Bettors take aim at latest White House Scandal

Bettors take aim at latest White House Scandal By staffSportsbook.com has entered the fray in the latest political storm to rock the White House by offering odds on the future of its Deputy Chief of Staff, Karl Rove. The opening line is that Rove will not be dismissed or resign in the wake of an ongoing criminal investigation, with odds at 1-6.

Rove’s job security has been the subject of much speculation since allegations surfaced recently that he leaked the identity of a CIA operative to the media in an effort to discredit an outspoken critic of the administration’s war in Iraq.

The betting line is a reflection of President Bush’s seeming flip-flop on the issue based on comments he has offered since the scandal broke in 2003. Initially, Bush said he would fire anyone from the administration found to have been the source of the leak. After Rove was revealed to be the source, however, Bush said he would only dismiss an administration official who had engaged in criminal activity.

Observers are also keenly aware of the President’s dependence on Rove as his long-time political strategist and election campaign savior. Since odds were posted yesterday, bettors have been wagering heavily that Rove will not be dismissed or resign. But with Democrats increasingly calling for Rove’s dismissal from cabinet, the President may have no choice but to sack his most indispensable aid.

“Much of the world continues to be fixated on American political developments. So, it only makes sense to give bettors the chance to wager on the outcome of issues like the Rove scandal or yesterday’s Supreme Court nomination,” says Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com.