Politics

Karl Rove: No hard feelings with Rush Limbaugh over Christine O’Donnell

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Karl Rove says there are no hard feelings between him and radio host Rush Limbaugh over his own outspoken comments on Delaware’s Republican Senate candidate, Christine O’Donnell.

“None at all,” Rove wrote in an e-mail to The Daily Caller, in response to a question about Limbaugh’s criticism of his remarks. “He is a very good friend for whom I have enormous respect and affection.”

The former Bush aide, who recently served as a substitute host on Limbaugh’s show, riled up conservatives this week with open skepticism of O’Donnell. Rove expressed concerns about the “nutty things she has been saying,” as well as her electability against Democrats in November.

In one appearance on Fox News’ Hannity, Rove described his doubts about O’Donnell: “And again, these serious questions about how does she make her living? Why did she mislead voters about her college education? How come it took nearly two decades to pay her college bills so she could get her college degree? How did she make a living? Why did she sue a well-known and well-thought of conservative think tank?”

“I’ve never heard Karl so animated against a Democrat as he was against Christine O’Donnell last night,” Limbaugh lamented this week about Rove.

“I cant tell you, my e-mail started going nuts last night when Karl Rove [appeared] on Sean Hannity … I was saying to myself, if he had just gotten this mad at Democrats during the Bush administration, why who knows how things would be different today,” he said.

Limbaugh, who could not be reached for comment, appeared to poke fun at the media curiosity over his criticism of Rove. A top story on his website includes the title: “Media Buzzes Over Rush and Rove: Rove vs. Limbaugh is still the big cable chatter story.”