Class Day speaker choice sparks controversy

Hillary Clinton, LAW '73, is many things—former Yalie, former first lady, and current junior U.S. Senator from New York. Recently she has become something else: the controversial choice for Class Day speaker. After the announcement that Clinton had accepted the University's offer to address the Yale College Class of 2001 on Class Day, some students have been organizing a boycott while others have been rushing to her defense, saying they welcome her upcoming address.

Daniel Mindus, TD '01, has spearheaded the boycott effort, circulating a petition that asks the Administration to find another speaker. Seniors who sign the petition pledge not to go to the Class Day speech. He hopes that this radical step will not be necessary, however, and believes that enough seniors will sign on. The petition, he assumes, would garner negative media attention, thus causing the Administration to back down and invite someone else or Clinton to cancel.

ALEX WONG/NEWSMAKERS The choice of Hillary Clinton, LAW '73, as Class Day speaker has generated controversy as students rush to attack and defend her.

Criticism of the senator falls into several categories. Most students who are against her speech believe that she is too controversial a figure and that her presence will divide the senior class.

"I believe Hillary Rodham Clinton is a divisive and polarizing political figure, and regardless of any boycott [there would be] a significant minority who would have decided not to come," Mindus said. Katherine Mangu-Ward, TD '02, who supports the petition, echoed these sentiments but also mentioned Clinton's character flaws and her overall poor speaking abilities. "Yes, it is vitally important that I find her character and politics questionable, but that might be excusable if she were a bang-up speaker," Mangu-Ward said.

"Personally," Mindus added, "I don't want her to come because I think she speaks at the pace of Chinese water torture." He went on to cite personal character flaws such as her "power-hungry" nature and penchant for depicting her political enemies as evil. "This isn't about her politics. It's not that she's a Democrat, and it's not because of her scandals."

But supporters of Clinton's selection say she is a well-known alumna whose controversial nature adds to, not detracts from, her appeal.

"I think it's great," Saul Rosser, BK '01, said. "She's a big-time name. She has a rather interesting history, which isn't perfect." But he claimed her past would make her a more interesting speaker.

"She's supposed to use this opportunity to spread her views, and the only people who will divide the class are the people" organizing to boycott the speech, he added.

"I definitely think Hillary has personal shortcomings," Elizabeth Sargent, JE '01, said. "But I don't think her moral character or lack thereof will detract from the speech itself."

Alex Liebman, CC '01, does not believe Clinton will "blast George W. Bush's, DC '68, tax cut" but insists that students who wanted a political speaker must accept someone who does not enjoy universal approval. He added that if Republican Attorney General John Ashcroft, BR '64, were named Class Day speaker, he would attend to hear what he had to say.

"If Hillary Clinton comes and gives a partisan speech or gets in some petty political squabbling, I will be the first person to say that her speech was inappropriate," Liebman said. "You're not going to satisfy everyone by your pick unless you want to get the blandest person out there. The best people are going to offend a few people."

Mindus disagrees with this argument. "I don't think a controversial speaker is a good speaker," he said. "[But] a speaker who will challenge us is fine. A speaker who has interesting ideas is fine."

Whether or not Mindus will be able to force the University either to rescind the invitation or find an excuse for choosing another speaker remains unclear. But Abu Demissie, DC '01, who co-chaired the committee that invited Clinton, said that the chances of inviting someone else at this point are "zero."

Demissie explained that his committee surveyed the senior class in November asking them what characteristics they desired in a speaker. He said the most important for the seniors were name recognition and speaking ability.

His committee then went to the Administration with eight names of potential speakers. The Administration helped them decide, suggesting guests with whom they had connections.

"Senator Clinton was our first choice. She was the only person who was sent an invitation," he said. "We were very fortunate that she accepted." While several students mentioned her specifically in their surveys, a large factor in deciding to invite her was the belief that she would accept if invited, Demissie said. "We definitely think she's a well-known person and she has the speaking ability to give a good Commencement address." He added that he believed that the majority of seniors would enjoy her speech.

In response to critics of the committee's selection, he said, "It really didn't come into play that she was a controversial figure. We just wanted a good speaker, and I thought we got one," he said. "I respect their right to protest. I can't think of anyone who would make everyone happy. There are very few people who are all things to all people."

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