1.  Karl Rove continues to ardently defend the big-government policies of President Bush.

Writing in Human Events, Mark Skousen says that-in a recent debate with Howard Dean, former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee-Rove "exhibited confidence and pride" in "every Bush maneuver."  Rove expressed "unrepentant rationalization of the Bush blunders."

Rove defended the enormous spending increases and massive deficits of the Bush Administration, claiming the former President was "fiscally responsible."

Rove blamed Republican loses in the 2006 and 2008 elections on "personal scandals."

2.  Writing in Politico.com, Matt Latimer, a former speechwriter for President Bush, defended his new book, Speech-Less, from attacks by Bush boosters Ed Gillespie, Dana Perino, and William McGurn.

The September 17 issue of this newsletter reported Latimer's story that, while he was still President, George W. Bush totally dismissed the conservative movement as inconsequential and boasted, "I redefined the Republican Party."

In his latest article, Latimer also rebukes those conservative periodicals that functioned as cheerleaders for their "buddies in the Republican power structure." He specifically mentioned National Review and wondered, "Whatever happened to it?"

In addition, House GOP Leader John Boehner is castigated for raising money for a Republican candidate who is more liberal than the Democratic candidate.  (More on that race in Item #3 below.)

Latimer said conservatives should seek "a civil divorce" from the Republican establishment.

3.  The respected Rothenberg Political Report states that Republicans may lose the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District to replace GOP Congressman John McHugh, who resigned to become Secretary of the Army in the Obama Administration.

In a separate article in Roll Call, Stuart Rothenberg writes that Dede Scozzafava, a six-term member of the New York State Assembly, has been "severely damaged" by the Conservative Party candidacy of Doug Hoffman.

Strangely, the Democratic Party candidate, attorney Bill Owens, is a registered independent.

Even though no Republicans in the House voted for President Obama's stimulus bill, Scozzafava still supports it.  She also supports the "card check" legislation that would allow unions to be certified as the bargaining representative in a company without a secret ballot vote of the workers.  (Her husband is president of one of the state central labor councils.) 

In addition, Scozzafava holds liberal positions on social issues, including abortion and homosexual marriage.

As a result, her support from Republican voters has been tepid and she has had difficulty raising money.

"She is in real trouble," Rothenberg concludes.

4.  The latest Rasmussen Reports finds the Republican candidate for governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, leading his Democratic opponent, Creigh Deeds, 50% to 43%, with 6% undecided.

McDonnell is a former state attorney general.  Deeds is a state senator.

Barack Obama carried Virginia in the 2008 election with 53% of the vote and the Rasmussen poll finds that 53% in the state approves of the President's performance in office.  Deeds hopes Obama will come to Virginia to campaign for him.

Deeds seems to have been badly hurt by a video in which he repeatedly contradicts himself on taxes and is unable to coherently explain his position.

The current governor, Tim Kaine, has an approval rating of 54%.  Kaine is also the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.