Karl Rove

President Bush, right, looks on as his top political advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove speaks at the White House in Washington, Monday, Aug. 13, 2007. Rove, President Bush's close friend and chief political strategist, announced he will leave the White House at the end of August, joining a lengthening line of senior officials heading for the exits in the final 1

End Of The Rove — AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

President Bush, left, puts his arm around Karl Rove as they appear before reporters during a news conference announcing Rove's resignation, Monday, Aug. 13, 2007, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. On board with Bush since the beginning of his political career in Texas, Rove was nicknamed "the architect" and "boy genius" by the president for designing the strategy that twice won him the White House.

First lady Laura Bush, center, hugs outgoing White house Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, right, as President Bush looks on, following a news conference at the White House in Washington, Monday, Aug. 13, 2007, where Rove announced that he would be resigning at the end of the month.

Top advisor, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove takes his luggage from Air Force One Monday, Aug. 13, 2007, to a car upon arrival at Texas State Technical College Airport in Waco, Texas. Rove and his family will be vacationing with President George W. Bush at his Crawford, Texas ranch. Rove will be resigning at the end of August.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove listens as President Bush, not shown, speaks with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington April 2, 2007. A criminal investigation put Rove under scrutiny for months during the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name but he was never charged with any crime.

Karl Rove, left, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, pretends to talk on his phone while rapping with 'Who's Line is it Anyway?' star Colin Mochrie, right, during the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner March 28, 2007, in Washington.

Karl Rove prepares to address the Jackson County Lincoln Day dinner in Jackson, Mich., Saturday, March 24, 2007. In a more recent controversy, Rove, citing executive privilege, has refused to testify before Congress about the firing of U.S. attorneys.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, left, Communications Director Kevin Sullivan, center, and Spokesperson Tony Snow jokingly drink water at the same time before President George W Bush participated in a round table event at Saint Luke's East Hospital Jan. 25, 2007, in Lee's Summit, Mo.

Karl Rove, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, speaks with a reporter before President George W. Bush held a news conference in the East Room of the White House Nov. 8, 2006, in Washington.

President George W. Bush, left, answers questions from the media as White House advisor Karl Rove looks on at the end of a meeting with congressional members July 18, 2006, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington.

President Bush's Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, right, departs the White House with the president July 14, 2005.

President George W. Bush, right, walks with his Deputy Chief of Staff and long time adviser Karl Rove on the South Lawn of the White House July 14, 2005, towards Marine One, in Washington.

Senior Advisor Karl Rove is dressed in a Halloween costume while passing out candy to the media at Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Airport Oct. 31, 2004, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rove was dressed mocking Democratic candidate John Kerry who had dressed up in camouflage to hunt geese.

Presidential Senior Adviser Karl Rove, sits down in front of the landing gear of Air Force One so that President Bush could see during antics before their departure at McGuire Air Force Base, in New Jersey Oct. 18, 2004.

Karl Rove, chief political advisor to President Bush, speaks to graduates of the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University May 8, 2004, in Lynchburg, Va. Rove, who received an honorary doctorate in the humanities, told graduates to have the courage to "do what's right, regardless of consequence, fashion or fad."

President George W. Bush's senior adviser Karl Rove makes a signal to a White House media member as he stands in the wings of the Rose Garden Oct. 5, 2001, in Washington.

President George W. Bush, left, walks with his chief political adviser Karl Rove after returning to the White House Sept. 27, 2001, in Washington.

Members of President Bush's staff are sworn in by Vice President Cheney during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington Jan. 22, 2001. From left are, then-Counselor to the President Karen Hughes, Senior Political Adviser Karl Rove, then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.

Karl Rove, chief strategist for then-Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, holds up a copy of a Cook County, Ill., election butterfly ballot as Mr. Bush's campaign chairman Don Evans listens in the background at a news briefing in Austin, Texas, Nov. 9, 2000. Rove questioned statements from the campaign of Democratic candidate Al Gore that criticized the use of the same-style ballot in Palm Beach County, Fla.

Then-Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, right, talks with Karl Rove, left, campaign senior political strategist, at the governor's mansion in Austin, Texas Aug. 10, 1999.

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