The last three weeks of frigid Iowa weather had no affect on Iowa City’s anti-war community, which had been eagerly anticipating the postponed Karl Rove lecture at the University of Iowa.Rove, the former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush, was originally expected to speak Feb. 17, but the event was postponed due to inclement weather.

While the delay provided more time for some community members to stew about Rove’s appearance and the $40,000 speaking fee, it also gave anti-Rove contingencies such as the UI Anti-War Committee, Iowans for Peace, and Iraq Veterans Against the War (see pic below) an opportunity to organize protest efforts.

Protesters started gathering at the Iowa Memorial Union at 5:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. start time and greeted people waiting in line with a barrage of signs and chants from a squad of cheerleaders, the Radical Cheerleaders: “One, two three, four;/We don’t want your racist war/Five, six, seven, eight;/We won’t cooperate