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March 22, 2010

Karl Rove visits area bookstore as health care bill looms

Visitors talk politics at book signing

By Brandi Watters, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

NOBLESVILLE , Ind. — President George W. Bush’s top adviser made a stop in central Indiana on Sunday as part of a nationwide book tour.

Republican strategist Karl Rove visited the Borders bookstore at the Hamilton Town Center, signing copies of his new book for just over a crowd of 100 patrons.

As the U.S. Congress debated health care reform Sunday, customers clutched Rove’s book, “Courage and Consequence: My life as a conservative in the fight,” and discussed the unfolding Capitol Hill drama.

Westfield resident Myra Levine watched the news in hopes that the health care bill would not be permanent. “I’m just hoping that it can be repealed,” she said.

Levine said she admires Rove and his influence. “Karl Rove is a brilliant strategist and I used to do political advertising.”

Levine said she pays no attention to negative press about Rove and his role in the Bush administration.

“For the same reason the Democrats hate Sarah Palin, they hate him. If he were a bumbling idiot, they wouldn’t say a word.”

Fishers resident Tracy Breach thinks highly of Rove, but admitted she wasn’t standing in line Sunday to see him for her own interests. “This book is actually for my son,” she said.

A political science major at Purdue University, Breach’s son regretted missing the rare chance to meet Rove, she said.

Throughout his book tour, Rove has commented on the ongoing debate over health care.

Hours before his book signing in Noblesville, Rove appeared on ABC’s “This Week” and got into a heated argument with Democratic strategist David Plouffe in which he predicted health care reform would cause an “economic disaster.”

Dana Johnson of Brownsburg agrees.

“To put it simply, I grew up in Canada and I do not support the health care bill,” Johnson said. “When my father had a heart attack, he had to wait 11 days for an angioplasty.

“The health care is great (in Canada) but you have to wait,” Johnson explained.

Fishers resident Dawn Shelley was uncomfortable with the health care bill being discussed by politicians Sunday. “I don’t think the government should be running insurance.”

Contact Brandi Watters, 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com

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