More trouble for Karl Rove on his book tour
Organizing a booksigning? You might want to include a beefed-up security detail – if the book is a political tome. Earlier this week, for the second time on his book tour, former White House adviser Karl Rove was faced by an antiwar activist determined to arrest him for "war crimes."
Rove and activist group Code Pink cofounder Jodie Evans first met last month in Beverly Hills, Calif., when Evans confronted Rove in the theater where he had planned to take questions about and autograph copies of his memoir, "Courage and Consequence." In that encounter, Evans approached Rove with handcuffs, announcing that she was performing a citizen's arrest.
The incident rattled Rove enough that he did not stay behind to sign any books.
Then, this week in a Las Vegas bookstore, Evans approached Rove again. She had waited in line with a copy of his book, along with other autograph seekers. When she reached the head of the line, however, she again announced that she intended to arrest Rove.
When she pulled handcuffs from her sleeves, however, Rove recognized her and let nearby security officers know that she was the same woman who had approached him in Beverly Hills. Evans was rapidly escorted from the store.
Rove is not the first author to find himself on the receiving end of expressions of political discontent while on book tour. Last year a protester tossed tomatoes at Sarah Palin during her appearance at a Minnesota book tour. (The tomatoes hit a nearby police officer and missed Palin altogether.)
Rove's book tour schedule, however, will not be altered. He is expected spend this weekend meeting readers and signing books in two Colorado bookstores. Presumably, a security detail will be ready and waiting should Evans (who appeared dressed in pink in both Beverly Hills and Las Vegas) or other Code Pink members be on hand to greet him.
Marjorie Kehe is the Monitor's book editor.
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