Dean, Rove call for civil political debate

GREENCASTLE, Ind., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Former Bush administration adviser Karl Rove and one-time U.S. Democratic National Committed chairman Howard Dean say more political civility is needed.

The two partisan politicos met in debate Friday in Greencastle, Ind., as part of a DePauw University lecture series, agreeing on little but the need for a more civil political discourse, The Indianapolis Star reported.

Rove reportedly described Dean as far to the left and himself as being part of the "common-sense right," to which Dean countered: "I appreciate him being part of the common-sense right, but I think that's an oxymoron."

The newspaper said the evening was frequently marked with humor, and the two partisans regularly called for calmer political discussions at all levels. But they disagreed on many issues, including healthcare reform and the federal government budget deficits, the Star reported.