Sigh. The usual chorus of angry emailers are complaining about my earlier question “Where does Rove go to get his reputation back?”

Of course, this was a reference to Ray Donovan , though that reference was lost on some. Here are a few typical emails:

I don’t think Rove needs to go anywhere. His reputation prior to this incident was that he is a fear mongering, lying, slanderous buffoon. No need to go anywhere to get that back. That is what he always will be.

And:

I think that Rove’s reputation as a savvy mudslinger adept at avoiding leaving his fingerprints on anything remains fully intact– nay, burnished. (Ie, rumors vs McCain, Ann Richards, that guy in Alabama, etc.).

And:

In response to your question, “where does Karl Rove report to get his reputation back?” I would suggest the same place Pres. Clinton has to go to get his back, after all of the lies that were (and still are) told about him. And the same place Gore has to go, to get his reputation back after all of the lies told about him (many in the NR, I might add). All of the Corner’s indignation about Rove might be easier to stomach if you had exhibited the same thing when lies, blatant lies, were told about people of a different political persuasion.

Me: Now, truth be told, I don’t worry about Rove’s reputation very much, but there’s a few points worth making. First of all, the goal posts have been moved. Until recently the Fitzmassers were saying that Rove was traitor for outing Plame. That’s no longer operative. So to say that his reputation is as intact as it every was is a rhetorical shell game.

Also, as JPod noted, this sort of tu quoque argumentation overlooks various facts. I don’t think NR was ever a full-throated supporter of the Independent Counsel. And it most certainly didn’t wade very deep into the anti-Clinton fever swamp. As for Gore, I don’t what “lies” the last reader is referring to (surely not my recent spat over his teenage summers). But whatever people think we may or may not have said about Gore, Clinton or ICs is not an argument in their defense for their unfounded attacks on Rove.