Karl Rove Lays Out GOP Strategy For Keeping The White House

January 16, 2008 · Filed Under Politics, Republicans

Karl Rove told a group of state Republican officials Wednesday that while the GOP primaries “are far from over,” each of the candidates can beat the top two Democrats — and the former White House aide then outlined a strategy how.

In an address to a group of state GOP executive directors at the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) winter meeting, Rove outlined talking points for ways to defeat leading Democratic candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton andBarack Obama.

“The Architect” said Republicans need to relentlessly attack Hillary Clinton on the myth that she is somehow going to be bring fiscal responsibility to Washington.

He said the senator talks about fiscal responsibility but has introduced “$800 billion in new spending and the campaign is less than half over.”

Rove also pointed out that Clinton can be targeted for voting against troop funding, because of her votes against the Iraq war supplementals.

For Obama, he said Republicans need to focus on the issues of “accomplishments and experience.”

“He got elected three years ago, and he [has] spent almost the entire time running for president,” Rove said.

Rove added that Obama has only passed one piece of legislation during his time in the U.S. Senate, and during his time in Illinois state Senate, Obama had “an unusual habit” of voting “present” instead of yes or no.

The overarching theme that Rove kept coming back to was the issue of terrorism. He said Republicans need to hammer home the fact Democrats are simply weak on fighting terrorism.

To that end, Clinton and Obama should be targeted for their votes against the crucial FISA legislation which allows the government to listen to terrorists, he added.

Lastly, he said Republicans need to fully embrace and get behind the Iraq war and show voters they’re behind it. Then show the Democrats to be the defeatists they actually are.