Karl Rove Visits Oregon on Friday the 13th, Met with Protesters

Probably the second most reviled member of the Bush Administration, Karl Rove, visited the Portland, Oregon suburb of Tigard as a guest of the Washington County Republican party. About 200 people paid to sit in and listen to Rove, and almost that many were outside protesting his visit. Many people are surprised that Rove came to Oregon at all, especially the Portland area. No one except for Dick Cheney or the President himself are more disliked by the majority of people living here. Still, there are supporters.

The police presence was large at very visible. Secret Service, Tigard police, a SWAT team, and personnel from other area law enforcement agencies were involved in protecting the man who has been called "Bush's brain." After protesters at a college in Washington, D.C. last week brought national attention to a anti-Rove protest, the anticipation in Tigard was that there would be a vocal protest at the scene.

The location of Rove's appearance was kept under cover for the most part until this week, when bloggers and radio personalities started talking about it. Local and national radio host Thom Hartmann, host of the Thom Hartmann show on Air America radio, expressed that he was planning on attending. If he didn't get bumped out, that is. The Washington County Republican party in it's invitations stated that it had the right to decline anyone. Not surprising for a party who likes to make sure that the guest list is taken up only with those favorable. If your guest list always has to be vetted, you might be doing something wrong.