Rove Dismisses ‘Wild’ Trump Allegation: ‘I Never Manhandled A Reporter’

Republican strategist Karl Rove gestures while at a luncheon at the California Republican Party convention, in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 2, 2013. Rove told California Republicans to "get off the mat", and... Republican strategist Karl Rove gestures while at a luncheon at the California Republican Party convention, in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 2, 2013. Rove told California Republicans to "get off the mat", and to find candidates to reflect the party's diversity. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) MORE LESS
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Republican strategist Karl Rove told Politico on Wednesday that he’s “never manhandled a reporter,” despite what Donald Trump implied on “Fox & Friends.”

Trump, who called into Fox News’ morning show to defend his campaign manager, was asked why he condoned Corey Lewandowski’s alleged roughing-up of a reporter.

“Karl Rove didn’t do it. David Plouffe didn’t do it, David Axelrod didn’t do it. That’s why you have Secret Service,” host Brian Kilmeade said, referring to former top campaign aides for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Trump said there was no way to know if Rove and his Democratic counterparts hadn’t physically targeted reporters.

“You don’t know that they didn’t do it, because I guarantee you they did, probably did stuff that was more physical than this,” Trump said. “More physical, because this is not even physical.”

Rove, the longtime Bush campaign adviser, disputed this characterization in an email to Politico.

“Of course, I never manhandled a reporter or anyone else and Mr. Trump should not imply I did,” Rove wrote. “Making wild allegations is what he does to deflect attention from his own problems.”

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Notable Replies

  1. It’s hard to imagine Turd Blossom “man-handling” anything. Maybe inappropriate touching or some unwanted petting, bu I just can’t associate the concept of “man” with him in that context.

    And yeah, as you might have expected, it’s now showing up on Faux News KKKomment boards that Trump is claiming that the reporter was assaulting him and grabbing at him and that he’s going to file charges and sue her for it…not to mention that she should be charged with a felony for “interfering with secret service.”

  2. For Rove to manhandle a reporter, he’d have to be a man, wouldn’t he?

  3. Karl Rove only “math-handles”.

  4. Avatar for sjk sjk says:

    Sounds like a libel suit waiting to happen

  5. And don’t forget about that Super Atomic Secret Spy Pen Bomb!

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