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(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
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