Bush Will Attend 3 Commencements, His Twins' Not Among Them (NYT says unpopularity is the reason)

The New York Times ^ | May 11, 2004

[presidio9]

President Bush will be going to three college commencements in coming weeks — but not those of his twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna.

Mr. Bush and his wife, Laura, said they did not want to subject other families to the disruptions of a presidential visit when Barbara Bush graduates from Yale University on May 24 in New Haven and Jenna Bush graduates from the University of Texas on May 22 in Austin.

Mr. Bush turned down an invitation to speak at the Texas ceremony. But he will give a commencement address at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and at Concordia University in Mequon, Wis.

Gordon Johndroe, the first lady's press secretary, said on Monday that the president and Mrs. Bush would mark their daughters' commencements in a different way.

"The family will celebrate the girls' graduations, and when we get closer to the date we'll be able to release more information," Mr. Johndroe said.

Officially, Yale had no comment on the plans of Mr. Bush, a 1968 graduate who also received an honorary degree there in 2001, when he delivered a short address at commencement. "This was a White House decision," said Helaine Klasky, Yale's spokeswoman.

But faculty members, noting that protesters had interrupted the president's remarks at Yale in 2001, said that he would most likely have faced demonstrations on the campus because of the war in Iraq.

"Protests would surely have been inevitable," said Robert W. Gordon, a Yale Law School professor and a critic of Mr. Bush. "The administration is not terrifically well regarded on this campus by most people, and the management of the war in Iraq is causing enormous concern."

Officials at the University of Texas had also expected protests. "It was something we would have anticipated and obviously prepared for," said Don Hale, the university's vice president for public affairs.

The commencement speaker at Texas will be Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans. Yale does not usually have a major commencement address, but the speaker for Class Day will be Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker.

[atomicpossum]

"Protests would surely have been inevitable," said Robert W. Gordon, a Yale Law School professor and a critic of Mr. Bush. "The administration is not terrifically well regarded on this campus by most people, and the management of the war in Iraq is causing enormous concern."

"My work is done," added Prof. Gordon.

[Fintan]

"The administration is not terrifically well regarded on this campus by most people, and the management of the war in Iraq is causing enormous concern."
 

Grammar like this and he teaches law at Yale.

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

Grammar like this and he teaches law at Yale.

To be a lawyer you only need to know how to lie. Grammar sold seperately.

[OldFriend]

The people on the campus much prefer the regime that puts alive people into shredders, dismembers, beheads, and generally tortures it's citizens.

[GraceCoolidge]

You mean the Bush family may celebrate privately? In dignity? Maybe even without a photo op? Acting as if this is a family occasion? How medieval of them.

Interesting historical footnote: I believe that the Nixon family also did not attend two graduations for similar reasons. I believe the two graduates (Julie Nixon Eisenhower and her husband, David Eisenhower) did not attend either.

[presidio9]

Antonin Scalia's son was in my graduating class at Holy Cross.

Our keynote speaker was Senator John Danforth.

[familyofman]

"This was a White House decision,"

When the house talks - you better pay attention. Did Stephen King write this?

[bushfamfan]

From reading comments from the President and First Lady and reading comments from friends, etc. it is obvious those daughters of theirs aren't in the mold of George W. Bush's loyalty to his dad. Those girls have shown they would rather be 'in' with those crowds than they would be loyal in knowing their father is not what those scumbags label him. The next generation of Bushes, at least these Bush twins, is not impressive.

[presidio9]

The next generation of Bushes, at least these Bush twins, is not impressive.

They are 21 years old. When their father was twice their age, he was even less impressive than you consider them now.

[Miss Marple]

You know this by reading sniping comments in the media? And you think that is the truth?

As I understood it, the twins may be campaigning for their father this year. I think they are normal young women and I think the Bush family is quite proud of them.

[cubreporter]

Give me a break!!!

The Bush Family all have character.

The elder Bush's don't need their faces on the front page and on TV all the time like the clintins did. The Bush family are not NEEDY people.

I believe the Bush Twins went off to school in a quiet an dignified manner while let's see...Hmmmmn, didn't the clintin's take their daughter to school by way of a big limo down main stret? If that isn't being NEEDY I dont' know what is.

I'll take the dignified Bush family anyday of the week.

[CyberAnt]

That's a great point thanks.

[presidio9]

The Bush Family all have character

With Neil being a particularly noteworthy exception.

[bushfamfan]

They make the papers quite often. Jenna recently got herself backstage partying with Britney Spears by playing the 'President's daughter' card and then attending a Playboy party while in Las Vegas. Put that together with the constant drinking and bar hopping they do, apparent marijuana use. Barbara being all over the papers in her dirty dancing photos with Fabian Basabe-he's apparently quite the do nothing, party all the time character and tell me what assessment that brings about them? And when the twins come up in interviews or books, it's not very encouraging. The President himself complains that he wanted them to be normal working young ladies-from what has been said about their 'employment' is Barbara 'working' at fashion houses(good job for the hard partyers) and Jenna 'working' at a Hollyweird agency and making quite a show of herself. Bush, at their age, had taught Sunday school, worked at a ranch, in a Sears, in political campaigns. He just wasn't this 24/7 partying and he certainly had more respect for his parents. As for the campaigning, notice how Laura said MIGHT when she mentioned they MIGHT campaign for their father-they feed their parents bs and encouraging words, but fact remains they don't want to be embarrassed and with the crowd they want to hang with it doesn't allow for campaigning for their father so they'll find some excuse. They're too busy partying.

[GregB]

Thought lawyers had to know how to sue....???

[Redcoat LI]

Grammar like this and he teaches law at Yale.

Well,It Is Only Yale After All,Grammer Like That is Why He Teaches At Yale.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Bush is putting other people's committments and schedules ahead of theirs. That's what separates him from the Sinkmeister, and something that the staff at the haughty, cocktail-sipping NY Slimes is incapable of understanding.

[COEXERJ145]

I'll go to Jenna's commencement anyday.

[ServesURight]

The next generation of Bushes, at least these Bush twins, is not impressive.

I've seen their pictures, and let me tell you they are impressive to me.