Inside the glossy Dole Institute of Politics on Kansas University’s west campus, all was calm for Rep. Dennis Moore as he spoke before a dinner for KU’s Multicultural Scholars Program.

The Kansas Democrat’s speech focused on values and policy, about how spending on the federal budget – on Iraq, on national debt interest, on tax cuts – can make life difficult for those in need of health care and affordable education.

Earlier Tuesday, life got slightly difficult for Moore after he met with members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice at a private home near 13th and New Hampshire streets.

The meeting, Moore said, was wholly pleasant. Although he and coalition members hit some snags in their discussion of war and labor issues, Moore said they found some common ground.

“We had a good conversation,” he said. “We agree on a lot more than I probably thought.”

According to coalition members, when Moore left for campus he was confronted by a group of protesters outside the house.

Rep. Dennis Moore speaks to a member of the Kansas University Multicultural Scholars Program at the Dole Institute of Politics. Moore spoke to members of the program and KU faculty Tuesday.

The protesters blocked off most of New Hampshire Street as Moore and his aides tried to drive to campus.

“If it was just me, I wouldn’t have cared,” Moore said later. But he was late getting to the institute for his speech, so in the middle of the street, Moore got out and walked.

According to the group, another car picked Moore up along 13th Street and drove him to campus.

“Generally, it was the war, capitalism and greed, the exploitation of workers,” protester Kim Caughlin said about why they picketed Moore’s meeting with the coalition.

Members of the protest group said they found out about Moore’s meeting in advance, but the coalition didn’t know they would block the street as the congressman was leaving.

Back at the institute, Moore spoke about his frustrations with the value judgment of some of his colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Look at the budget, he said. Look at where money is spent. He told the students that he hoped they would carry a different set of values out into the world.

“My job, at times, is horribly frustrating,” Moore said.