What does Karl know?

From the August 10 interview on Ian Masters' Background Briefing* of Sen. Art Torres (Ret.), California Democratic Party Chairman:

Interviewer:

Art, let's just go back to the roots of this. Do you think that Tom DeLay and Karl Rove were behind this recall and getting Issa to go and put his money up there and then of course played him for a sucker?

Art Torres:

I think it was mutual. I think they found in Darrell a willing participant. Whether they had specific conversations, I'm not certain. But it's clear that once Issa agreed to put in the 1.7 - he's spent $1.9 million, poor guy - in an effort to create a recall, I think that's when Karl Rove came in and did his number.

And quite frankly I think the White House called Darrell right before he made his announcement. Because all the information I had was that he was planning to announce his race for governor. The only thing I can figure is, somebody had more information than Darrell wanted to be released, and I think Karl Rove is a very swift operator and presented that information.

As Willie Brown told me yesterday, "I think Darrell found the head of a horse on his bed."

Interviewer:

Yeah, to go and spend two million of his own money and then to be told he can't run is pretty tough politics.

Art Torres:

I'm sure he was told "You can't run, and here's why." Because if you think that Torres is talking about handguns and car theft and insurance fraud, this is what we really have.

* - heard on Pacifica radio stations.

NOTE: Temporary .wav file of the exchange is here (575k, 8-bit, mono, 8KHz sample rate). Will be deleted after August.

posted by Quiddity at 8/11/2003 05:42:00 AM