Courage and Consequence

By Karl Rove

Book Overview

From the moment he set foot on it, Karl Rove has rocked America's political stage. He ran the national College Republicans at twenty-two, and turned a Texas dominated by Democrats into a bastion for Republicans. He launched George W. Bush to national renown by unseating a popular Democratic governor, and then orchestrated a GOP White House win at a time when voters had little reason to throw out the incumbent party. For engineering victory after unlikely victory, Rove became known as "the Architect." Because of his success, Rove has been attacked his entire career, accused of everything from campaign chicanery to ideological divisiveness. In this frank memoir, Rove responds to critics, passionately articulates his political philosophy, and defends the choices he made on the campaign trail and in the White House. He addresses controversies head-on-- from his role in the contest between Bush and Senator John McCain in South Carolina to the charges that Bush misled the nation on Iraq. In the course of putting the record straight, Rove takes on Democratic leaders who acted cynically or deviously behind closed doors, and even Republicans who lacked backbone at crucial moments. Courage and Consequence is also the first intimate account from the highest level at the White House of one of the most headline-making presidencies of the modern age. Rove takes readers behind the scenes of the bitterly contested 2000 presidential contest, of tense moments aboard Air Force One on 9/11, of the decision to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, of the hard-won 2004 reelection fight, and even of his painful three years fending off an indictment by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. In the process, he spells out what it takes to win elections and how to govern successfully once a candidate has won. Rove is candid about his mistakes in the West Wing and in his campaigns, and talks frankly about the heartbreak of his early family years. But Courage and Consequence is ultimately about the joy of a life committed to the conservative cause, a life spent in political combat and service to country, no matter the costs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416592415
• ISBN13: 9781416592419
• Release Date: November 2010
• Publisher: Threshold Editions
• Length: 640 Pages
• Weight: 1.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Something For Everyone

There is something for everyone in Courage and Consequence. If you are someone who heard/read all the Bush bashing by the media and eventually joined in...you should read this book. If you are someone who supported the Bush administration in spite of the Bush bashing...you should read this book. If you are a Democrat, you should read this book to learn of the back stabbing that takes place by those you have placed into positions of power. If you are part of the media, you should read this book and become ashamed enough to alter your tactics and clean up your profession. In previewing this review it was noted that it will be listed as being reviewed by David Markgraf but it is really a review by his wife, Judy.

I had a hard time putting the book down!

A great read, very compelling. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in politics or current events. This obviously analytically driven man has the ability to translate with his own words the fascinating workings of his gift and his love for analyzing politics and political campaigns. His book provides a glimpse of a softer, kinder and very intelligent man doing what he loves and does well. Although very little detail is given about his family you get a sense of how costly it must have been for them living through those years and how much pain it caused him. The myths circling this man makes you ask yourself again and again what has happened to journalism in this country. The book was a page turner for me, enjoyed it thoroughly and was sorry when it ended. Enjoy!

Oh Please ....

The dirty tactics on the left never cease to amaze me. I don't blame anyone for not liking Bush 43 or Karl Rove, but if you are going to submit a book review, please read the book first! Remember that freedom of speech is most important for views and opinions that you don't agree with - you might just learn something. I am only about a quarter of the way through Mr. Rove's tome, but feel obligated to leave an early review in order to counter some of the one-star ratings. Although it is not the best book or biography I have ever read, I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far. Mr. Rove spends just the right amount of time on his early years and definitely taught me things about himself that I was not aware of. By page 150 he is already relating stories about the 2000 presidential election. I started reading Bill Clinton's memoirs a couple of weeks before starting this book. One thing that strikes me is the similarities between the two men in their formative years. I suppose this is understandable when you have two individuals who fell in love with politics at very early ages. Unfortunately President Clinton's book is a lot slower reading and contains far too much detail on his early years (I am on page 300 and he is just running for his second try at Governor of Arkansas). The thing I like most about Mr. Rove's book at this point is how he confronts head-on every issue that has been raised about his personal life and about the way he runs political campaigns. It strikes me as sincere and honest, although perhaps I am naïve. I hope to enjoy the rest of the book as much as I have the beginning. I'll update this review when I have completed it.

Surprisingly great read

I must admit, I fell hook, line and sinker for the media's version of Karl Rove as an evil man. Reading the book, he comes across as an intelligent, thoughtful and heartfelt person. I've been watching some of his media interviews this week as he launches his book, and he truly is a good man. I have to take another look at him and the Bush administration. I don't think I gave them a fair shake. I'm a Democrat and my party has really abandoned me over the last several months. Rove has me looking in another direction now. I highly recommend Courage and Consequence to anyone looking for the truth about Washington.

Karl Rove better person than his critics

Karl Rove was henpecked on the Today Show by Matt Lauer about whether his father was homosexual or not. I cannot imagine Matt Lauer asking any Democrat such an invasive question. This is because Democrats like Matt Lauer worship the Democratic Party. They fawn, they bow, they slaver over how much love and compassion pours out of the Democratic party. Yet for some reason, Karl Rove does not share their adoration for the DNC! For that perceived sin, every full-time Democrat (part-time journalists) will rake him over the coals. Rove's book will be poorly received as it will not be a derogatory tell-all about the perceived evils of the Bush Administration. There were a number of Bush administration officials who were showered with praise and accolades for trashing their boss. Funny how it only seems to be tell-all books by Republicans that are praised in the news media. If someone writes a book trashing Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton, Matt Lauer and the rest of the sycophants on television and print have little to say about it. Karl Rove has a lot of interesting things to say in his book, it is great reading for anyone wishing to see what modern politics is all about. For Matt Lauer and the rest of the full-time Democrats working at NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, MSNBC News, CNN News, the New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times, Newsweek and Time magazine, they will find nothing but disappointment in this tome. Maybe they should be disappointed in themselves for being any less political operatives than Mr. Rove. He is honest in his bias, while Matt Lauer and the rest are not.