Instead of a commencement address. Students and parents jeer and heckle.
The University of Washington on Saturday awarded degrees to more than 4,000 students in a chilly, soggy ceremony during which some of the students, their parents and friends jeered and heckled commencement speaker Rep. Norm Dicks.
. . .
From the back, Lance Charette, who flew from Indiana to watch his stepdaughter Laura Wright graduate with a degree in English, yelled something about this being a graduation, not a political gathering.Later, he said he thought Dicks was campaigning, not inspiring young people.
His wife, Heidi Holliefield, said she intends to write Dicks a letter objecting to the politicization of the speech.
This should not have surprised the UW. Norm Dicks started out well, but has slipped, as so many do, into the easiest role in Washington, D. C., Democratic party hack. There was no reason to expect anything other than a campaign speech from him.
And this is hardly the first time that a Democratic official or activist has abused the commencement ceremony this way. For years I have been seeing similar complaints about similar speakers.
Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.
(For more, see this review from an attendee.
Curiously, the Seattle PI made no mention of the crowd reaction in its story.)
Posted by Jim Miller at June 11, 2007 11:10 AM | Email ThisThat said, thanks Jim, I'm attending my little sister's graduation in Cheney on Saturday, Mark Young, a PhD/shrink is giving the address, I hope it doesn't get political, I'd hate to have to embarrass my family.
Posted by: Dan on June 11, 2007 11:49 AMHigh school graduation is still the event where you not only graduate from school, but you graduate from your parents legally. It is a time when you go from being a kid to an adult. It is a time of decisions. It is the last time you will be together with friends you may have had for 12 years. And I could go on.
So, you sit there for hours listening to some dweeb talk about the Art of Nothingness with 5,000 others. It is a time that those attending, talk on their cell phones and otherwise show an indifference to the event. I spent my graduation on better stuff. And I still got my two diplomas.
And Ashley, I never said a college degree was more important than a high school degree. It is the event that I feel is stupid. And I still got my diplomas even though I didn't attend.
As for Norm Dicks, shouldn't he have kept still after 10 minutes?
Posted by: swatter on June 11, 2007 12:23 PMFrom the back, Lance Charette, who flew from Indiana to watch his stepdaughter Laura Wright graduate with a degree in English, yelled something about this being a graduation, not a political gathering.Later, he said he thought Dicks was campaigning, not inspiring young people.
His wife, Heidi Holliefield, said she intends to write Dicks a letter objecting to the politicization of the speech.
Don't they know that Democrats can't do ANYTHING without politicizing it?
Posted by: John Galt on June 11, 2007 12:36 PMThat said, graduating from UW was a way bigger deal than graduating from HS. You can get a high school diploma just by showing up and staying awake half the time.
Posted by: Brad on June 11, 2007 04:39 PMAbout 10 minutes into a 15-minute speech, in which the congressman, a Democrat from Bremerton, talked about his own long career in politics and his current work on the environment, a student walked out in front of Dicks and motioned for him to hurry it along.
This was really a beautiful, Tiananmen Square-like moment. I like to think it was a young Republican and not just another narcissistic kid bored by the speech, although God knows it was a VERY boring speech. It's cool to think it was some conservative pup speaking truth to power. I hope somebody shot video.
I expected more from Congressman Dicks. Who knew he was such a hack?
You are correct, I am a Republican.
Posted by: Stuart Bryant on June 11, 2007 07:07 PMHeard of a Pell Grant? Pell was a politician!
Grow up grads - roll the keg back where it came from and shut up and listen. ya might learn something
Posted by: GET A LIFE on June 11, 2007 08:52 PMThere's a time and place for everything. Graduations are neither the time nor the place for a politician (Republican or Democrat) to stand and make a speech on what they've done, what they're doing, or what they intend to do.
I was there and that is exactly what he did. It is a time to acknowledge the accomplishments of all the young adults and to wish them the best in their future.
I am glad my son stood up and demonstrated more leadership in his little finger than Rep. Dicks or any faculty member who was there.
By the way my son never received a Pell grant and his school has been paid by us and him. He also earned his spot at the U of Washington based on grades, not some minority status (which by the way he is a minority, but never used that crutch in his application)
Maybe you too can push back your martini and Democratic party banner long enough to learn something as well.
Posted by: Alan Bryant on June 11, 2007 10:51 PMThe students obviously have more than a 15 minute attention span or the would not have been sitting in the rain to celebrate the achievement of earning their degrees. Give the graduates, both the kids and adults who were there on the field, due credit. It was a bad speech. Rain or shine, we all deserved better.
Congratulations to the Class of 2007.
Posted by: duhh on June 12, 2007 08:56 AMI despise her politics and think she's as crooked as a Louisiana sherrif, but she managed to give a good speech and kept the politics out of it. Norm should have done the same.
Posted by: Steve in Queen Anne on June 12, 2007 12:20 PMTo think he had the rare opportunity to inspire thousands of bright, optimistic and hard working UW graduates; and then squandered the opportunity for self-promotion is inexcusable. Norm, what were you thinking?
To think he had the rare opportunity to inspire thousands of bright, optimistic and hard working UW graduates; and then squandered the opportunity for self-promotion is inexcusable. Norm, what were you thinking?
To think he had the rare opportunity to inspire thousands of bright, optimistic and hard working UW graduates; and then squandered the opportunity for self-promotion is inexcusable. Norm, what were you thinking?
You might also want to stop typing and start reading a little - Norm is in the HOUSE, not the Senate, and he was Warren Magnuson's ( not Scoop's) Chief of Staff for a number of years before he earned election.
If you had the inclination to read something other than this painfully masturbatory blog, you'd understand why your post is so distasteful.
Posted by: Bluneck on June 15, 2007 04:19 PMIf there was really a independant press in this state his record and actions would be investigated and reveiled. He and his cronies have been given pass to long.
As for democrats supporting him now during his time of exposure... strange since he votes for everything they are against. The war in Iraq, the surge, etc.... The d at the end of his name, doesn't make him less of a dick.
Posted by: Stuck in the Sixth District on June 15, 2007 06:38 PM