Rove rallies GOP, criticizes Obama

Speaking at the close of the Minnesota Republican Party convention, the former adviser to President Bush painted Democrat Barack Obama as someone 'far out of the mainstream' and he urged the GOP to go after undecided voters.

By Bob Von Sternberg

Last update: June 1, 2008 - 7:06 AM

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BY BOB VON STERNBERG

vonste@startribune.com

ROCHESTER -- Legendary Republican strategist Karl Rove rallied the party’s troops this afternoon to bring the curtain down on the GOP’s state convention.

In a 45-minute speech to convention delegates, he mockingly dismissed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s policy positions and campaign missteps, saying the Illinois senator is someone “far out of the mainstream” who “doesn’t necessarily have the same view of America that you and I do.”

Only once mentioning Hillary Rodham Clinton, who remains in the Democratic race, Rove painted Obama as a tax-raising, big-government fan who would endanger Americans by being squishy on national security.

Mentioning the fact that Obama is coming to St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center, the site of the Republican National Convention in September, Rove told the Republicans to use the Tuesday visit to challenge him on his declared willingness to meet with hostile heads of state. Obama needs to offer more specificity than “flash his smile and give a pretty phrase,” Rove said.

Rove shaped and nurtured President Bush’s political career to such an extent that Bush dubbed him “The Architect.” Venerated by Republicans, he is routinely vilified by Democrats as a slash-and-burn tactician.

In the Bush White House, Rove simultaneously wore two hats, in charge of both policy and politics. Since leaving last year he has been ubiquitous as a newspaper columnist, TV commentator and, unofficially, an informal adviser to Republican nominee John McCain.

Famous for focusing on the Republican base as the key to winning elections, he said the Republicans’ job this fall is to aggressively court undecided voters. Citing the advice offered by Abraham Lincoln before he became president, he said, “we need to have the undecided talk to someone they hold in confidence. Our mission this year is to identify the people capable of being persuaded.

“This election is not going to be won by John McCain and Norm Coleman. We’ve got a role to play, with passion and clarity about what we stand for and what they stand for.”

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