Rove to talk about prior experiences during visit to SU
Republican strategist and campaign mastermind Karl Rove will talk politics Wednesday in Goldstein Auditorium.
Rove, former President George W. Bush’s chief political adviser from 1994 to 2007, will speak and answer audience questions at 7 p.m. The College Republicans at Syracuse University organized the event, which is free and open to the public. Rove will speak on his experiences as an adviser to Bush during his campaigns as well as the 2012 election and other topics.
‘I think it touches on a lot of interest we have on our campus,’ said Zach Weiss, chairman of the SU College Republicans.
Tickets are available at the Schine Box Office, Weiss said. If tickets do not run out, they will also be available at the door. As of Tuesday afternoon, Weiss did not have a count from the box office on how many tickets were left.
Rove is considered one of the shrewdest navigators of the political landscape. After leaving the White House, Rove took up several media gigs, including one with Fox News. He has also used his political connections to develop fundraising machines American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS.
The College Republicans began planning for the event in November, when they first reached out to Rove, said Mike Demkiw, treasurer of the SU College Republicans. Student Association granted the group $20,000 for the event during the fall budget season, Demkiw said.
‘I just think it will bring a new perspective to campus,’ Demkiw said.
But Demkiw said he encourages students of all ideologies to attend because hearing new viewpoints is important to building one’s own political views.
The group reached Rove through the Young America’s Foundation, a national conservative group. Rove immediately agreed and is excited to speak to students during the election year, Demkiw said. He also knows Republican Ann Marie Buerkle, the congressional representative for the 25th Congressional District. Rove’s team did not provide comment, as it is their policy not to comment on speaking engagements.
Rove is one of the biggest political gets for SU in recent years. ‘You’ve got, I think by all accounts, one of the best political minds in the political game right now in this country,’ said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at SU.
Although many political experts would consider him an undisputed political genius, Rove has dabbled in some controversial practices. He sat in front of a House committee in 2009 for questions related to the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. As a top Bush adviser, he has also been associated with controversial decisions of the Bush administration. As a campaign adviser, he’s been ruthless against opponents of Republicans.
‘He’s as controversial as he is important. My guess is that his views are out of step with probably the median view here among students,’ Reeher said. ‘So again, the more reason to hear him. You learn from people you don’t necessarily agree with.’
Rove also created two fundraising groups, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, which dolled out troves of cash to Republican candidates in the 2010 congressional election.
Rove will answer audience questions after his speech. Meghin Delaney, editorial editor at The Daily Orange, will moderate the Q-and-A portion, asking Rove questions submitted before the event. Regardless of political views, listening to Rove speak is an unmatchable education in politics, Reeher said.
If students, said Reeher, ‘want to understand our recent history and our current political climate, they really couldn’t find a better person to represent one piece of it.’
Published on February 14, 2012 at 12:00 pm
