Karl Rove’s Memo

I never thought I would be saying this. Thank you for your advice to Barack Obama, Karl Rove. Whew. That took a lot out of me.

Karl Rove’s article in Financial Times is essentially an unsolicited, open memo to Senator Obama giving him campaign advice for beating Senator Clinton. He actually had some good ideas:

• Stop acting like a vitamin-deficient Adlai Stevenson. Striking a pose of being high-minded and too pure will not work. Sharpen your attacks and make them more precise.
• Focus on the fact that many Democrats have real doubts about Hillary.
• When you create controversies do not pick issues where you are playing the weaker hand.
• When you disagree with her be clear about what you believe.
• Do a better job explaining what kind of change you represent.
• Find a way to gently belittle her whenever she tries to use disagreements among Democrats as an excuse to complain about being picked on. The toughest candidate in the field should not be able to complain when others disagree with her. This is not a coronation.

Rove is such a shifty character, but this really surprises me. Karl Rove must really miss being an official player in the political game. I am also very surprised that he is talking like this. I would think that a Clinton Democratic ticket would be the best-case scenario for Republicans since she seems to charge their base more than anyone else ever could (unless Ronald Reagan rose from the dead, and then it would be close). I kind of feel guilty for even thinking that Obama (the pure) should consider taking advice from a guy like Rove on how to play a little dirtier and win, but it is probably necessary. Obama would do well to adopt some of these campaign strategies.