone knew if they were or not) when Bush ran for governor of Texas or John McCain, during the 2000 campaign in South Carolina.

He is not going anywhere that doesn’t have a phone, that doesn’t have access to his RNC email account, that can’t be contacted by those in need of his “wisdom”.

He is going to a place that will be even further out of the spotlight on an everyday basis, where his appearances will be in an even more controlled setting than they were in the White House. He’ll be on the dinner speaker circuit, making tens (if not initially, hundreds) of thousands of dollars for 20 to 30 minute speeches, during which he will be laying out the ground plan for the 2008 election to the faithful.

The importance of his words will be enhanced mightily if the Democratic nominee is Hillary – make no mistake about that. If there were one person that can galvanize the Republicans to overlook any differences they might have with one another, it would be the candidacy of Hillary. Enter Fred, Rudy or Mitt and their running mates (a running mate chosen to accommodate and placate those within the party that might not normally support the ticket’s top spot holder).

Rove will – through Bush, his pulpit in the White House and his veto power – orchestrate facts, imagery and legislative agendas to whatever advantage for the Republican nominee – while being out of sight and out of mind.

Dick Cheney will be envious.