[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/03/10/art.rovecnn.gi.jpg caption="Rove spoke at the University of Iowa Sunday."]
(CNN) - Former top Bush aide Karl Rove didn't get the friendliest of receptions at the University of Iowa Sunday, CNN affiliate KCRG reports.
Rove, who was paid $40,000 to speak at the University, was confronted with an at-times hostile crowd of 1,000, and was interrupted on several occasions.
At one point during the speech, Rove reportedly lashed out at some of the students, saying, "You got a chance to ask your questions later and make your stupid statements, let me make mine."
Police also were forced to remove two people after they tried to perform a citizen’s arrest on Rove for what they said were his crimes while a member of the Bush Administration.
At one point, a person asked Rove if he has ever shed a tear over the war in Iraq.
"I shed a lot of tears and I have been inspired by many of the people who feel their son or daughter should not have to die in vain," he replied.
Toward the end of the speech a member of the crowd yelled, "Can we have our $40,000 back?"
Rove replied, “No, you can't.”
Radio Iowa also reports one audience member told Rove that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann named him the "worst person ever."
"Ever?" Rove joked. "Yea, worse than Hitler, worse than Stalin, worse than Mao and worse than the person who introduced aluminum baseball bats."
Cameras were only allowed to film the beginning of the speech.
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Can you believe that FOX News actually hired this criminal clown to work on their show. "Fair and Balanced" my butt, they are in bed with the right wing and paying Karl Rove to work for them proves it. Karl Rove should be in jail and I hope he is feels comfortable with the resposibility of American and foreign blood on his hands.
What a horrible group of kids – and stupid enough to pay this guy 40K just for giving a speech
couldn't have happened to a better person. too bad they didn't have eggs to throw at him.
Stupid people acting stupidly. Dmondtrates the maturity of you average liberal, oops excuse me "progressive".
Unbelievable that these criminals were allowed to run our government for eight years. History will not be kind to them, I promise you that.
Well at least he knew what list he belonged on.I have to applaud the students for recognizing the Benedict Arnold on their stage.
Karl Rove = evil dinosour
imagine the stupid university officials wasting $ 40,000 on the likes of KArl Rove
They should be fired
Better ways to spend $ 40,000
I, for one will perform a citizen’s arrest on Rove anytime I see him...it's about time!
Glad to see those criticizing Karl Rove are quoting Olbermann – he should have stuck with SportsCenter, his idiocy was better off there.
I think his 15 minutes are up.
Why did the university hire this crook to speak in the first place?
The students had every right to abuse this miscreant.
$40,000? What a waste of students money.
He deserved worse.
Can we have our $40K back? LOL.
Try, can we have our country back?
Karl Rove, the man that brought you the Gay Marriage voting issue, and other important red herrings. He may not be worse than hitler or stalin, but he keeps good company.
We have high standards in this state. We don't like Bush here and we don't like Rove. We also don't like Hillary Clinton. In fact, we told you with our votes that we like Barack Obama the most and John Edwards second. Get the picture–QUALITY!
Thank God students are doing something other than supporting Baraka Obama, the candidate of "hope". Hopefully, this means students are thinking and protesting and not just showing up at stadiums like a bunch of rock star groupies.
Well... Mr. Rove.... that's what happens when you run a corrupt campaign against Al Gore and John Kerry and prey of the fears of Americans. The use of 9/11 as a political tool is shameful and now after the dust has settled people see how the Bush Administration has lied and scared people into voting for them.
He and Hitler would have been good friends. He'd have managed Adolf's election campaign with pretty much the same rhetoric of despite that he used so well against the Democrats and moderates in this once-free country.
Who paid him that kind of money? Karl Rove is NOTwort h a penny. He has blood on his hands.
Yea Libs are in favor of free speech? They always look for suppressing free speech when they disagree. I am sure UI has liberal speakers who others disagree but let them talk. That is what a university is supposed to support-dialogue.
Carl Rove, under the guise of being a true American patriot has managed to injure our country and its political system more than anyone in our entire history. Not the worst spies, not the worst traitors could have done as much to damage the core of America. Between Rove and Cheney, we do do not need Al Qaida, the Chinese, the Iranians, the North Koreans and the rest of our enemies to destroy our way of life.
Why would anyone want to pay Carl rove $40,000 to make a speech?. Too bad many Americans still support him.
Ochids to Hawkeyes for protesting the appearance of the American Goebbels on your campus. You demonstrate the Spirit of America. Onions to those who invited this monster to campus and paid him 40 grand to spew his venom and lies. When do the war crime trials begin?
Freedom of speech does not entail a paycheck Mary Jo Bruce!
Mr.Karl Rove is part of the ignorance we have in the present
administration,no one listens to the people anymore, we
have an administration that is out of touch.
He does deserve the courtesy of being listened to; but I can
understand the frustration of the students, it was no shock to me
to understand why it got out of hand
Who in his right mind would pay someone like this anything to speak? He should have a permanent gag order applied. That would be money better spent. The man is completely out of touch with reality.