Rove licks his political wounds

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's top political adviser, says corruption played a bigger role in the U.S. midterm elections than he expected.

Rove told Time magazine the drumbeat of scandals -- the lobbying scandal, GOP Florida Rep. Mark Foley's improper e-mails to pages, and allegations against the Rev. Ted Haggard by a Denver male prostitute -- "added to the general distaste that people have for all things Washington, and it just reached critical mass."

Republicans lost their majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, which are now controlled by the Democrats.

Even though polls show a massive public dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, Rove pointed to Sen. Joseph Lieberman's win in Connecticut. Lieberman lost the Democratic primary, largely because of his support for the war, but won as an independent in the general election.

"If this was a get-out-now call for withdrawal," Rove told Time, "then (Democratic nominee Ned) Lamont would not have been beaten by Lieberman. Iraq does play a role, but not the critical, central role."

As for the battering taken by the GOP in the election, Rove said, "I see this as much more of a transient, passing thing."