Old Turdblossom is leaving the White House:
Karl Rove, the political adviser who masterminded President George W. Bush’s two winning presidential campaigns and secured his own place in history as a political strategist with extraordinary influence within the White House, is resigning, the White House confirmed today.
In an interview published this morning in The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Rove said, “I just think it’s time,†adding, “There’s always something that can keep you here, and as much as I’d like to be here, I’ve got to do this for the sake of my family.â€
Mr. Rove said he had first considered leaving a year ago but stayed after his party lost the crucial midterm elections last fall, which put Congress in Democratic hands, and as Mr. Bush’s problems mounted in Iraq and in his pursuit of a new immigration policy.
He said his hand was forced now when the White House chief of staff, Joshua B. Bolten, recently told senior aides that if they stayed past Labor Day he would expect them to stay through the rest of Mr. Bush’s term.
Sounds like there may be more to this than meets the eye. Even though he is quitting, he isn’t off the hook in the DOJ purge.