Karl Rove, Quitting!?!?

Via WaPo - Karl Rove, Adviser to President Bush, to Resign

Karl Rove, the architect of President Bush's two national campaigns and his most prominent adviser through 6-1/2 tumultuous years in the White House, will resign at month's end and leave politics, a White House spokeswoman said this morning.

Bush plans to make a statement with Rove on the South Lawn this morning before the president departs for his ranch near Crawford, Tex. Rove, who holds the titles of deputy chief of staff and senior adviser, has been talking about finding the right time to depart for a year, colleagues said, and decided he had to either leave now or remain through the end of the presidency.

This seems odd; it is way too hot outside for Hell to have frozen over. I wonder why he would do such a thing? The official line says:

But we know he wouldn't be going if he wasn't sure this was the right time to be giving more to his family, his wife Darby and their son.

However, there is of course speculation that there is much more political reason involved (I mean, what politician or public figure ever really quit work to spend more time with his family?).

Fellow Bush advisers have said they believe the congressional probes have been aimed in part at driving Rove out.

Honestly, I find it hard to imagine that Rove is being "driven out". I can see him leaving a sinking ship, but not being driven out by Democrats. I wonder if this will have any affect on Alberto Gonzales's tenure in the administration.