McCain Finds Unfriendly Audience in NYC

The New School's graduating students protest as U.S. Senator John McCain speaks during their commencement ceremony Friday May 19, 2006 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Talk about straddling graduation ceremonies. This is from Yahoo News:

NEW YORK - Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) received a cantankerous reception Friday at the New School's commencement, where dozens of faculty members and students turned their backs and raised protest signs and a student speaker mocked him as he sat silently on stage.

The historically liberal university has been roiled in controversy in recent weeks over the selection of the Republican and likely 2008 presidential candidate to speak to its 2,700 graduates and thousands of family, friends and faculty.

The New School's graduating students protest as U.S. Senator John McCain, speaks during their commencement ceremony Friday May 19, 2006 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The Madison Square Garden crowd cheered loudly as Jean Sarah Rohe said McCain "does not reflect the ideals upon which this university was founded."

Rohe, one of two distinguished seniors invited by the university's deans to address the graduates, spoke before McCain did but noted that he had promised to deliver the same speech he gave at the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University last weekend and Columbia University on Tuesday.

"He will tell us we are young and too naive to have valid opinions," Rohe said. "I am young and though I don't possess the wisdom that time affords us, I do know that pre-emptive war is dangerous. And I know that despite all the havoc that my country has wrought overseas in my name, Osama bin Laden still has not been found, nor have those weapons of mass destruction."

McCain later thanked Rohe for her "Cliff's notes" version of his speech.

U.S. Senator John McCain gestures while speaking during the 70th commencement ceremony for The New School, Friday May 19, 2006 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

You see Johnny-Boy? This is what happens when you throw away your ideals for blind presidential ambition. You are shown to be the complete hypocrite that you are. Did you really think that by giving the same speech you gave to students at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University last weekend, to the students graduating at New School this weekend, was going to redeem you in the hearts and minds of liberals? Did you think we were going to embrace your maverick style, after your pandering towards the Religious Right Wing-nuts?

I'm sorry Johnny-Boy--You're a hypocrite!