Sen. John McCain Faces Commencement Protests

Republican Sen. John McCain, tapped to deliver commencement speeches at two major New York universities, is getting the equivalent of a Bronx cheer from activists on both campuses who oppose his conservative views and support for the Iraq war.

The potential 2008 presidential candidate is scheduled to address Columbia College's "Class Day" on May 16 and will speak at the commencement ceremonies of the New School three days later.

Known for his maverick streak, McCain has been burnishing his conservative credentials in recent months as he readies a likely White House run. As part of that effort, he'll deliver the commencement address at the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University on Saturday - an opportunity he described Tuesday as "an honor."

All of this, in turn, has served to roil liberal activists who populate many of New York's campuses.

At the New School, a proudly left-leaning university of some 8,000 students now headed by former Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., organizers announced Tuesday that they had collected more than 1,000 signatures on a petition asking Kerrey to uninvite the Arizona Republican from the May 19 commencement ceremony.

Gregory Tewksbury, a part-time instructor and a leader of the anti-McCain protests, said the senator's stand on abortion and gay rights did not reflect the values of the New School. But he insisted McCain would be welcome to speak in a different setting - one that allowed students and faculty to engage him.

"If Sen. McCain wants to come and debate his views on his conservative support for the South Dakota ban on abortion or war in Iraq or opposition to gay marriage, we are happy to have a debate with him," Tewksbury said. "But as a commencement speaker where there is no give and take, we feel the speaker should represent the views of the university."

Other speakers went further, suggesting McCain's views were so out of the mainstream that he had no business appearing at the New School at all.

"Civility is not in order at a time like this. The moral position is outrage, protest and revolt against the right-wing oligarchy that is currently running this country," said literature professor Ann Snitow, adding that she believed McCain's opposition to abortion rights is tantamount to support for female sexual slavery.

For his part, Kerrey said he stood by his decision to invite McCain - a fellow Vietnam war veteran and former Senate colleague - to deliver the commencement address.

"As a university president, you try to get speakers who are leaders. I think he's one of a handful of world leaders," Kerrey said in a telephone interview.

He added that he fully supports the rights of students and faculty to protest McCain's visit, but hopes there will be minimal disruption for students and their families "who are there simply to celebrate graduation."

At Columbia, protesters have launched a Web site and discussion board titled "John McCain Does Not Speak for Us." Ticking through his positions on abortion, gay rights, the Iraq war and touching on his speech at Liberty, organizers say McCain's views are incompatible with those of the community he's been asked to address.

To be sure, not all students are supporting the McCain protests.

"What about freedom of ideas?" asked Morgan Huntley, a New School senior who said he looked forward to hearing McCain speak.

A self-described libertarian, Huntley said the New School did not respect divergent viewpoints.

"The New School only has one side of the coin," he said. "If you explore the other side, you're nuts."

Last week, some 100 faculty members at Boston College signed a letter objecting to the school's plans to award Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice an honorary degree at graduation on May 22. Rice also is scheduled to deliver the commencement address.