Why the Press Fell for the Cult of Karl

Forget liberal bias, the press likes their politicians Machiavellian
By Heather McPherson,  Newser User
Posted Aug 14, 2007 5:00 PM CDT
Why the Press Fell for the Cult of Karl
In a file photo Karl Rove prepares to address the Jackson County Lincoln Day dinner in Jackson, Mich., Saturday, March 24, 2007. Rove, President Bush's close friend and chief political strategist, plans to leave the administration at the end of August, the White House said Monday, Aug. 13, 2007. (AP...   (Associated Press)

What people don't understand about the press, Jay Rosen writes, is that reporters care less about ideology than they do about being savvy—"shrewd, practical, well-informed, perceptive, ironic, unseminental." That's what they aspire to, that's what they worship; it's their religion, if you will. Karl Rove is all those things.

That's why the press corp couldn't resist the Boy Genius, Rosen writes in PressThink. Karl understood this about the press and exploited it. He leaked knowing he wouldn't be exposed. Schemed knowing that his misdeeds would be under-reported and his successes admired. And his retirement yesterday was reported the same way: as awestruck as always.

(More Karl Rove stories.)

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