Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice backed out of giving Rutgers University’s commencement speech today amid growing opposition among the school’s students and faculty.
In a statement, Rice said she informed Rutgers President Robert Barchi that she has decided not to give the May 18 address.
“Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families. Rutgers’ invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time,” Rice said.
“I am honored to have served my country. I have defended America’s belief in free speech and the exchange of ideas. These values are essential to the health of our democracy. But that is not what is at issue here,” she said. “As a Professor for thirty years at Stanford University and as its former Provost and Chief academic officer, I understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony and I am simply unwilling to detract from it in any way.”
Rice wished good luck to the Rutgers graduates. More
.
Chalk up another win for the fascist progressives
Yeah…why don’t they ask Horse-face Kerry to give the speech so he can tell them how he was for the war before he was against it
Mob rule raises its ugly head yet again.
I guess it would have been too much trouble for those not wanting to hear what Rice had to say simply to stay away from her speech.
Most of these people probably don’t know what Rice actually stands for, or what her values are, or what she accomplished. All they know is that she is female, black and served under Bush, and the progs can’t have people like Rice wandering off their plantation.
Well, I just get a kick out of the fact that this protest will be the last bit of fun that they are going to have for quite some time. When most of these students get out into the real world and find out their fine arts degrees are worth shit and that they’re having a tough time competing for even a Starbucks job and that that student loan they took is starting to loom large in front of them. Well maybe then they will look back at college and wonder whether bullying Ms. Rice was a good idea.
As for the Profs, well I don’t think attendance will be rising anytime soon and economics may just intrude on their insulated little world in a big way.
Take notice, progs, this was probably the last chance you HAD to hear one of the most intelligent, articulate women living today. Keep telling yourselves that she had nothing to tell you, since you already know it all. It’s astounding that on your graduation day, you’re still the most ignorant people on Earth.
Rutgers is obviously a racist, misogynist institution. I’ll never hire anyone who went there.
Rice’s reason for withdrawing shows class.
Rutgers’ loss.
Condi is a classy lady. I’ve never understood the controversy, except that she was part of the Boooosh administration. They should have been proud to have her speak. Whom would they prefer? Dingy Harry?
My alma mater (UT Austin) only has one graduation ceremony a year, in May. I graduated in August, so I got to miss all that drama.
Rice is a liberal Republican at best. At what point do you you give a speech to be a people who need to hear what you have to say whether they like it or not?
They’ve boxed themselves in with their threats so now all you have to do is let them live down to the expectations and film them. Do what the commies do and send fake protesters holding up “N*gger War Criminal” / “Bush’s House N*gger” signs, take pictures and post them all over the place. It’s no different than the gap-toothed Wisconsin Democrat gubernatorial candidate passing out KKK hoods at a Republican event.
Democrat headline “KKK hoods handed out at Republican Event”.
It will not stop until we (conservatives) start pushing back – HARD
Condoleeza is just another Bush administration wuss that allows the left to demonize them without challenge – same as Rove advised W to do
The ignoanases at Rutgers only want to hear what they already know from people they already know. They want Saul Alinski pablum reinforced and nothing else.
Ignoranus: n. “a person who’s both stupid and an asshole.”
Condi did the right thing. Phuckem!
I just watched the Rutgers ignoranusi protesting on Fox. Take a fire thrower to the shithole.
Ignoranusi: Plural of ignoranus.
Here I’ll say it: They rejected Condi Rice because SHE IS BLACK. New Jersey is a RACIST STATE.
There’s more than one way to nullify the First Amendment.
They could just as well put their hands over their ears and yell, “Blah blah blah, I can’t hear a word you say!”
Tell us again who’s conducting the war on women?
Are there any Black students at Rutgers who would like to hear Ms. Rice speak? Are the muslims shitting on the Blacks too. Something smells really bad here.
I should have said- would like to have heard Ms. Rice speak. I guess it’s too late now.
Where are all those “nappy headed hoes” on the basketball team? Would they like to hear Ms. Rice?
IGNORANUSI!
The majority of the protesters were Jihadists. The rest most likely leftists sent to Rutgers for a real prog education which includes how to intimidate and harass a political opponent – forget learning how to be productive and support this country in a positive manner.
True, Condolessa Rice is a progressive RINO but she has enough Judea-Christian foundation to be a threat to the Jihadists.
Very sure Islamic thugs threatened her life and that’s why she decided not to be commencement speaker.
Sorry, Condoleezza Rice.
Rutgers, the same place where Snooki was paid $32,000 to speak there 2 years ago.
Also, after reading the comments section at the Huffyington Compost about Rice declining the invitation, I can’t help but shake my head. It seems like the average poster there thinks that Iraq was a stable, decent country until Bush got into office and wanted a war at all costs.