Clinton Beats Rove in Popularity Contest

If you needed more proof that universities are bastions of bleeding-heart, crunchy-granola liberalism, let's go to Duke and Brandeis.

Much like the raving protesters at John Ashcroft's speech at Cornell University (not Ithaca, mea culpa), activists at a Karl Rove event at Duke were equally cordial. A question-and-answer session incited comments such as "You're a murderer" and "9/11 was an inside job," while impromptu thespians outside greeted speechgoers with waterboarding torture re-enactments, the Chronicle reports.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton was at Brandeis promoting the Clinton Global Initiative. The scene, as described in this four-page story in the Justice, is revealing:

As snow began to fall outside, the Branches Pan Groove steel orchestra warmed up the audience, which enthusiastically awaited the President's arrival. Clinton was received by and left the stage with a standing ovation, and was accepted with warm applause throughout his speech. He exited to upbeat music and a thumbs up to the crowd.

Does Karl Rove even know how to give a thumbs up?