Book Exposes Karl Rove's Gay Link

[movieguy]

Book Exposes Karl Rove's Gay Link

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

September 5, 2006 - 3:00 pm ET

(Washington) A new book on Karl Rove, the man credited with pulling together a conservative Christian base to elect and then re-elect George Bush to the presidency, details to what lengths he would go to win election.

In "The Architect: Karl Rove and the Master Plan for Absolute Power" writers James Moore and Wayne Slater reveal that Rove has told insiders he does not consider himself "a Christian", had a father who was gay, and regularly dealt with openly gay Republicans as he worked publicly to have a constitutional amendment passed that would ban same-sex marriage.

Rove's father, Louis, left the family and moved to California where he came out. Louis Rove died in Palm Springs as "his son was in the midst of launching the antigay issues campaign that was to lead to the re-election of George W. Bush."

In interviews with friends of Louis Rove the authors detail how the two men remained close right up until Louis' death. Rove keeps a picture of his father on his desk.

But the closeness of father and son, according to the book, is belied by the extraordinary efforts Karl Rove made to use fear of gays a tool to attract religious conservatives.

The book also details well known Republicans - including Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman - who have been rumored to be gay.

Moore and Slater are careful not to draw conclusions - instead allowing the facts and interviews to speak for them. Moore is a former TV news correspondent and Slater is a political writer.

It is their second book on the Bush administration and Rove's involvement in it.

The book has earned plaudits from reviewers. But the cynicism of political gay bashing in light of having an openly gay father has not escaped the notice of LGBT rights groups.

"If this account is true, it further demonstrates how LGBT individuals are found throughout the American family. We are parents, partners, children and citizens who deserve equal protection under the law," National Stonewall Democrats spokesperson John Marble told 365Gay.com.

"Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has done little to address the unique legal and social challenges LGBT families face every day. Imagine how the families of our nation would be strengthened if individuals like Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney used their positions to proactively argue the case of individual liberty each time LGBT Americans are scapegoated by this administration."

Sections in the book dealing with Rove's self avowed agnosticism are bound to infuriate conservative Christians already angry with Bush over the failure by Congress to pass the constitutional amendment.

Going into mid term elections the timing of the book's release could have a further damaging effect on the GOP already struggling to try to stay afloat.

©365Gay.com 2006

links