Republican members of Congress are avoiding Rove like the plague

Republican Leader Bill Frist doesn’t defend Rove. "It's very interesting that amid these Democratic attacks, though, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the Republican leader, told me today that he will not comment. He's not rising to Karl Rove's defense and he's not attacking him either. You would expect the Republican leader to be stepping up and defending the White House at this moment, but Frist says he does not know enough about the grand jury investigation." – [Ed Henry, CNN, July 12, 2005]

House Government Reform Committee Chairman declined to say Rove shouldn’t resign. “House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) said he was reviewing a letter sent to him Monday by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) asking for a hearing into the leaks. Davis declined to say if he thinks Rove should resign.” [The Hill, July 13, 2005 ]

Senators Warner and McCain decline to comment. “Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-Va.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) both declined to comment.” [The Hill, July 13, 2005]

Rep. Steve Buyer says he hasn’t even heard about the case. – “Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind) said that he was in Germany during last week’s congressional recess and had not heard about the case.” [The Hill, July 13, 2005]

Senator Chuck Hagel won’t respond. Several lawmakers said they do not know enough about the facts of the case to respond. Hagel: “That’s up to the president and Karl Rove.” [The Hill, July 13, 2005]

Senator Mike DeWine waits to defend Rove. DeWine: “I think we ought to just wait until all the facts are in….Let’s just wait and see what the special prosecutor does.” [CNN, July 13, 2005]

Even the Conservative Bloggers Turn Against Rove

The Jawa Report: "[I]t's time for Rove to go. Last time I checked we were in a f*cking shooting war and the last thing the Commander-in-Chief needs is a low-life political opportunist in his inner circle."

Decision '08's "teetering" Mark Coffey: "I'm not quite ready to call for his resignation; it's still a little early... but I'm starting to lean that way. Could anything make me lean back? I think it's time for Rove to issue a statement to the press..."

Vodkapundit's Stephen Green: "Even if Rove didn't give out Valerie Plame's name (which appears, for now, to be the case), it also looks like he pointed a pretty bold arrow her way. That kind of leak is breaking the rules, and that's a bad thing. Now, as I understand the law regarding intelligence officers, Karl Rove didn't do anything illegal. But was he right to leak? ... My gut tells me no..."