When it's a taunt. That is what President Bush got from CBS News's Bill Plante during the press conference announcing the departure of Karl Rove from the White House. Plante shouted out, "If he's so smart, how come you lost Congress?" This is a jeer of the type one might direct toward an umpire, toward a fellow second grader, or toward the arch nemesis of the villain in a comic book. If you're so smart, how come.... Anyhow, with The Architect gone, who will build it? Now that Bush's Brain has retired to Texas, who will think for the president? Without the Evil Genius, who will become the liberal's punching bag?

Karl Rove's political genius is just as phony as Barak Obama's brilliant oratory. Both are just runaway media myths -- something that everyone believes because everyone else believes it.

Karl Rove lost (numerically) to Al Gore in 2000 and while President Bush did win the 2004 election it was by the smallest margin in 70 years or so. Then Rove had his stroke of brilliance when he handed the Democrats Congress in 2006. Any idiot could just advise Bush to stop talking about Iraq for a few months and declare that America will finally get serious about controlling the border, and Republicans would've fared much better.

I doubt Rove's departure will affect much. Bush's presidency is all but over -- the "surge" in Iraq will be his last major initiative. On the domestic front he's finished. As Americans finally resign the Iraq war to failure, Bush's legacy will be equally one of failure. What kind of political Svengali leads his puppet to such an ignominious departure?

"Karl Rove lost (numerically) to Al Gore in 2000...."

Gore won numerically? Won what? There is no sense in which Bush lost to Gore in 2000. That's like a baseball team claiming to win because they had more hits (but less runs) than the other team. That just doesn't constitute winning in baseball.

What's interesting about you, Eric, is that it's often difficult to distinguish your comments from the usual postings on, say, Daily Kos. Your loathing of the Bush administration is second to none.

Ralph, Gore received about half a million more votes than Bush did in 2000. This is what I meant by "numerical."

Eric

President Bush got more votes for president in 2004 than any candidate ever, and a 51% majority of all votes cast. In two elections, Bill Clinton never won a majority of the total votes cast - only 43% in 1992.

The facts are that both will be noted in history as two-term presidents. Bill Clinton's legacy, besides Monica and impeachment, will be how he and Hillary were able to blow Democrat majorities in Congress that had stood for four decades in only two years of fumbling and bumbling. And pretending not to notice the Rwanda genocide.

President Bush may still have a very positive legacy, particularly when history records the summation of the opposition to Islamic terrorism.

That chapter hasn't been written yet. Don't be in such a rush to lose. What are you, a Democrat?

Major, I'm aware of the facts you cited. I don't regard them as particularly relevant or significant. In 2004 John Kerry received more votes than Reagan did in the landslide election of 1984. Bush's 2004 victory was one of the narrowest margins for any incumbent since Woodrow Wilson, I believe.

I'm not sure what Clinton's legacy will amount to but I doubt it will reflect the glib summation you gave it. Clinton's presidency didn't have a defining moment or issue, so it will probably be just a random carnival of facts: Whitewater, Monica, blue dresses, Kosovo, tech boom and bust, Oklahoma City etc. Nothing really great nor bad.

Unless Bush can escape the Iraqi noose, his legacy will be one of failure if not malicious conduct.

This is the essence of the liberal mind:

"Major, I'm aware of the facts you cited. I don't regard them as particularly relevant or significant".

Nope, facts certainly aren't relevant or significant.

The left will still have Cheney and that was always their main bogey man anyway.

If you've heard any of the lefty news commentators talk about this guy, you would think that he is Satan reincarnate. They talk about how mean and nasty he is but the only one's I hear that are mean and nasty are the Dems and their lapdog media. They're just so pi$$ed they keep losing to these guys because, as they'll tell you themselves, they are soooo much smarter.

I guess I'm still shocked at the disrespect that this President gets. Even if you're not a big fan of the man, there should be some courtesy regarding the office. Are there no rules or even protocols to follow anymore? What a nasty uncivil society we're living in.

ASDF, The facts cited by Major were not particularly significant for the reasons I explained.

You know, in everyday life, the tolerance threshold for "whiny bitches" is ridiculously low. So why do we tolerate them as our leaders?

Oh wait, I know the answer.

Because when it comes to their Government (and it IS ours), the American people really don't give a $hit.

Eric,

I understood what you meant. My questions were rhetorical.

The chickafication of America Homer?

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was to convince people he wasn't in Washington.

ASDF, do you actually believe that that the media has a left wing bias? AHAHAHAHAHAAA... asdf, who owns them? huh?

The same people who are claiming our rights are disappearing and who say that the bad old U.S. of A. is needlessly torturing poor innocent terrorists just for $hits and giggles.