Karl Rove is warming up to Donald Trump

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Karl Rove is changing his tune on Donald Trump — or at least picking his poison. The American Crossroads super PAC, backed and conceived by Rove, is apparently exploring avenues through with Trump might beat Hillary Clinton in a general election, and the odds they are finding are reportedly not all that bleak.

In an "investor conference call" on Tuesday, Rove and Crossroads officials reportedly laid out a swing state polling map, presenting analysis done by the group to show how Trump could eke out a win, Politico reports. "It's not that they support him, only that if he's the guy, we can do something to stop Hillary," one insider source said.

In the not-so-distant past, Rove blasted Trump for being a "petty man consumed by resentment and bitterness." So whatever way you might spin it, this is a new look for him and his group.

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"They have no choice but to be OK with him if he is the nominee," billionaire Stanley S. Hubbard explained. "What are they going to do? Back Hillary Clinton?"

For Crossroads, the odds of beating Clinton don't look as desperate as some other groups believe they are. While Trump has been called too extreme, unlikeable, and divisive to win a general election, Crossroads spokesman Ian Prior has a different take.

"There has been a hardening narrative from the media and others that Hillary Clinton can start planning her inaugural ball — that is simply false and we believed it was important to communicate that to our supporters," he told Politico. "What we have in fact seen is that there is such intense dislike and distrust of Hillary among the general electorate that the presidential race will be close, regardless of the GOP nominee."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.