Cloak And Daggers-- Rove And Trump

I can't say it's any more than a hunch that Trump is-- and has long been-- kinda-sorta working to reelect President Obama. And I don't mean that he's stumbling around so pathetically that sane people are revolted and want to run away from the GOP as fast and as far as possible-- though that's part of it. But I've suspected all along that Trump isn't a real Republican and that his whole "run for the White House" was just a setup. In fact, now he's officially not a Republican. Thursday he switched voter registration from GOP to "unaffiliated."

Michael Cohen, an aide to Trump, said the real estate mogul and reality television star made the switch "in order to preserve his right to run for president as an independent if he's not satisfied with who the Republicans nominate."

Cohen added that Trump was "disgusted with the way Republicans are handling" the payroll tax cut extension, saying the actions of Republicans were partly to blame for his party change.

Cohen also cited foreign policy issues, claiming Trump had been ahead of the curve in predicting security issues in Iraq after the U.S. pulled out troops.

"Iraq is imploding. Who else has been saying this except Trump?" Cohen said.

Trump's party switch is just the latest move taken by the businessman to indicate he might run for president. He very publicly contemplated a run in the Spring before announcing he wasn't willing to give up his reality show The Apprentice to launch a campaign.

Take it for what it's worth, but I think he wants Obama to be reelected. I'm anxious to see what Rove does when he's certain. Rove's amazing. He is so determined to get Romney the nomination that he's destroyed-- like utterly destroyed, and with few ever knowing his fingerprints were all over the destruction-- rival after rival, the latest being a surging Ron Paul. I bet Kim Geiger doesn't even know Rove put her up to writing the story. (James Kirchick's role I'm more curious about.)

A solicitation from the 1990s that carried Texas Rep. Ron Paul's name predicted a “"coming race war," suggested the government was engaged in a "cover-up" over AIDS, and warned that a plan to update U.S. currency was really a conspiracy to "steal our freedom and our prosperity."

It is the latest controversial writing to resurface this week as the congressman's record is coming under new scrutiny amid speculation that he may be gaining ground in Iowa, where the first GOP nominating contest of the 2012 presidential campaign will be held next month.

The letter-- an appeal for supporters to subscribe to Paul's newsletters-- was obtained by Reuters from James Kirchick, a contributing editor for the New Republic magazine, who said he found the letter in archives maintained by the University of Kansas and the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Sent under the banner of "Congressman Ron Paul" and carrying Paul's signature, the letter offers "wealth-saving intelligence" gleaned from Paul's network of sources within the federal government. For $99, readers could receive monthly newsletters including the Ron Paul Political Report, an investor's manual and the phone number for Paul's financial hotline.

...On Wednesday, Paul disavowed the statements, saying he had not written them, nor had he read them, at the time they were mailed out. But in the past, Paul had defended some of the writings, suggesting they were taken out of context.

Drew Ivers, the Iowa chairman for Paul's campaign, told Reuters on Thursday that Paul stands by material he has written under his own signature. But when asked if that meant he still believed there was a federal cover-up relating to AIDS, as the letter states, Ivers said: "I don't think he embraces that."

Now, Paul spokesman Jesse Benton tells Talking Points Memo that Ivers was not authorized to comment on the matter, and that Paul "did not write that mail piece and disavows it."

"Drew Ivers is a great guy and leader, but he was not speaking on behalf of the campaign and is not acquainted enough with the issue to have the facts," Benton said.

Rove, Rove, Rove... Can Trump outfox him, though?