TIME.com: W. and the "Boy Genius"

"It felt like a funeral, "recalls Bainwol. Democrats were calling for the scalp of Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Harvey Pitt and citing poll numbers that pointed to big gains for their party in both houses. "They were filled with the euphoria of our misery, "Bainwol says of his rivals.

Rove stepped in to stop the bleeding. Sources tell Time he leaned on executives to support the corporate accounting reforms written by Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes. Three weeks later, he orchestrated the President's economic summit in Waco, Texas, which amounted to little more than a photo op for ceos but gave the impression that Bush was focused on the economy. The Justice Department, urged on by G.O.P. political consultants, made several high-profile arrests of corporate chiefs, complete with handcuffs. In August Rove kept his boss traveling during his vacation and talking about the economy.