Sorensen booed at Oswego graduation (JFK hack disses Bush - gets booed...)

Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard ^ | May 16, 2004 | Delen Goldberg

[veronica]

A keynote speaker at State University College at Oswego's graduation ceremony Saturday was drowned out by booing, hissing and foot-stomping after he criticized President Bush.

Theodore C. Sorensen, a lawyer and author who served as special counsel to President Kennedy, never said Bush's name. But he took the president to task for going on vacation after warnings of terrorist attacks surfaced, declaring war without allied support and gloating about a victory.

Sorensen compared the ways Kennedy handled the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 to the methods Bush used to handle the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"President Kennedy did not proceed unilaterally, without obtaining the support of our allies and without recourse to the United Nations," he said.

As Sorensen spoke, one student's mother stood up and ordered him off the stage. A graduate yelled, "Are you serious?" but another quickly chimed in, "Let the man finish his speech."

The noise got so loud that Sorensen, who spoke into a microphone, at times could not be heard. More than half his speech was overpowered by audience rumbling and shouting.

College President Deborah F. Stanley moved next to Sorensen as he spoke through the chaos. Stanley thanked the audience for being respectful "in a place where ideas, information and understanding reign supreme." She said after the ceremony that her comment was as much a criticism as a compliment.

"People, I think, understand that Mr. Sorensen has led a political and policy-oriented life," Stanley said. "But the way he chose to express that was, perhaps, surprising."

"It was just like a slap in the face," said Mary Sheldon, of Lorraine, Jefferson County, whose daughter Johanna Besaw graduated Saturday with an English degree. "We came here to be supportive of our kids and their achievements. It wasn't the time or the place for politics."

Sheldon's son, David Dreier, 25, received notice Thursday that he will be shipping out to Iraq with the National Guard. The family left Romney Field House, where the ceremony was held, midway through Sorensen's speech.

Charlie Vecchio, 25, a former army soldier originally from Manlius, disagreed with Sorensen's views but had more of a problem with the audience.

"People's reactions were a little outrageous," he said. "I have friends who died so we could say what we want. That's part of why our soldiers are over there, for our right to freedom of speech."

[nopardons]

Thanks.:-)

[Styria]

The conservative audience was booing because he was using politics in an inappropriate situation. Liberal audiences are inappropriate (obscenities, mooning, throwing things, getting on the stage, etc.) when the explicit purpose of the conservative speaker even being present at such events is to talk about politics.

[wardaddy]

Do you have a habit of tilting US?

[wardaddy]

Bump.

[wardaddy]

Why am I not suprised at you being one of only two on this thread advocating we continue to fall on our swords in the name of good manners.

Rubbish...with all due respect T.

[wardaddy]

LOL...too funny.

[PhilDragoo]

The Cuban Missile Crisis? Let's see, a superpower had ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads in position to destroy not two buildings and 3,0000 people, but entire cities and millions of people--

And the god who walked among us Camelot be thy name allowed this. . . .

Allowed this by betraying eleven hundred brave men at the Bay of Pigs. . . .

Displaying such cowardice that Khruschev not only put missiles on Cuba, but gave the green light for the Berlin Wall. . . .

And Sorenson's god who ruled until cruelly taken from us got the missiles out by giving up our IRBMs in Turkey and promising not to invade Cuba--

Hence, that mass murderer of 100,000 Castro is still in power--

JFK (the first) allowed a weapon of mass destruction to remain: Castro.

Gee, I guess we will bear any burden, pay any price, support any yada, oppose any blahblah unless it's too tough, in which case we'll have fairy shills like Sorenson to cover our ass when we're gone.

As the New York Times joins with Ted DTs-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see Kennedy to do the Sorenson shriek, swinging its purse at POTUS:

[bc2]

Upstate NY ping

let me know if you'd like to be added to or removed from the ping list.

[Zack Attack]

The students shouldn't have to suffer their graduation being turned into a partisan political rally.

My thoughts precisely. This was a festive occasion for the students, supposedly one of their happiest days, graduating. They are not there to hear someones political bias on either side.

[onyx]

This is a good sign. Despite the 24/7 leftist brainwashing, the kids are wising up. And they're not willing to sit still for more leftist papulum being shoved down their throats.



Exactly right.

[paul51]

As Sorensen spoke, one student's mother stood up and ordered him off the stage

Mother knows best

[Cinnamon Girl]

Surprisingly refreshing. But let's not kid ourselves-- it's unusual. A girl at my President Bush party said at her Smith College graduation, Madelaine Albright spoke and half the student body put red bandanas around their heads to protest Albright for not being leftist enough.

[SAMWolf]

And despite the Cuban Missle Crisis, the Bay of Pigs fiasco and Castro staying in power the Press play him up as a hero.

[nopardons]

BRAVO...graet reply!

[EDINVA]

you all might not believe this .. and you won't hear me say much more good about the man, BUT Al Gore was the speaker at my daughter's high school graduation in 1999. He didn't say ANYTHING political .. but recognized the graduates, their accomplishments, how many were merit scholars, how many intel, etc., and how they achieved in arts, debate, sports, etc. Nothing political. Someone on his staff did good research, but he delivered the speech and for that he deserved credit. Others could follow that lead.

[Travis McGee]

At least this indicates that CW2 won't be entirely a one-sided affair.

[schmelvin]

["The conservative audience was booing because he was using politics in an inappropriate situation. Liberal audiences are inappropriate (obscenities, mooning, throwing things, getting on the stage, etc.) when the explicit purpose of the conservative speaker even being present at such events is to talk about politics."]

True. And, the conservatives didn't boo until after the speaker said something distasteful. Liberal audiences OTOH begin disrupting conservative speakers the instant they step up to the podium... before the speakers even have a chance to open their mouths. So, there's really no comparison here between the way liberal audiences treat conservative speakers and the way this crowd reacted to Sorensen's speech. They at least gave him a chance to talk, and didn't protest until after he crossed the line.

[MeekOneGOP]

This idjit oughta get booed ! Bump !

[MeekOneGOP]

Many more skeletons will be showing up as November approaches

[samantha]

I sure do know where it is. It is in a great area off the Thruway. I hope you can get back once in a while. New York State has so many great things to see,and is a beautiful state. The central,and upstaters really make it great. I have lived in Florida since 1968,and it is a great state,but I really miss New York State. Too bad the weather is nasty,and the liberals in NY City cause the taxes to be so prohibitive. I was just in Central NY in April,and it snowed the day before I got there. There is such a sense of decorum in the central New Yorkers,and they typically want to be left alone to live their conservative lives,but they are fighters to the core,just like the "Don't mess with Texas" type in your state.