That’s right. Karl Rove is an asshole. The insult of his McCarthyist comments have now reached the troops… you know, those people he says we should support.

The Families of September 11 chastised Rove’s comments [via], saying:

As families whose relatives were victims of the 9/11 terror attacks, we believe it is an outrage that any Democrat, any Republican, any conservative or any liberal, stakes a “high ground” position based upon the September 11th death and destruction. Doing so assumes that all those who died and their loved ones would agree. In truth, some would and some would not. By definition the conduct is divisive and, because it is intended to be self-serving and politicizes 9/11, it is offensive.

We are calling on Karl Rove to resist his temptations and stop trying to reap political gain in the tragic misfortune of others. His comments are not welcome.

Well, just to make it perfectly clear, the White House has emphatically rejected calls for apology [via], and further clarified that Rove was referring to all liberal voters, not just Democrats.

White House communications director Nicolle Devenish said Rove was speaking “very broadly about the liberal movement” and that he never referred to Democrats.

While these divisive tactics are insulting and counter-productive, I do find some reason for hope in all of this — it’s evidence that the Bush administration is a sinking ship. They’re all desperately trying to tread water. Andrew Sullivan says:

You expect that kind of moronic extremism from a Michelle Malkin, but from the most influential figure in an administration leading a country in wartime? Ok, ok, I’m not surprised. Rove is a brutal operator. But to my mind, the hysterical attacks on Durbin and now this outburst (and the White House’s subsequent endorsement of it) are an indication of some level of panic. If you want to know how well the administration really believes the war is going, listen to their rhetoric. And start worrying.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says for Rove “to try to exploit 9/11 for political purposes once again just shows you how desperate they are.”