White House "Puzzled" Over Dems' Ire at Rove's Remarks

WASHINGTON - A White House official said Friday the administration finds it "somewhat puzzling" that Democrats are demanding presidential adviser Karl Rove's apology or resignation for implying that liberals are soft on terrorism.

"I think Karl was very specific, very accurate, in who he was pointing out," communications director Dan Bartlett said, contending the comments weren't aimed at all Democrats. "It's touched a chord with these Democrats. I'm not sure why."

Congressional Republicans earlier joined the White House in standing solidly behind Rove, saying he shouldn't apologize and that he was outlining a philosophical divide between a president who sought to win the war on terrorism by taking the fight to the enemy and some Democrats who questioned that approach.

Well, in my limited experience, it isn't just Dems who are upset. Lots of Republican New Yorkers are as well. Independents, too.

And there's already been some reporting back from the troops that they weren't happy to hear that Rove said Dems wanted them to die; see, the troops already know that the WH isn'treally supporting them - after all, they're there without body armor, without vehicles with armor, often without bullets, knowing that if they make a wrong step the Pentagon will try them and profess no blame themselves, and that the WH and Congressional Reprehensibles have cut funding to their hospitals, benefits, and veterans' programs.