Northern Kentucky University welcomed Karl Rove and Dee-Dee Myers Oct. 9 for the 2008 Alumni Lecture Series – some students in a different way than others.
“We are protesting in light of Rove’s visit to campus,” said Sean Henry, co-president of Students for Change.
Henry led the protest outside the Student Union where a group of students danced to loud music and held signs that said “Funk the War” and “Drop beats not bombs.”
According to the Students for Change Web site, the group is a “non-hierarchial and open group dedicated to working democratically and collaboratively to oppose American imperialism, champion human rights, pressure the U.S. government for actions securing internet freedom and net neutrality, and to work to ensure NKU delivers its obligation as a public institution to focus their energies and staffing towards educating well rounded students that not only know their major but are enlightened, seek the universal truth of global societies and economies surrounding them.”
The two speakers spoke about the current election and the economy during the student lecture in the Otto Budig Theater.
Rove served as senior adviser to President George W. Bush from 2000-2007 and deputy chief of staff from 2004-2007.
Myers was the first woman to serve as press secretary in the White House. She served as press secretary for President Bill Clinton from 1993-1994. Myers recently published the book “Why Women Should Rule the World.”
Both opened up with statements of their background.
“When I got out of college, Ronald Regan was president and I didn’t feel that he deserved a second term,” Myers said. “So I decided to help Walter Mondale run and he lost 49 states. It was an electoral disaster, but it was my first time in politics and I loved it. I wanted to do more.”
As for Rove, politics first became a part of his life at the age of 10.
“The first time I got interested in politics it was 1960 and Richard Nixon was running against John F. Kennedy,” Rove said. “I was for Nixon and I put a bumper sticker on the front of my bicycle.
Students asked numerous questions, ranging from the economy to Rove being subpoenaed for the firings of federal prosecutors.
Earlier there was a press conference for Rove and Myers to open up questions for the media. The two debaters went back and forth about Barack Obama’s relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, interrupting each other. Rove even pulled out a $5 bill.
“I am going to offer (Myers) a $5 bill if she can find a quote as obnoxious of any half-a-dozen that Rev. Wright has said,” Rove said.
Wes Crout, a senior philosophy major, attended the lecture and was a little displeased of the event.
“I was slightly disappointed of the lecture,” Crout said. “The title of the lecture was about getting an inside perspective of how things in Washington work. I feel that they were more about stumping each other respective candidates.”
Crout has a differing view of the upcoming election.
“I don’t feel this is the most important election of our time,” he said. “The election would seem to be that way with the prevalence of the media in our lives today.”
