Reporter's Query Puts Rove's Brain at Risk of Exploding

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By Matt Haber

October 13, 2008 | 11:44 a.m.

Third Term: Rove

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On Saturday, The New York Times' Mark Leibovich filed a piece about the legacy of Karl Rove, George Bush's former senior advisor known to detractors as "Bush's brain" and to friends as "Turd Blossom."

After noting Mr. Rove's columns for The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, his gig as a Fox News commentator, and his reported $40,000 speaking fees, Mr. Leibovich points out that Mr. Rove's name is on everyone's lips–especially as the Republican campaign for the White House has turned darker in recent weeks.

Mr. Leibovich writes:

Mr. Rove declined an interview for this article, but engaged somewhat by e-mail. He said little on the record, ignored some questions and was dismissive of others. 'Look,' he wrote, 'I don’t mean to be rude but I have so much on my plate that my brain explodes when you ask questions like how much of my time I spend on each of my activities or how did I apply skills to my new chapter, et cetera. I can answer simple questions of fact but I am stretched through the election.'

Mr. Rove's brain apparently wasn't in danger when he spoke on the record Richard L. Berke in the Times' 'Arts & Leisure' section the next day.

In an article on Oliver Stone's W., Mr. Berke quotes Mr. Rove as saying, "I don’t think they made any attempt to have this conform to any reality except that which exists in the cerebral cortex of Oliver Stone, which is a brain with only a functioning left side... This is a political film that is an attempt to influence an election that is about four years too late." (What's with all the brain talk, Mr. Rove?)

Mr. Berke follows that quote with:

Told of that comment, Mr. Stone said Mr. Rove would enjoy the movie because Mr. Bush 'looks good in many ways.' While he considers Mr. Rove 'one of the most devious men,' he gave him 'the benefit of the doubt,' he said, though adding that he wished [actor Toby] Jones 'had been taller like Rove, and fatter.'