Hugh Hewitt talks to Karl Rove

[Valin]

Hugh Hewitt Show:

Hugh Hewitt

Friday, August 15, 2014

 

Karl Rove opened Friday’s show. Listen to the entire 18 minute conversation or read the transcript. It sounds to me like the seriousness of the current president’s failure may push W into public criticism of those failures –after the elections.

 

 

(Snip)

 

HH: Karl Rove, how much do you think the President’s decision making is driven by his need to be opposite of whatever George W. Bush did, in other words, that he can’t allow himself to admit that W. was right about the lay of the land in the Middle East and elsewhere?

 

KR: Well look, I think some of it, some of it, is sort of like if Bush did it, I’m not going to do it. But I think that governed more 2009 and 2010 than I think it does today. I think today, the President is governed more by what is his true vision and view of the world, in part. He views America as not a power for, and an influence for good. He does believe the world is a better place if we withdraw and allow people to settle their own matters in whatever way they intend to settle them. I think that’s actually a big part of it, is that we’re now seeing the real, true Obama. The other part of it, though, is look, I think this president simply is not doing the job that he’s supposed to be doing. I was appalled when I saw a report that said that in all the months that he’s been in office, in two months, I think July of this year, and November of 2012, he in those months talked to a total of 28 foreign leaders in each of those months. Obviously in November of 2012 to accept a lot of congratulatory phone calls, and this year, 28. In most months, he makes either high single digits or low double digit calls. That’s appalling, because what it means is he’s not out there talking to the foreign leaders. He’s not working the phones on behalf of America’s interests. He’s not trying to develop a relationship with these foreign leaders. Heck, he went a year without speaking to Karzai, and nearly a year without speaking to Maliki, and we wonder why we don’t have a good relationship or a manageable relationship with these difficult personalities? It’s because the President doesn’t bother to talk to them.

 

HH: Yeah, in fact, your boss ushered us in one day after he had just finished a two hour conversation with Maliki via sat com and a videophone, and he told the assembled pundits that he did this routinely as a means of instructing a new democratic leader, small d, on how to do this. And I just don’t think the President does that right now.

 

KR: No, no, no, not at all. Not at all. In fact, Bush did this every two or three or four weeks for years, and this guy goes almost a year without even bothering to talk to him. And worse, he sends Joe Biden to be his mouthpiece. Now think about this. You’re Maliki. You’re used to dealing with Bush. Bush gets in your chili, gets in your face about things that are going on. It’s not always pleasant, and you can’t bully the guy around. In fact, you know, he’s going to be asking you tough questions. And but at least you’re dealing with the president of the United States. So if you say I need something, and he says you’re going to have it, then you get it. Now they send Joe Biden over there. Can you imagine dealing with Joe Biden as a foreign leader? Name, speaking of foreign leaders, name me one foreign leader that jumps to mind that you think the president of the United States has a good relationship with, personal relationship.

 

(Snip)

 

 

 

[Valin]

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