Who Controls The GOP Machine?

Joshua Micah Marshall says Alberto Gonzales is "just a cog":

In almost every case, what we're talking about here is Gonzales's willingness to take orders from the White House -- most importantly from Karl Rove and President Bush -- on firing US Attorneys for corrupt purposes and using the Justice Department to suppress Democratic turnout in swing states. Mr. Gonzales is a secondary issue. The real players are in the White House.

But are Bush and Rove really the ones in control of the GOP machine? I am sure Cheney would have something to say about that, for starters. So would Frank Carlucci, Ruprt Murdoch and a few prominent Christian Evangelists.