Rove: I'm Not a Republican Cheerleader

If Republicans want a cheerleader, Karl Rove isn’t their man. The star political strategist raised eyebrows and some political hackles with his brutal assessment that Republican U.S. Senate nominee Christine O’Donnell in Delaware isn’t electable. After he and other Republicans balked at supporting her, although GOP establishment figures voiced support for the tea party candidate, Rove shot back at critics today, The Hill reports.

Rove, formerly President George W. Bush’s key adviser, told Fox News that he’ll evaluate each candidate individually. "My job is not to be a cheerleader for every Republican. It’s to call them as I see them," he bristled.

Among his comments that had riled supporters were his description of O’Donnell’s “checkered background” and his observation that she had said "nutty things." Assessing her election Tuesday night, he had said, “How does she make her living? Why did she mislead voters about her college education? How come it took her nearly two decades to pay her college bills so she could get a degree?

To be sure, he expressed appreciation for the “energy” and enthusiasm” of tea party activists. "Be careful when you call me an establishment Republican, I’m not sure what that is," he said.