Today's Blogs

Whither Turd Blossom?

Bloggers discuss Karl Rove’s White House future; ex-FEMA chief Michael Brown’s e-mail etiquette, and Charles and Camilla’s “love us” tour.

Whither Turd Blossom: A Washington Post article reveals that some White House aides are speculating whether Karl Rove will be around to collect another paycheck. The piece claims that “[a] swift resolution is needed in part to ease staff tension,” according to White House sources.

Alex, a contributor to Martini Republic, an adamantly nonpartisan site, thinks that it could happen. “The talk of Rove’s dismissal stems from fear—fear that another indictment is coming down. Merely lying, or damaging the national interest for political gain has never gotten anyone fired from this adminstration.” Conservative Orrin Judd at BrothersJudd.com wants to know why Rove won’t take one for the team a la Harriet Miers: “His departure, like Libby’s, has been inevitable since at least July—drawing it out this long hasn’t served the President well.”

LiberalTmcd at Overwhelmed and Perplexed theorizes that “If things were as rosy Rove as Republicans would lead you to believe, there wouldn’t be stories wondering whether his days are numbered.” The SmirkingCynic Nicho, a Web-comic artist and a political activist, concurs: “Regardless of what you may have heard from the conservative talking heads, Karl Rove is still in jeopardy.” His advice: “Conservatives really need to get their shit in order.” 

John Podhoretz at the National Review’s in-house collaboration, The Corner, dismisses talk that Rove is on the chopping block. “We know, because Fitzgerald said so, that he’s tying up loose ends and finishing his investigation,” Podhoretz writes. “Rove spent four hours before the Fitzgerald grand jury nearly three weeks ago and that’s the testimony Fitzgerald is surely doublechecking.”

Read more on Karl Rove.

Heck of an outfit, Brownie: Yesterday Louisiana Rep. Charlie Melancon posted on his Web site a series of e-mails written by ex-FEMA chief Michael Brown. The musings contained complaints about his attire, compliments about his attire, personal notes to friends, and a plea: “Can I quit now?”

Over at waveflux.net, Philip Barron, a St. Louis native and progressive, anticipates that e-mails will cause some to revisit the fiasco. “Outrage over his feckless performance during the assault of Hurricane Katrina has subsided as time has passed, but the recent release of emails written by Brown during the crisis will kindle fresh indignation.” Life According to Carrie’s namesake, a twentysomething Texan transplant living in Boston is gob-smacked, “I don’t know where to begin with this one. I’m too pissed.” Chicago liberal Kelley, a contributor to Like You Really Care, a cadre of vituperative bloggers, doesn’t get what this all this fuss is about, “I’d write e-mails about fashion if I were the head of FEMA and a category 4 hurricane was bearing down on New Orleans, threatening massive destruction and prompting an unprecedented mandatory evacuation of the entire area. Who wouldn’t? Hell, I’d probably get a pedicure and watch Oprah too.”

Blogstar, an Internet addict at The Blogstar Times, sees it as a cautionary parable for our techie times. “[Y]ou have to take the good with the bad with regards to internet technology.” Conservative PunditGuy Bill Nienhuis writes: “Email has a way of revealing the real person inside the suit, and in this case, it confirms everything everyone suspected about Michael Brown. The man was simply the wrong person for such an important job.” This choice bit makes Andrew Sullivan’s quote of the day: “If you’ll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you’ll really vomit. I am a fashion god.” He adds that even absurdist mastermind Jon Stewart, “couldn’t make this stuff up.”

For more reactions to the Brown e-mail imbroglio click here.

Magical mystery tour: Earlier this week, Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, kicked off a tour of the United States includes stops in New York, Washington, San Francisco, and New Orleans. This is the first official visit for the pair since Charles wed his longtime mistress in April.

Air America Radio fan Slackferno announces on his blog, The Sea Monkey Has My Money, “Charles and Camilla have invaded America. Can the Bird Flu be far behind?” Ridor, a “deaf gay militant” at Observe But Do Not Interfere wonders if their choice of stops might reveal a hidden agenda. “It is interesting to note that every cities that they planned to visit, all cities are heavily populated with open-minded Liberals & Democrats: New York, Washington DC, New Orleans and San Francisco,” he writes. Wonkette, in response to the prince joking about setting his son Harry up with one of the Bush daughter, jabs, “And we thought this talk of ‘the Bush dynasty’ was just a metaphor.” Stacey, a contributor MetroBloggingDC and a self-professed fan of Camilla’s predecessor, the late Princess Diana, hasn’t exactly warmed up to the new Mrs. Windsor: “I don’t hate Camilla or anything, but I think publicizing things like her bringing 50 (5. 0. 50. FIFTY.) dresses with her on her State-side trip and publicizing that they have heaps of servants with them, was a stupid move. Bad move Royals. Bad move.”

Read more about Chuck and Camilla’s visit. Jack Shafer pans the media coverage in Slate.