2008 Woodie Awards
Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: News
Groups look beyond controversy
Jared Miller and Tali Yahalom
But the College Republicans are "really happy" with the decision to bring in Baker, citing his overall conservative record.
"I think he's a great American who's served our country very well, and I'm happy our University has decided to pick him," said Wharton junior and College Republicans Chairman Michael Shiely.
With regard to Baker's contested viewpoints about Bush in Iraq, Shiely said that there isn't "one solution that's always going to be the right one to do."
Another point of contention surrounding Baker is the politician's realist views on foreign policy - that he, in general, espouses policies that further U.S. interests as opposed to human rights interests.
But the University, still backing its decision to invite baker as the 251st Commencement speaker, sees all of this controversy as a good thing.
"It speaks volumes of our University that we honor people of high achievement who are controversial," said Penn President Amy Gutmann, adding that part of higher education's role is to teach students how to engage with individuals with opposing viewpoints.
Political Science professor Avery Goldstein said that any person in the political realm will likely be controversial, but that Baker's presence "at certain very critical junctures in very recent history" makes him an "interesting" speaker.
- Staff writer Emily Babay contributed reporting to this article.
"I think he's a great American who's served our country very well, and I'm happy our University has decided to pick him," said Wharton junior and College Republicans Chairman Michael Shiely.
With regard to Baker's contested viewpoints about Bush in Iraq, Shiely said that there isn't "one solution that's always going to be the right one to do."
Another point of contention surrounding Baker is the politician's realist views on foreign policy - that he, in general, espouses policies that further U.S. interests as opposed to human rights interests.
But the University, still backing its decision to invite baker as the 251st Commencement speaker, sees all of this controversy as a good thing.
"It speaks volumes of our University that we honor people of high achievement who are controversial," said Penn President Amy Gutmann, adding that part of higher education's role is to teach students how to engage with individuals with opposing viewpoints.
Political Science professor Avery Goldstein said that any person in the political realm will likely be controversial, but that Baker's presence "at certain very critical junctures in very recent history" makes him an "interesting" speaker.
- Staff writer Emily Babay contributed reporting to this article.
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The Worst of Both Worlds
posted 3/16/07 @ 12:19 PM EST
The only thing that makes any of today's uber conservatives even remotely palatable is that they tend to take a rational stance on Israel. Even morons like Bush and Cheney understand that Israel has a right to defend itself against its "palestinian" and Hezbollah neighbors that seek to destroy israel and the Jewish faith. (Continued…)
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