Is There a Rove-a-Dope Going on Hillary?

Karl Rove has been doing a number of interviews as he prepares to leave the White House, and a frequent subject is Hillary Clinton and the Dem race for '08. Rove has so much mythology surrounding him among Democrats that he's got them guessing what his motivations are with these discussions...even if he has no particular motivations.

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- GOP strategist Karl Rove won't let up in his attacks on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, but the intriguing question is why.

Is it a sign that Rove, who masterminded Bush's two presidential victories, is worried about Clinton? Or a calculation that the GOP attacks will get Democrats to rally to her side because the GOP would prefer not to take on Democrats John Edwards or Barack Obama?

"The Democrats are going to choose a nominee. I believe it's going to be her," President Bush's departing political adviser said Sunday, noting her negative rating with the public is very high.

He appeared on three Sunday talk shows after announcing last week he was leaving the White House at the end of the month to spend more time with his family.

Asked why he was helping Clinton by saying she would headline the ticket, Rove said: "Didn't know that I was. Don't think that I am." Watch how Rove is steering the debate by attacking the Democratic frontrunner »

Then he criticized Clinton, saying more people have an unfavorable than favorable opinion of the New York senator and former first lady.

"She enters the general election campaign with the highest negatives of any candidate in the history of the Gallup poll," Rove said.

Is he trying to steer people away or toward Hillary? That's the question the Dem politicos will be pondering, and in fact, Rove may not be trying to move Dems at all. He may just be expressing his opinion, but with the lefty obsession with Rove, they'll continue to analyze and overanalyze his words and will pretty much tie themselves up in knots trying to figure out his nefarious schemes.

It could be a brilliant strategy without even trying.

UPDATE: The LA Times suggests that Rove has a reverse psychology op going on to promote Hillary's campaign.