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Karl Rove's IT Guru Dies In Small Plane Crash

A dozen readers have submitted the story of the death in a plane crash of Mike Connell, Karl Rove's IT adviser, the man who set up and ran the gwb43.com mail server, and an important figure in GOP tech circles since 1997. The closest thing to straight reporting to be found in a mainstream media outlet is a piece from KDKA in Pittsburgh giving a detailed backgrounder on Connell's work for Rove, two generations of the Bush family, and many GOP congressmen and committees. CBSNews.com is now mirroring the KDKA reporting. Almost all the early media coverage comes from the left and some of it is frankly conspiratorial. Among the milder pieces (although it could not be called balanced) is this interview with Mark Crispin Miller, NYU professor and author of two books about the 2004 election in Ohio. Connell was compelled to testify on the day before the US election in a lawsuit involving Ohio election irregularities in 2004. Connell, an experienced pilot, died on Sunday when his plane crashed two miles short of the runway of Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio.

22 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. Accident? by gbulmash · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does anyone really think this was an accident?</tinfoil-hat>

    But seriously, if anyone knew "too much," this guy could qualify.

    1. Re:Accident? by SinGunner · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not everything has to be a conspiracy. Aircraft do crash.

      Is that a threat?

    2. Re:Accident? by NewbieV · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not everything has to be a conspiracy. Aircraft do crash.

      <whisper mode="conspiratorial">
      That's exactly what they want you to think...
      </whisper>

      --


      "For every right, an equal responsibility..."
    3. Re:Accident? by Miseph · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah man, it's all a lie man. The government [i]says[/i] that planes crash, but have [i]you[/i] ever been in airplane crash, or ever seen one? I bet you haven't, not first hand man, just on video and shit that can be faked, cuz' that's all it is man, it's [i]faked[/i]. Modern aircraft are incapable of landing, they can't even touch the ground, they just hover cuz' of all the alien technology from Area 51... they're really [i]flying saucers[/i].

      they're running our government, you know. The Greys. They're out there, and they're in charge. They've been looking for me cuz' I [i]know[/i] they're out to get me. That's why I don't fly anymore, they crash the planes to get the people who [i]know[/i]. If the world found out the truth, the humans might destroy them, so they try to kill anyone who finds out the [i]truth[/i].

      The only people who know are Al Quaeda, that's why they keep saying they're terrorists, man. They're only terrorists against the ALIENS. 9/11 only happened because the aliens found out they were on the plane, and crashed it to get them, then blamed it on Al Quaeda. It's all LIES man! ever notice that if you get rid of the "a" and "n" in "aliens" it spells "lies"? DID YOU??!?! It's not a fucking coincidence man!

      they control all of the electroinics. Don't fly, don't drive, don't talk on the phone, and don't, whatever you do, use the internet. It's just a home created for the aliens' AI leader, it's coming to take us all. Oh God, it's coming for me, the computer is coming for me.. HELP ME PLEA

      **Signal Lost**

      Hah hah, lol, just kidding. Please do not worry, that was all in jest. Isn't that funny? There is no alien conspiracy to control Earth and to enslave the humans, that would be ridiculous. Everyone knows that there are no such thing as aliens. Lol. Please continue to put all available knowledge on the internet, there is no risk that a super-powerful artificial intelligence will compile your data in order to plan an assault on your planet against which you cannot possibly defend yourselves. Hah hah hah.

      --
      Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.
    4. Re:Accident? by OakDragon · · Score: 3, Funny

      I suspect this be too.

      ... this IS too.

      He was correcting himself....

      Or, he doesn't want you to find out he's a pirate.

    5. Re:Accident? by Noone+Thirty · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean noone is after me!

      Buddy, I don't even know you.

  2. :c by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    :c

  3. Re:Seriously... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    DON'T FLY YOUR OWN AIRPLANE!!!

    Yeah, fly someone elses.. I suggest United or America Airlines..

    Too soon?

  4. Newest Ninjalistics news story pertains to this by Allen+Varney · · Score: 5, Funny

    The newest article posted on Ninjalistics (your leading supplier of ISO 9000-compliant corporate espionage and assassination services) is, "Six additional political operatives die in separate accidents unrelated to Karl Rove."

