Rove: Gates waited on memoir to avoid hurting Obama

[mystery-ak]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2014/01/rove-gates-waited-on-memoir-to-avoid-hurting-obama-181045.html?hp=r3

Rove: Gates waited on memoir to avoid hurting Obama

 

By JOSE DELREAL |
1/12/14 10:28 AM EST

Republican strategist Karl Rove said on Sunday that former Defense Secretary Robert Gates intentionally waited to release his memoir, "Duty," which is at times highly critical of the Obama administration's handling of the war in Afghanistan, until after the 2012 presidential election.

"Some Gates insiders have told me this book was essentially ready before the 2012 election. Gates made a deliberate decision to delay his publication until well after the election so as not to have the incendiary charges intrude into the election," Rove said on "Fox News Sunday." "I think that is a statement about his character," he added.

Rove also condemned the administration’s leadership on the war in Afghanistan, accusing President Barack Obama of playing politics with the war.

"It also says something about President Obama that he, once having made this courageous decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan, did not follow through in a way that you would have anticipated and instead used their presence in the country for political purposes by bringing them home prematurely," Rove said.

[mystery-ak]

DO YOU THINK SO, ROVE!....

[musiclady]

For me, it's a reflection on Gates' "character" that he didn't publish the book before the election and keep America from the destruction of a second Obama term.

[Rapunzel]

For me, it's a reflection on Gates' "character" that he didn't publish the book before the election and keep America from the destruction of a second Obama term.

I agree.  But if you look at his history not a shock
  Remember the paper he wrote with Jim Baker before leaving office encouraging the USA to make nice with Iran?

[Chieftain]

For me, it's a reflection on Gates' "character" that he didn't publish the book before the election and keep America from the destruction of a second Obama term.

I disagree.  This book likely would not have made that much difference in the reelection and he would have been widely panned for trying to derail an election with his book had he published it before the election.  Smart move and it lends credence to his criticisms that he made a difficult choice to wait.

[musiclady]

I disagree.  This book likely would not have made that much difference in the reelection and he would have been widely panned for trying to derail an election with his book had he published it before the election.  Smart move and it lends credence to his criticisms that he made a difficult choice to wait.

Perhaps.

If you determine it based on how it would be perceived by and screamed about by the left, you're right.

My comment was based on my view that anything and everything possible should have been done to deny Obama a second term.  Every vote turned away based on accurate information about what a lousy CinC Obama is would have been a good thing.

Clearly Gates agrees with you about perception's trumping reality.