Karl Rove Drops Prep School Speech

WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Following protests from students, former presidential adviser Karl Rove has withdrawn as this year's commencement speaker at a prestigious prep school, the school's headmaster said Monday.

The choice of Rove as speaker for the June commencement at Choate Rosemary Hall had led some students to plan to walk out of the ceremony. Others had sought to bring comedian Stephen Colbert to campus for an alternate speech.

Instead of commencement, Rove now will speak at the school on Feb. 11, headmaster Edward J. Shanahan said. Shanahan said he will deliver the commencement address at the school, the alma mater of John F. Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson.

Shanahan said he had asked seniors for their opinions on the proposed commencement speech and many said they wanted to hear from Rove _ but at some time other than commencement.

He said they also were concerned that outsiders might disrupt graduation if Rove appeared in June.

In an e-mail to students and staff Monday, Shanahan quoted Rove as saying: "I would not want 12 minutes of remarks to be used as an excuse by a small group to mar what should be a wonderful day of celebration for the members of the 2008 graduating class and their families, so I am delighted to instead accept Choate's invitation to speak on campus Feb. 11."

"He was more than understanding," Shanahan wrote to the students. "He was gracious and generous in his thinking about you and 'your day.'"

Rove, one of President Bush's most influential advisers, left the administration last year.

Comments

[Mark701]

Who is this guy Shanahan and why is he sucking up to Rove??

[cartach]

Well,well,well. From the mouths of babes. Everybody here feels real self satisfied and happy as pigs in shit because a bunch of high school kids have had enough and don't want to listen to advice from Bush's chief propogandist at their commmencement excersizes. Too bad you did'nt have the guts to do the same a number of years ago,you may have saved a lot of pain. Don't be so smug.

[isis]

Kids today don't need a narcissist as an example. They already have Brittany.

[sayitloud]

The students and faculty should feel proud to have opposed Rove delivering a commencement address, of all things. Rants about the school's "elitism" notwithstanding, we're still basically talking about high school level education. Headmaster Shanahan is no Lee Bollinger. CRH is no Columbia University. Inviting Rove made absolutely no sense.

[vippy]

We wanted to know what Ahmedinejad had to say.
We did not believe the lies about him from this administration. However, we know all about Rove already, how he was part of the 935 lies by Bush. Big difference!

[Rosanneofpgh]

I hope the parents of those Choate students are proud of them. I know I would be if any of them were my child! In spite of the stupidity of the headmaster, the Choate school must be doing something right!!

By their activism, these students have shown me that there may be hope for our country after all!!

Nice going, kids. We're proud of you!!

[realpolitic]

I applaud these students for not being potted plants and for exercising their democratic responsibility of dissent to a speech by Rove. The cynical Rove would spin, distort, revise. These students actively said enough is enough with regard to the practices Rove has used to win elections and how he has dragged our constitution through the mud. Why should one be compelled to listen to a war criminal. Until Rove seeks redemption, let him be a pariah.

[donaldw6]

George Bush gives his last State of the Union address, a scrappy bunch of students boot Karl Rove from their commencement, and tomorrow or Wednesday we get to bid a fond farewell to Rudy Giuliani.

Life ain't all bad!

[angel66]

I have hope for the future.

[randyw]

It is good to know that the students in this still amazing nation of ours would'nt want to hear a word this fat disgusting pig has to say ! Even they realise that this peice of shit windbag is nothing but a paid liar and propagandist for the worst administration in history ! Every one of these traitors should be met with the same feelings of resistence.There yet may be hope for our once great nation! Way to go Choates! !

[dobberdoss]

Everytime I see a photo of Rove he just keeps reminding me of one of those Pigs from `Animal Farm` by George Orwell

[ROBOT8]

Expressing concern that the credibility of US foreign policy may have suffered as a result of the numerous lies disseminated by the White House and Pentagon concerning thPentagon: Everything We Tell You is a Lie, Including This

by Anwar Valdez

[coffeeinamrica]

YEAH - nice 'spin,' Shanahan!

I actually give the students, alum and faculty a lot of credit for THEIR opposition (not 'outsiders') and their frank article in their own student newspaper!! http://thenews.choate.edu/2008/01/18/News/Karl_Rove_to_be_Class_of_0.php

>>
"Despite this, the decision to invite Rove to be the graduation speaker has been met with much controversy on the Choate campus and among alumni and students. Karl Rove is widely believed to have been instrumental in the current administration’s decision to go to war with Iraq. He chaired the White House Iraq Group, which, according to CNN and Newsweek, was created with the objective of publicizing the threat posed to the U.S. by Saddam Hussein prior to the Iraq War.

Although Rove was never formally indicted on any charge, there is widespread anger towards the school administration’s decision to invite Karl Rove to speak on campus. “Beyond the fact that his being a widely believed Federal criminal stands against most of the principles that we claim have on campus, it is more than disappointing that the decision was made with so little consultation of other members of the Choate community and that Mr. Shanahan chose to invite such a divisive figure to say the least,” observed an angry Alessio Manti ‘08, a member of the graduating class. "

[watchingthings]

He thought he was so brilliant when he was writing shit for the Elite. Now the turd blossom finds out that the kids of the Elite can't stand the sight of him...let alone listen him speak.

[gretmoe]

damn gnome, serves him right for all that he's done to shatter our constitutional rights and divide us americans. That gnome didn't even receive a college diploma, why in the world would they invite a college drop out to speak at their commencement? He's a mean soul-less moron who deserves to get tortured and then placed in isolation for his remaining years - dirty creep.