Karl Rove Keynote Speech Halted by Protesters

By Kelly Coyne
July 25, 2003

WASHINGTON—Presidential Advisor Karl Rove had only begun to address the thousand students at the College Republican National Convention tonight when a handful of protesters stood up, blowing shrill whistles and yelling “Rove, Blood, People die” and other unintelligible antiwar slogans.

The protesters began moving toward Rove, who was speaking during the gala dinner after receiving the Lee Atwater Award for leadership and service in the Capital Hilton Hotel. The protesters wielded posters with anti-war screeds. Some said: “Rove lies, people die,” according to witnesses, who put the number of protesters at 8. They were met by various convention organizers who grabbed the posters away and blocked the protesters from advancing toward Rove. The posters were torn-up by one national committeeman.

The protesters continued to chant and shout as they were pushed out of the ballroom. There was momentary confusion on the part of Rove and the audience, then they drowned out the protesters with loud booing. Then the young Republicans began clapping and chanting “Karl Rove, Karl Rove,” followed by “U-S-A, U-S-A.”

The protesters had been sitting at several tables toward the middle of the ballroom. Their apparent cue to make their move was a first loud whistle by a college-aged-looking woman.

Convention organizers tried to figure out how the protesters had gotten into the room with signs. They seemed to think the protesters reported being among a CNN news crew that was in attendance throughout the day reporting on the events. Credentialed CNN staff were overheard denying any knowledge of the protesters and indicated they would try to get to the bottom of it.

The protesters were detained by hotel security. It was not immediately known if the protesters were handed over to police.

After a few minutes, Rove resumed his talk about his days as a college Republican. He first quipped: “I hope they paid for their meals before they left.”

He later said: “We have a president who is absolutely committed to winning the war on terrorism and protecting the homeland. He knows what we know: 9-1-1 changed everything. We can no longer wait while dangers gather across the world. We also know that when we are struck, we must respond with the full force and fury of the United States military.”