Karl Rove Raps at Correspondents’ Dinner (Video)

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Karl Rove Raps at Correspondents’ Dinner (Video)

James Joyner | Thursday, March 29, 2007

President Bush continued a long tradition by doing a self-deprecating stand-up routine at last night’s Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner. He had plenty of good lines.

“A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone,” President Bush said Wednesday night during the annual gathering. “Ah,” he said, “those were the good ol’ days.”

[...]

Bush thanked the organization for providing dinner, “and I’d like to thank Senator Webb for providing security.” Virginia’s Democratic senator, Jim Webb, had to explain this week why an aide was carrying a loaded handgun as he tried to enter a Capitol complex building.

Noting that Vice President Dick Cheney was not in attendance, Bush said: “He’s had a rough few weeks. To be honest, his feelings were kind of hurt. He said he was going on vacation to Afghanistan where people like him.” Cheney’s recent trip to Afghanistan was marked by a bombing near where he was meeting with officials.

On the controversy over the Justice Department’s firing of eight federal prosecutors, Bush said: “I have to admit we really blew the way we let those attorneys go. You know you’ve botched it when people sympathize with lawyers.”

Acknowledging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at the head table, Bush said some had wondered how he’d get along with her. “Some say she’s bossy, she’s opinionated, she’s not to be crossed,” he said. “Hey, I get along with my mother.”

[...]

But seriously, folks, Bush noted that another person missing from the audience of broadcast journalists was Sen. Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat running for president. “Not enough press,” the president cracked.

Good stuff. Not surprisingly, a rap number featuring Karl Rove is what’s generating early online buzz. Here’s the video:

The first bit is absolutely horrible. Rove has the comic timing of a houseplant.

About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.

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