Presidential advisor Karl Rove’s speaking engagement in Tigard on Friday has political blogs on the alert and protesters making plans for disruption KING CITY - Posted on the Washington County Republican Party http://(washcorep.org) Web site and through a link http://(republican.meetup.com) is a message about an April 13 Meetup that advertises President George W. Bush’s senior advisor, Karl Rove, as the speaker.
“The Washington County Republicans Party will be hosting a reception with featured guest KARL ROVE,” the posting reads.
The site calls the event a grassroots reception for Rove. The Washington County Republican Party confirmed that Rove was going to make an appearance, and a Tigard police spokesman said the department will be making plans to provide enough security for the president’s advisor during the visit.
The organizers of the event asked on the Web site that those who want to attend pay $60 and sign up before they will be told where the event will be held at, saying nothing more than it will be in Tigard.
They did say the reception is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 13.
Information about the event was posted on the Oregonian’s Web site April 6, and it began to heat up the political blogs over the weekend with mentions on Loaded Orygun http://(loadedorygun.blogspot.com) and BlueOregon http://(blueoregon.com).
And, according to a posting on craigslist http://(craigslist.org), the Embassy Suites Hotel near Washington Square in Tigard will be the location for the Republican sponsored reception.
That was confirmed by Jim Wolf, Tigard Police public information officer, who said Tuesday that police department commanders were meeting in the morning to discuss security issues concerning the visit on Friday at the hotel.
What the police possibly will be discussing is that activist groups in the Portland area will show up to protest Rove’s presence in Oregon.
Possible protesters, and protesters of protesters, are sending e-mails out seeking like-minded supporters to discuss meeting in Tigard on Friday.
One such e-mail arrived Monday at the Regal Courier from Lee Coleman, who ran for the House District 26 position last fall (he lost to incumbent Rep. Larry Krummel) that said, “I have been trying all morning to find out if they've reserved the Water Board's auditorium (in Tigard). Do you know of any other place where the Rs could put on a reception? I'd love to put on a demonstration outside the hall.”
And the posting on http://craigslist.org that revealed the location of Rove’s reception was titled: “Attention people who love this Country!” Asking for people to support the writer’s desire to protest against any who dare come to the hotel and protest against Rove’s presence, “Make sure to bring your steeltoe (sic) boots as it will get nasty,” the writer said.
Earlier in April, news organizations reported that after giving an hourlong talk to the school’s Young Republicans club at the American University in Washington D.C., Rove was confronted by a dozen students who protested by throwing things at his car and then getting on the ground in front of the car to prevent him from leaving.
The students were taken away by security officials. No one was arrested according to a school spokesperson.
Poster Comment:
Just by 'sheer coincidence' I will be in the Portland area on Friday too. ;-D