Don't let the door hit you on the way out

It's not exactly right to say we won't have Karl Rove to kick around any more. We can keep kicking him til he's in an orange jumpsuit. (Orange is definitely his color, don't you think?)

On NPR this morning, Cokie Roberts pronounced Rove's departure as Bush's political obituary, although she was quick to point out that at this point in a fading administration (a week from today there will be 17 months left in W's term), sometimes young people come into the White House who will make a mark later. Dick Cheney was the first example she gave. Now there's a frightening thought.

Those of us who despise what Rove stands for and what he did have to give him credit for his achievements, evil as we may think them. But we also need to ask ourselves what we did to let such a malignant man get so much power. His success was built on our failure to speak effectively to the American people.