Karl Rove Predicts Iran Will Try to Hurt Trump in Midterms

Legendary GOP operative Karl Rove predicted the Iranians would try to hurt President Donald Trump in this fall’s midterm elections by creating problems during a Fox News hit over the weekend.

Rove made the point shortly after anchor Paul Gigot observed that Trump “has some persuading to do to convince the public” that the United States’ war with Iran has been successful.

“What do they say is a success? The Reagan Institute is going to issue a poll this coming Monday. And in that poll, they ask the respondents, what do you want out of all of this? And they offered them several-, three options,” observed Rove. “The first was we’re in a negotiation, Iran government remains but in exchange for limits on their nuclear missile programs. And then two other change-oriented options. Regime change replaced by a regime that’s far more favorable towards the United States, or keep a weakened regime, or let the current people stay in power but diminish them militarily and economically. Democrats favored negotiation 52[%] over regime change of the various sorts to 39. But Republicans, only 25% wanted a negotiation, 69wanted change. MAGA Republicans wanted 25-70. And most interesting of all to me is independents who are gonna decide this fall election, 17% were in favor of negotiations, 71 wanted a change in the regime. So the president’s getting bad marks on getting this thing resolved in part because he’s discouraging his supporters, and not necessarily converting opponents. Democrats wanted a negotiation, Republicans and independents wanted a change in the regime.”

“Well, the president also has been hailing lower oil prices, right? Which means lower gasoline prices. And I think he thinks that that’s going to create a better economic environment on inflation and going into the midterms, and that that will compensate in public opinion for any doubts about how well this Iran war has gone or what the settlement terms are. What do you think about the chances of that this will be overwhelmed by lower gas prices?” followed up Gigot.

“Well, even if it happens, I’m not convinced that it’s going to be that dispositive, that that’s going to determine the outcome, the election, [it] will help, obviously. But look, we’re not the only ones who know this. We’re not the only ones paying attention to oil prices,” replied Rove. “Remember, all of these negotiations with Iran need to be completed by the middle of August. The Iranians are not dumb. They know that the fall campaign starts in earnest on Labor Day. I would not be surprised to see them attempt to have an influence on the outcome by creating problems in mid-August, and causing oil prices to rise and uncertainty to grow.”

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