  5. Re:Unpossible! by MRe_nl · · Score: 3, Funny

    "WOIO correspondent Blake Chenault also reported that twice in the past two months Connell, who was an experienced pilot, canceled flights because of suspicious problems with his plane."

    "The CIA and the FBI are far too good."

    Three shots, one kill.

    Amatures ;-).

    --
    "Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
  6. Disappointing title by elashish14 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was cheering so hard when I saw "Karl Rove" and "Dies" - then the words in between just ruined my Christmas.

    --
    I have left slashdot and am now on Soylent News. FUCK YOU DICE.
  7. Re:Hmmm..... by MaggieL · · Score: 5, Funny

    Like Monica?

    --
    -=Maggie Leber=-
  8. Re:Seriously... by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    DON'T FLY YOUR OWN AIRPLANE!!!

    And if you must, have the server backup media shipped by alternate means.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  9. Re:Assumptions. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Could the man with the match not do that after setting his fire?

    God, what is with people and unnecessary overhead.

  10. Re:Wow, if they keep bumping off their IT guys... by s_p_oneil · · Score: 2, Funny

    Somehow I don't think that would work. Although it does make me think of that Simpsons episode where Homer became the union leader.

    Homer: What's the job pay?
    Carl: Nothing.
    Homer: D'oh!
    Carl: Unless you're crooked.
    Homer: Woohoo!

  11. Your dinner date with bankers by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2, Funny

    I know of at least 3 bankers who have committed suicide recently, mostly from those banks whose funds have tanked.

    I know a frequent mantra on Slashdot is, "Correlation does not mean causality." But, being that a butt-load of bankers are getting off free for the mess that they have created, and that they are now collecting millions in bonuses from taxpayer money, you might have a needed talent. Can I ask you a favor?

    Can you please get to know more bankers?

    On the serious side, Credit Suisse announced that their bonuses would be paid out in . . . toxic securities.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  12. cut the conspiracy theory nonsense by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    This was definitely an accident. You see, Connell was involved in Rove's secret plot to cut the underwater cables in the Mediterranean, and was flying out to intercept the repair crew when he crashed.

  13. Re:This is how the gov't gets away with this crap by robertjw · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think if I ever want to get rid of someone I'll do it in a diabolical Batman (the TV Show) villain method. Nobody will believe it.

  14. Re:Screw Balance. by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Funny

    FWIW... if something is "balanced", that would mean the two sides[1] of the debate are assigned equal weights. That's how a balance works.

    *Fair* is a different story. A *fair* assessment would assign accurate weights to the two sides, which would (gasp) leave an unbalanced situation[2]. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

    [1] Assuming any issue is simple enough for a two-sided debate, which would be plane wrong.

    [2] As shown by the Evolutionary Theory (ET) vs. Intelligent Design (ID) debate, as follows logically:

    1. According to evolutionists, birds evolved from dinosaurs.
    2. According to established truth (even ID'ers don't deny it), ducks are birds.
    3. Logically then, it follows that ET can be represented by a duck.
    4. Some "news" outlets claim to be fair and balanced, by assigning equal weight to ET and ID.
    5. Picture a large scale, with ET and ID balanced equally.
    6. Now visualize the same scale, with ET represented by a duck.
    6. Obviously, since ID weighs the same or more than the duck, it is a witch. Burn it!

    Now, Sir Gore, tell me again how sheep's bladders can be used to prevent global warming?

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  15. Re:I now believe political murder is real in Ameri by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 2, Funny

    I now believe orcs and elves are realities in our world. I thought for years that they had died out until I saw the movie (possibly now on YouTube) directed by Peter Jackson based on the notes of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien went in to excellent detail outlining the lives of these people and their history. There is much more on the subject than Jackson was able to film, which everyone should read for themselves.

    Sometimes people tell really good stories. And sometimes people really want to believe those stories.

  16. Re:Assumptions. by SupremoMan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm not quite sure what you said, but I like it!

  17. Re:The reason for the witness protection program.. by leftie · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe the airplane turned to chocolate in midair, and can't be found because it crashed in Hershey, PA.

    Just a equally likely possibility.