Editorial: Goodbye and good riddance

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007 | 7:07 a.m.

K arl Rove, President Bush's deputy chief of staff, announced Monday that he is resigning at the end of August, after serving for more than six years as one of the president's most prominent advisers.

It's about time.

Characterized as "the architect" of both of Bush's presidential campaigns, Rove has been a master of political manipulation. He is one of Bush's close friends and a fellow Texan, having guided Bush to the governor's mansion in Texas before helping groom Bush to become president.

As White House deputy chief of staff, Rove had the opportunity and influence to steer the president's policies on a wide range of issues, including energy, the Iraq war, health care, the environment and Social Security .

Rather than inspire positive change, however, Rove exerted his power in ways that have helped to make the Bush presidency one of the worst in U.S. history - not only for its failed policies, but also for the secrecy with which this administration seeks to operate.

Rove was investigated for his role in the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose identity was revealed after her husband publicly criticized the Bush administration's handling of intelligence preceding the Iraq war.

Rove's name has come up again as Congress probes the firings of several U.S. attorneys across the country and investigates allegations by federal officials that the White House has politically interfered with agencies throughout the government. Just two weeks ago Rove refused to testify at a congressional hearing regarding allegations that White House aides improperly used Republican National Committee e-mail accounts.

Rove has never been charged with a crime, but his name certainly seems to be on the periphery of every major congressional investigation into the Bush administration's operations. When Rove entered politics, he chose scheming over serving the public. And it shows. His leaving cannot come a moment too soon.