Caught on Tape: Karl Rove Bum Rushed at Book Signing, Branded "War Criminal" by Protestors

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (CBS/KCAL) About 100 fans came out to hear Karl Rove at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills Monday night to discuss his book "Courage and Consequences: My Life As a Conservative In The Fight" - but the fight wasn't contained to the title of his book.

Anti-war protesters came out, too - some rushing the stage - to call Rove a "war criminal" and worse.

The fans came to get their books signed, but they never got that chance.

Jodie Evans, co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, approached Rove with handcuffs and said she was there to make a citizen's arrest. She charged him with "outing a CIA agent" and "totally ruining the country," and told him, "You lied to take us to war."

CBS affiliate KCAL was there and said Rove "was shouted down and forced to leave the stage."

Another woman screamed at Rove, "The only comfort I take is that...you're going to rot in hell."

Rove, meanwhile, charged that the people shouting him down were an example of the "totalitarianism of the left...They don't believe in dialog...They don't believe in courtesy. They don't believe in first Amendment rights for anyone but themselves."

There were several heated exchanges between Rove and his critics before he decided he had enough and he left the stage.

He called one detractor a "lunatic." He told several others repeatedly to "get the heck out of here."

Bryan reported that security was apparently lacking and Rove was "left to fend for himself."

Story Contributed by CBS Affiliate KCAL