Venezuelan thug Hugo Chavez was invited to New York’s Cooper Union school last night, and the audience gave him a standing ovation after a speech in which he accused the Bush administration of genocide and compared them to the Nazis. (Hat tip: Ethel.)

After a UN speech in which he called US President Bush “Satan,” Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez got a standing ovation with another anti-Bush speech at a New York college.

The South American leader spoke at Cooper Union last night before a packed audience including professors and union organizers.

Chavez proclaimed himself “a friend” of the people of the United States, but said he hopes next time, they’ll choose, in his words, an “intelligent president.”

He got the standing ovation for comments accusing Bush of committing genocide in Iraq.

Chavez compared the Bush administration’s actions to those of the Nazis and said the U-S president should be brought before an international tribunal.

UPDATE at 9/21/06 12:37:41 pm:

LGF reader Lisan received a reply from Cooper Union to an email asking about the Chavez speech:

The Consulate of Venezuela and guests attended at their invitation only. Many people of many beliefs have spoken in the Great Hall from Abraham Lincoln to Susan B. Anthony to John Kerry and Salman Rushdie. Cooper Union, by virtue of its mission as an institution of higher education and a non-profit, and in accordance with its founder’s wishes, does not endorse, approve or censor the issues discussed in its Great Hall. Since we did not sponsor the event, I [Public Affairs Office] was not involved in the event or conducting press outreach to media outlets.