So, I’m minding my own business and this winds up in my email account, concerning an earlier blog post, below:

So, I’m minding my own business and this winds up in my email account, concerning an earlier blog post, below:

"You seem fancy yourself someone who can back up your assertions with references. So, we'll give Rove the benefit of the doubt if you can tell us the nature of Rove's disaster relief and rebuilding experience and tell us why he is better qualified to coordinate this thing than any other person. Surely there are Republicans who have more experience with this sort of thing than Rove."

First of all, let me preface my response by saying this: It doesn’t matter what I, or anyone else says, the hatred the left has for Rove would make any response unacceptable.

Second, when it comes to the issue of experience in this “sort of thing,” I sincerely doubt ANYONE has the experience of this "sort of thing,” since this Nation has never experienced the breadth and width of a disaster like this.

Just like the left, I lack omniscience in matters such as these. Just like the left, I have no idea what his plans may be for this effort. And, just like the left, I have no real idea if Rove is the right man for the job.

Let’s remember here, what I was critical of, and what I am still critical of, was the knee jerk, automatic condemnation of Karl Rove, not because of any mistakes or miscues over his actions concerning reconstruction, but because he IS Karl Rove. Few on the left require any further motivation than that.

My commentary was based entirely on the hypocrisy of, on one hand, requesting that the situation in New Orleans “not be politicized” PRECISELY AND EXACTLY WHILE THOSE MAKING THE CONDEMNATIONS WERE ENGAGING IN THAT VERY SAME ACTIVITY.

What I DO know is this: No one in America today brings the gravitas to the job of Karl Rove. No one.

No one has the power, no one has the connections, and no one has the ability to cut through red tape like Rove.

The courageously anonymous emailer observes, “Surely there are Republicans who have more experience with this sort of thing than Rove.”

I would venture to say that this effort would, of necessity, be bipartisan. For ONCE in our recent history, EVERYONE needs to lay aside hidden agendas, political gain and gouging profit motive. Of course, someone steadfastly OPPOSED to the President’s plan, for reasons I explain here, is making this observation.

I believe that Rove will rely heavily on those very same, experienced people, regardless of political affiliation. But I do not ascribe a requirement of experience to him any greater then that of any other person in a CEO-type position.

I’m reminded of a situation a few years back in Seattle.

They hired a new Superintendent for the Public Schools up there.

The guy they hired was MG John Stanford, USA (Ret). They hired him away from his position as Fulton County, Georgia Executive, where he had worked for 5 years… an equivalent to Ron Sims up in King County, except that position was appointed as opposed to elected.

General Stanford came to Seattle to end the Seattle Public School’s death spiral, replacing an imprisoned superintendent who had used major public funds in support of a school bond/levy election.

He had never worked a day in a public school classroom as a teacher… never had worked in school administration… never had worked as a principal.

In short, like Rove, he had absolutely NO background in public schools, save for attending them when he was a child.

And he was stellar at his job, garnering enough attention that even though this black former Army General was a Republican, he was also a keynote speaker at the 1996 Democratic National Convention.

His untimely death of acute mylogenous leukemia cut his efforts short. He was, perhaps, the greatest man I have personally ever known… and the Seattle School District has yet to recover.

To that end, I am willing to give Rove a chance. I am, like the Seattle School District was for General Stanford, agreeable to giving him a chance, to see what he can do.

But condemning Rove without giving him a chance in this matter is no different then condemning a black man because he’s black.

Anyone reading my blog here has seen that I am fully capable of criticizing Republicans. And if Rove screws this up, I’ll be more than happy to join the chorus of those who want him fired. But ONLY after he’s given a chance.

Anonymous or no, thanks for asking.