Boss Rove, Craig Unger
Boss Rove, Craig Unger
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Boss Rove
Inside Karl Rove's Secret Kingdom of Power

Author: Craig Unger

Narrator: Mel Foster

Unabridged: 10 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/17/2012


Synopsis

Karl Rove, the man who masterminded the rise of George W. Bush from governor of Texas to the presidency, who advised Bush during two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, who some claim helped seize the 2004 election for Bush, and who was at the center of the Bush administration's two biggest scandals—the Valerie Plame Wilson affair and the U.S. attorneys scandal—is back.

Since exiting the Bush administration, Rove has quietly become the greatest Republican power broker in the country. His pulpit is much vaster than his role as a commentator on Fox News and his regular columns for the Wall Street Journal suggest. His real strength is his ability to mobilize immense sums through the SuperPAC American Crossroads and similar organizations, and channel that money on behalf of Republican candidates.

Knowing that Rove remains connected and powerful, Unger investigates Rove's politically controversial activities of times past, shedding important new light on them, and shows their relevance to his activities today. He scrutinizes Rove's roles in the Valerie Plame Wilson affair, the U.S. attorneys scandal, the strange events in Ohio on the night of the 2004 presidential election, and much more.

But now that Rove is back in control of GOP political strategy and funding, there are pressing new questions: How did Rove do an end around on the Republican National Committee and build his own more powerful organization? In what ways did he subtly and not so subtly influence the 2012 Republican primary process? What did he say (and do) regarding candidates Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum? How did he placate the Tea Party, which he privately despises, even as he cleverly marginalized its importance? How did he and Mitt Romney draw closer as the GOP convention neared? How will he further benefit from a Romney victory? And if Romney loses, why will Rove remain powerful? Unger has the answers.

As demonstrated in his previous books, Unger is adept at combining incisive reporting with the journalistic record to create a master narrative that sheds new light on a political subject. Detailed, fascinating, and entertaining, Boss Rove will interest not only listeners who want to know more about the 2012 election but also those keen to understand the forces endangering American democracy. This up-to-the-minute journalistic report sheds crucial light on Rove's vital behind-the-scenes role in this fall's presidential election and in the future of American politics.

About Craig Unger

Craig Unger is the author of American Armageddon, The Fall of the House of Bush, and the New York Times bestseller House of Bush, House of Saud. He appears frequently as an analyst on CNN, the ABC Radio Network, and other broadcast outlets. The former deputy editor of the New York Observer and editor-in-chief of Boston Magazine, he has written about George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush for the New Yorker, Esquire, and Vanity Fair. He lives in New York City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Genie on October 05, 2012

Excellent book, well documented, of Karl Rove- his methods and goals. Scary and really makes me wonder why we do not hear more about the possible stealing of Ohio in the 2008 election. Money in elections, in the hands of people like Rove, is destroying democracy. Really interesting book, people shou......more

Goodreads review by Ang on December 10, 2012

Can we all just agree that Karl Rove is a monumental asshole? I mean, Republicans and Democrats alike, I think we can all agree that he's not a very nice man. Wins elections though, eh? Or used to. *chuckle*......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on December 26, 2012

If you ever had questions about American elections, and after Florida who doesn't, then this book will make you wonder about who gets elected and how.......more

Goodreads review by Ray on November 21, 2012

The Title" "Boss Rove", gives you the idea that it will be something of a hatchet-job on Rove. While not exactly a conspiracy-theory book, it does contains a number of unsupported suppositions that all recent Republican dirty campaign tricks can be attributed to Karl Rove. While I'm not so naive as......more

Goodreads review by Daisie on March 04, 2013

Even more interesting to read with the added vindication of the 2012 election. It's like reading a suspense thriller, having already been spoiled that the killer will get his comeuppance.......more