Cynical Nation

All right, I'm normally skeptical of moonbat conspiracies that view every single phenomenon in the observable universe as part of a Karl Rove-orchestrated conspiracy. I've got to say, though, that the whole notion of a Plamegate Rove-a-dope is looking more and more plausible all the time.

Consider:

• The MSM is beginning to shift focus away from Rove as the original source of the Plame leak.
  
• It's a White House M.O. to allow Bush's critics to whale away against the president ad nauseum, so long as they're reasonably assured the assaults won't ultimately amount to anything substantial.
  
• What little, tantalizing information we have about Rove's involvement, that has kept this story alive for weeks, came to us because Rove himself signed a waiver of confidentiality.
  

Now perhaps I'm just being paranoid, but if the Rove feeding frenzy had been deliberately manipulated by Rove, one would be hard-pressed to deny it's been a success:

If the Bush White House weren't so completely distracted by the Wilson leak investigation, perhaps the President would be able to actually get something done -- besides sign CAFTA, the highway bill, and the energy bill into law; read all the improving economic figures; celebrate his still-bullet-proof Supreme Court nomination; and continue along semi-stealthily on 2006 fundraising and candidate recruitment.

And if the Democrats weren't so sure that a one-sentence party platform ("Karl Rove should be in jail.") was a sure winner, perhaps they would Notice that the Republican majority is likely to get at least some credit with voters for passing these laws; that the Bill Clinton Democratic Party of free trade just might have been dead and buried shortly after midnight; and that the AFL thing -- along with the America Coming Together thing, along with the DNC thing -- leaves the party with some serious money and organization questions.

And all the while, the Democrats were sending out marching orders rallying the troops to "stay on message," and not to be distracted by minutiae like the Roberts nomination, but to keep hammering away at Rove, Rove, Rove, 24/7.

I'm still not completely sure I believe in the Plamegate Rove-a-dope. My biggest problem with the theory is that it seems to have worked too well. I mean, no one can really be that adroit at manipulating their enemies....

Can they?