by Craig Unger
First published 2012
Craig Unger examines how Karl Rove transformed from a disgraced Bush administration exile into the Republican Party's most influential power broker. The investigative reporter traces Rove's quiet resurrection following his departure from the White House amid the Valerie Plame Wilson affair and U.S. attorneys scandal. Unger reveals how Rove bypassed the Republican National Committee to create his own fundraising network through American Crossroads and similar organizations. The book documents Rove's manipulation of the 2012 Republican primary process, his strategic maneuvering around Tea Party opposition, and his growing alliance with Mitt Romney. Unger connects Rove's past controversies to his current methods, examining his roles in the 2004 Ohio election irregularities and other scandals. The author demonstrates how Rove mobilized massive financial resources to influence Republican strategy and candidate selection. This journalistic investigation offers readers insight into the hidden mechanisms of political power and the forces shaping American electoral politics.
Genres: biography, political-science, politics, united-states, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-reporting, political-machinations
Setting: United States, White House
Period: 2004, 2012
322 pages · Kindle Edition · Scribner