Graduates at New School Heckle Speech by McCain

NY imes ^ | May 20, 2006 | DAVID M. HERSZENHORN

[Pharmboy]

Librado Romero/The New York Times
Senator John McCain delivers commencement speech during The New Schools ceremony at Madison
Square Garden. Students holding leaflets and turning backs during McCain's address.

Librado Romero/The New York Times
Senator John McCain, the keynote
speaker at the New School University
graduation, was received with jeers,
boos and insults.

The jeers, boos and insults flew, as caustic as any that angry New Yorkers have hurled inside Madison Square Garden. The objects of derision yesterday, however, were not the hapless New York Knicks, but Senator John McCain, the keynote speaker at the New School graduation, and his host, Bob Kerrey, the university president.

No sooner had Mr. Kerrey welcomed the audience to the university's 70th commencement than the hoots began to rise through the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Several graduates held up a banner aimed at Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican and likely 2008 presidential candidate, declaring: "Our commencement is not your platform." Other students and faculty members waved orange fliers with the same message.

Mr. Kerrey, a former Democratic senator from Nebraska, was unapologetic yesterday about inviting Mr. McCain, his friend and fellow Vietnam War veteran, to speak. He noted early in his welcoming remarks that there had been intense media coverage of Mr. McCain's graduation speech last week at Liberty University, headed by the Rev. Jerry Falwell, in which Mr. McCain strongly defended the Iraq war.

"Many predicted that his speech today would not receive as friendly a reception," Mr. Kerrey said. "The expectation is that — and that expectation has already been realized — that some of you in this audience will act up to protest the senator's appearance."

The first student speaker, Jean Sara Rohe, 21, said she had discarded her original remarks to talk about Mr. McCain.

[ThirstyMan]

Well I'd never heard of "The New School" before this event.

Needless to say I'm not impressed, with these student's behavior, the size of the graduating class or the location. The place looks like a high school in all ways.

Would I hire a TNS graduate?
Not if he/she were one of these adamant totalitarians who stood up, telling the world that they can't offer even the most basic respect to a person with whom they disagree.

[Atchafalaya]

yep!! You got it! Tell it to all; your message is concise and accurate. May I use your post/statement?

[oblomov]

Yes, please do.