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I agree with you that the story isn't told fully. My guess is that Dr. Sommers has been invited to speak on this subject as the keynote at a monthly meeting of the Yale Political Union.
These are Oxford-style debates. First, the proposition is put to the four parties (Party of the Right, Tories, Party of the Left, and Socialists). Each party takes its position in caucus and appoints its two debaters. Usually the parties split two and two. (Only when Wiliam F. Buckley was invited on the subject of defending Quemoy and Matsy, did the parties split 1-3, to my knowledge.)
To conduct the debate, the proposition is put to the Union, the keynote speach is given. Then the debaters present and rebut. Then the Union votes on the proposition. (I had the honor on a few occasiions of being the rebuttal debater for the Tories, then known as the Conservatives.)
Anyway, this is my educated guess of the context of this speech which the post does not state.

Congressman Billybob

Click for Phil & Billybob in the mornings.

I went back and read the fine print on the post. This article comes from the website of the "Yale Political Union."
Therefore, the discussion above is on point. This is for an Oxford-style debate before the Union on Monday night, These may be open to the press (who are seldom interested in such matters), but are not open to the public.

Billybob