Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush, is scheduled to speak on the University of Iowa campus Sunday night. Rove’s public appearance, however, does come with a hitch — for the media anyhow.

A note to the media released by UI News Services stipulates that during the lecture: “Television and radio journalists and news videographers and photographers may shoot and tape the event for the first five minutes of Rove’s remarks. After that, reporters may take notes, but no recording devices may be used.” Rove, however, has given UI Television (UITV) permission to broadcast the complete lecture after the event.

“These types of media restrictions aren’t unprecedented, and we’ve done them before,” Tom Snee of UI News Services told the Iowa Independent. “Bill Clinton’s lecture in 2003 and Janet Reno’s a few years back had the same stipulations. For Reno, her reasoning was proprietary issues. This is how she was making her living at the time, and she didn’t want people taping her speeches. This would essentially be the equivalent of giving her product away. I’m not sure what Rove’s reasons are.”
This is not the first time Rove’s media restrictions have garnered media attention. Over the weekend, Rove barred the media from covering a speech at Choate Rosemary Hall, a prestigious prep school in Connecticut.
From a legal standpoint, Rove is within his rights regarding media stipulations, says Nick Johnson, visiting professor of law at UI and a former member of the Federal Communications Commission. “Contractually, that is a matter the lecturer can control, so the stipulations are between Karl Rove and the UI Lecture Committee,” Johnson said. “Rove knows that whatever he says and does will be news outside the range of Iowa City. If news gets around to other campuses what he says, then this will lessen the economic value of what he’s doing.”

Phone messages were left with members of the UI Lecture Committee the past two days, but none responded to the Iowa Independent’s inquiries.

Rove’s appearance, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m in the main lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union (IMU), is sponsored by the UI Lecture Committee, a presidential charter committee whose membership consists of students, faculty and staff. Admission to Rove’s lecture, “Reflections from The Architect,” is free and open to the public. The series and Rove’s $40,000 speaking fee are funded through student fees with select lectures supported in part by the F. Wendell Miller Fund. In 2003, former President Bill Clinton received a $50,000 speaking fee for his lecture at Carver Hawkeye Arena.

Also participating in the lecture will be Frank Durham, professor of journalism in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who will interview Rove. A question-and-answer session will follow the on-stage interview.

The media won’t be the only ones restricted in what they bring into the IMU Sunday night. Certain items will not be allowed into the main lounge during the lecture, including large parcels, handbags, bottles, cans, signs and cameras or any other kind of recording device. No bags or backpacks will be allowed, and only purses smaller than 8 1/2 x 11 are allowed. All visitors are subject to search, and university officials reserve the right to allow entry.


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  • heyjude54
    High tuition and taxes go to this?! To say I am outraged would be a gross understatement. The lecture title alone was enough to make me sick; "Reflections from the Architect?!" It matches his pompous personality I suppose. Let me clarify I claim NO party affiliation. I am only an American who is beyond fed up with what has gone on over the past 7+ years and do not like anyone who had anything to do with causing this nightmare, especially "The Architect!"


    Were the students allowed to vote on how their fund is exploited? Taxpayers of Iowa also support the University, so do we chalk this up to local pork spending?


    But how are the U of I Democrats feeling about this? Where are our campaign people? Where is the rightful anger? We need to stir up this hornets nest and have a grand party outside the IMU where the media WILL be allowed to show up!


    I will be busy emailing and on the phone. Anyone else?

  • red rover send Karl over
    This does not COMPUTE! "UI Lecture Committee Chairwoman Sharon Benzoni said the tab for Rove was a "bargain" compared with the $50,000 the committee spent on bringing former President Clinton a few years ago."


    When was Rove president? How is it a bargain to get some advisor?


    more from Benzoni: "...sometimes we're, in a sense, calling on them to explain themselves and to answer to us as citizens."


    ...and we'll pay you $40,000.00 to "explain" yourself??


    This is a big WASTE of $$$$$$$$.


    But they're probably trying to balance patriotic Daniel Ellsberg's lecture with a criminal's talk.

  • Goodner
    good point tru dat...its the Iraqis that are being screwed the most by Rove and his gang...
  • treasure tRove
    I'm surprised.... surprised that you think the "police-state atmosphere" ends at the doorway of the IMU.


    But whose rights are being trampled here?


    Besides those of dead soldiers and Iraqis.....

  • David Goodner
    Do Rove's rights trump everyone elses? "The media won't be the only ones restricted in what they bring into the IMU Sunday night. Certain items will not be allowed into the Main Lounge during the lecture, including large parcels, handbags, bottles, cans, signs and cameras or any other kind of recording device. No bags or backpacks will be allowed, and only purses smaller than 8 1/2 x 11 are allowed. All visitors are subject to search, and university officials reserve the right to allow entry."


    Pundits are bending over backwards to argue for Rove's 1st Amendment rights, meanwhile we're going to have a police-state atmosphere inside the IMU, all so a war criminal can profit off of his lies...


    ...what about everyone elses rights?

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