Karl Rove thinks Sen. Richard Burr could help save the GOP.

In a proposed roadmap out of the political wilderness published last week in Newsweek, the former political strategist for President Bush argued that Burr could be a fresh face for the Republican Party.

He argued that the "party's face" is now its Congressional leadership.

Senate and House Republicans will be seen more than any party chair or 2012 aspirant. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. John Boehner must put on center stage their most persuasive, compelling members: Richard Burr and Jon Kyl in the Senate, and Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, Mike Pence, Cathy McMorris, Peter Roskam and Kevin McCarthy in the House, for example.

Burr is no stranger to TV interviews, having spent a fair amount of time boosting Sen. John McCain's presidential bid this year.

Facing a potentially tough re-election fight in 2010, he probably wouldn't object to spending more time getting his name out there either.

It's also worth noting that Rove recruited Burr to run for Senate.

John Edwards is continuing his return to the public stage.

The former North Carolina senator will debate former adviser to President Bush Karl Rove on the economy and the election in San Francisco today.

The point-counterpoint discussion will be held by the Commercial Finance Association.

It will be Edwards' second public event since he acknowledged in August that he had an affair in 2006. He did not address the matter during an appearance in Indiana Tuesday.

Edwards and Rove have a contentious history. During his presidential campaign, Edwards repeatedly called for Rove to be fired, and later issued a simple statement "Goodbye, good riddance" when Rove left. (AP) 

The New York Times says North Carolina is a toss-up.

The newspaper had previously not included the state in its round-up of battlegrounds and had it leaning towards John McCain on its electoral map, but that changed today: 

North Carolina, a state that is normally is about as red as they get, is being moved into the toss-up column. Mr. Obama has poured tons of money into the state, and is spending a lot of time there, and Republicans are growing increasingly anxious that he might take it away from them. 

Meantime, Congressional Quarterly also moved the state into its "No Clear Favorite" category today.

At the outset, McCain had the edge — the GOP has won 9 out of the past 10 contests — but his comfort margin has evaporated. Obama can count on a large African-American turnout. 

The Cook Political Report, MSNBC's editors, Republican consultant Karl Rove, and editors of The Atlantic Monthly also consider North Carolina a toss-up.  

The Rothenberg Political Report still calls the state "Leans McCain," but his ratings haven't been publicly updated since late September.

The Cook Political Report ranks North Carolina a presidential "toss-up."

Noted Washington political analyst Charlie Cook has previously included the state's 15 Electoral College votes in the "Leans Republican" category.

He is the first of the big three analysts to say the state is in play. The Rothenberg Political Report still calls the state "Leans McCain," while CQ Politics says it "Leans Republican."

However, MSNBC's political editors, Republican consultant Karl Rove and the Atlantic Monthly have said it is a toss-up.

Karl Rove says North Carolina's electoral votes are a toss-up.

In a map posted by Rove & Co. on Sunday, the former adviser to President Bush includes North Carolina among the states that are not leaning toward either Barack Obama or John McCain.

Based on a 14-day average of public polls, he shows a zero percent difference between the two here.

States within three percentage points of zero are considered toss-ups by Rove.

In May, Rove said that McCain would win North Carolina. 

Karl Rove says John McCain will win North Carolina.

A map by a company run by the former political strategist for President Bush obtained by ABC News lists the state among Republican strongholds in the November presidential election. Still, there are some questions about its validity.

"States are allocated in Rove's exercise based on an average of public polls, which many pollsters would tell you is a rather unscientific way to look at the data," notes ABC's Jake Tapper. 

The map shows McCain with a 5 percent average margin over likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama, naming only states within a 3 percent margin as "toss-ups."

But some liberal commentators are saying that is too broad a definition, noting that North Carolina and seven other state would be in play if the margin were five or six points instead.

Karl Rove says he is still in a book-reading competition with President Bush.

Rove told an audience at Duke University Monday night that he defeated Bush last year by reading 110 books. He said Bush read 94 books.

When there were several groans from skeptics in the audience, Rove quipped that most of the books had few pictures, reports Rob Christensen.

Rove said one of the books that both he and Bush read was “Team of Rivals,” a history of Lincoln’s cabinet by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Rove recommended that the Dookies read “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11,” by Lawrence Wright.

Former White House advisor Karl Rove sees North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr as a rising star in national politics.

During a speech at Duke University Monday night, Rove was asked to name rising national stars who had presidential possibilties. He named Burr and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, reports Rob Christensen.

"There are number of people serving today who have great promise in the future,” Rove said. “One of them is from North Carolina. I am very impressed with him. He has a lot of knowledge about health care problems. He is a very impressive legislator.”

Rove had a role in advancing Burr’s political career. When he was still President Bush’s chief political advisor, Rove recruited Burr, then a Winston-Salem congressman, to run for the Senate in 2004.

Karl Rove thinks Hillary Clinton might have a tough road to the White House.

At an audience at Duke University, the Republican strategist said that Clinton would have a hard time beating the Republican nominee.

"For Senator Clinton, it's difficult to make the argument for change when she wants to go back to the '90s," he said.

He also said the country is evenly divided and it is too early to tell how 2008 might go. He noted that in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections, Republicans did better than expected. (N&O)

Rove faced a number of hecklers during the evening, including one who asked when he would stand trial for treason in the outing of Valerie Plame.

At the end of the night, a Rove supporter and a protester got into a physical altercation. (Hunter's Tavern) 

Former White House political guru Karl Rove is coming to Duke.

Rove, who was once described as President's Bush's brain, will speak at Duke University's Page Auditorium at 6 pm. on Monday, Dec. 3, Rob Christensen reports.

"A Conversation with Karl Rove" will be moderated by Duke political science professor Peter Feaver, who just ended a two-year term on the White House's National Security Council.

Tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Page Auditorium Box Office.