[Free State Four]

but not "inappropriate" to spoil a once-in-a-lifetime occasion?

This is what cheeses me most about this controversy. It's not so much the harangue against the war, but the very, very bad taste to not give the graduates a speech that was about them, their hard work and accomplishment and their futures.That's what a commencment address is about. Go rant about the war on your own time, buddy. Very poor form. Priggish.

[Mr. Bird]

It's not so much the harangue against the war, but the very, very bad taste to not give the graduates a speech that was about them, their hard work and accomplishment and their futures

Tom Clancy spoke at my commencement years ago, and hit it out of the park. Class act. Humorous, motivating, and not too long. We gave him a standing 'O'.