“‘I just think it’s time,’ he says, adding that he first floated the idea of leaving to Mr. Bush a year ago. His friends confirm he had been talking about it with others even earlier. But Democrats took Congress, and he didn’t want to depart on that sour note. He then thought he’d leave after the State of the Union, but the Iraq and immigration fights beckoned. Finally, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten told senior White House aides that if they stayed past a certain point, they were obliged to remain to Jan. 20, 2009.” (Paul Gigot @ WSJ, free link)
“‘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.’ (WSJ accompanying report, free link)
What does Rove’s Symbolic Quit really mean? “I think we can imagine the subtext is present in Rove’s assertion. It’ll be a matter of paying attention to the clues to see what Rove’s real strategy is… the real carom shot.” (Clarissa Pinkola Est√©s @ Moderate Voice)
“How typical of him to slink off out of the bunker and leave the mess for someone else to clean up.” (Mustang Bobby @ Shakespeare’s Sister)
“To paraphrase Freud, sometimes political figures “resign to spend more time with their family” because they really want to spend more time with their family. Whether or not that’s actually the case with Rove is anyone’s guess, however.” (Chris Lawrence @ Outside The Beltway)
So what is the real reason for his departure? “Legal troubles? Or was it as a result of his demotion in the White House in April ’06 away from his involvement in policy-making? Or, just maybe, is this the first step towards joining another presidential campaign? Is there a campaign that would take him on?” (Psericks @ MyDD)
“Even without the various scandals that have touched or been propagated by his enemies to try to touch him, recent years have cast doubt on his political finesse.” (Betsy Newmark)
“No matter what you think of him, Rove did his job well, at least until the realities of the world outside the Washington Beltway became so crushing that they could no longer be subsumed or blustered away.” (Shaun Mullen @ Moderate Voice)
Self-delusion and blindness? “Gigot lets Rove defend himself and his legacy, and what I see, alas, is the mark of self-delusion and blindness that has damaged the White House and the Beltway GOP … Imagine how much better off the White House and the Republican Party might be now if he had, in fact, left a year ago.” (Michelle Malkin)
A quick scan of reaction at Democratic Underground. (Blogs of War)
A Giant Exits The Stage: “Many are throwing pitchforks at him because of 2006 but I’d say that Rove’s election record prior to that was pretty amazing.” (Let Freedom Ring)
Our Dark Lord Rove, exiting stage right: “Timing may be intended to remove a lightning rod, distraction prior to the battles of the fall, during this interim when Dems cannot claim it as a result of one of their ineffectual witchhunts. Not that that will stop them.” (Jules Crittenden)
An aside: “This is the first clear indication to the conspiracy theorists on the Left that Bush doesn’t intend to declare himself Emperor.” (Ed Morrissey @ Captain’s Quarters)
“It doesn’t matter that Rove will be living in Texas after he resigns; the nutroots and moonbats out there will still find things that they will insist are Rovian plots that he concocted from Texas.” (Kim Priestap @ Wizbang)
Coverup! (Ana Marie Cox @ Time’s Swampland)
Who will the Kos people blame for everything? “After all, they believe Pres. Bush has no brain.” (Fausta’s Blog)
How Will Presidential Hopefuls React? (Washington Wire @ WSJ)
When Is The Band Getting Back Together? “Democrats have to be worried that when Karl Rive exits the White House in August, he’ll take a month off and end up at the virtual elbow of Mayor Giuliani, Governor Romney, or Senator Thompson. They should be worried. Of course that’s what he (and Ken Mehlman) will be doing. All-stars whose franchise can’t play for the title often show up in the heat of the hunt. Politics is like sports in many ways. And Rove is the Tiger Woods of politics.” (Hugh Hewitt)
“Karl Rove did maximize Bush’s short-run political influence. The long-term costs, however, will not be experienced until well after 2009. And my hunch is that those costs are far greater than Rove acknowledges.” (Daniel Drezner)
Ready For Rove II? (Macsmind)
A look into the future. (Sundries Shack)
President Bush and Karl Rove’s press conference, liveblogged @ Michelle Malkin.
“See what happens when you go out and try to exercise some meat off your fat butt instead of sitting on it waiting for the Big News? You miss out on it.” (Baldilocks)
“Celebrate my liberal friends!! Bush’s brain is leaving the White House!” (Liberal College Kid)
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