Karl Rove Absolutely Nukes Vivek Ramaswamy in Scorching WSJ Op-Ed: ‘Glib, Shallow, Overbearing, Smooth-Talking Biotech Entrepreneur’
AP Photo/Thomas Beaumont
Karl Rove, the famed Republican political advisor nicknamed “The Architect” by his party, has given an eviscerating anti-endorsement to presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, calling him a “performance artist” who “appeals to the dark parts of the American psyche.”
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Rove tore into Ramaswamy for his lack of political experience, outright hypocrisy, and pandering to the fringiest part of the GOP base. Right off the bat, he refers to Ramaswamy’s performance in last week’s GOP primary debate, calling him “an unusually glib, shallow, overbearing, smooth-talking biotech entrepreneur.” Throughout the piece, Rove calls out Ramaswamy’s propensity towards baseless claims, whether they be about his political opponents (“Mr. Ramaswamy’s “bought and paid for” comment was part of a pattern of demagoguery.”) or fringe, right-wing conspiracies: “Mr. Ramaswamy is quick to disregard the truth when it’s politically expedient.”
Rove continued his take-down, citing a classic musical:
It’s easy to dismiss Mr. Ramaswamy as a present-day Professor Harold Hill, the con man in The Music Man with a ready smile and rapid patter skinning the citizens of River City. But Hill wanted only to sell band uniforms and musical instruments. Mr. Ramaswamy wants to control America’s nuclear codes—or perhaps to occupy a comfortable seat in Mr. Trump’s cabinet.
He is a performance artist who says outrageous things, smears his opponents and appeals to the dark parts of the American psyche.
And then, in case you thought Rove considers former President Donald Trump a better option, he punctuated his case with this:
There’s already a GOP candidate who does all those things, and worse. Republicans deserve a choice, not an echo.
Read the full op-ed at the Wall Street Journal, which allows a higher word count than a white board.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
