OT: Aaron Sorkin the 2013 commencement speaker

[stuckinbig11]

Long, long time ago at my commencement in Archbold Stadium, we had Ramsey Clark, Secretary of something or other. Two years later at my brother's commencement held in Manley, they had Ted Kennedy.

 

[mscanlo]

This is my annual "I had the worst commencement speaker ever" post (a Harvard professor whose name I never remember without looking up...which sort of sums my complaint).

***Oops, 2012

the year before mine was some prestigious children's rights activist. she made a lot of controversial statements like "it's not your fault you were born white". she also supposedly walked around the campus 10 mins before commencement and pick one of 3 canned speeches. needless to say, the statements lead to the speaker making one of the "reasons not to donate" list the next year. the university president wasn't happy she picked a canned speech either. and we are fairly liberal school.


i had a "no name", (at least from a brand name standpoint, unless in the medical/public health industry), harvard professor my year. he was really good. in good light, he even called out the student body for questioning his selection due to lack of brand name

 

[SU2NASA]

Schembechler gave the commencement address at my daughter's high school graduation in Saline, MI. It was the most boring, uninspired babbling I have ever heard. Even the UM fans in the crowd thought so.

Must have saved the good stuff for us.

 

[85SUAlum]

In 1985, we had Pearl Bailey as commencement speaker. I don't think anybody in the graduating class was impressed with that pick.
Don't remember her speech at all - who really listens? I just wanted to get my diploma and get out of there.

 

[CuyahogaCuse]

Were you 1991? That was John Nesbitt author of Megatrends. So bad that I fell asleep during his speech.

1991. Check.

Never could remember that guys' name, or anything he said.

But I do remember he was awful.

 

[hungrychuck]

The law school has Dan Quayle this year.

Its great to have the VP...unless its Quayle, lol.

I hope we get Biden when I graduate next year. It might make sense for him to do it (we can't have someone actively campaigning for office) as he will be looking to possibly garner some strength in key Democratic primary states.

Is Biden really anything more than a liberal Quayle?

Joe the Nutter.

 

[CaptainJ]

My speaker was Ted Sorensen, the adviser and speechwriter in JFK's inner circle.

He was very elderly and rather incoherent during his speech, and rambled on and on about obscure political issues and was bashing George Bush. It got to the point where much of the crowd was visibly and audibly restless, and the whole situation was becoming more and more awkward. The Dean had to take over the mic and tell everyone to settle down and show proper respect.

My conservative grandfather did not take kindly to Sorensen's speech, and at one point shouted out, "This is a graduation ceremony, you a$$hole!" He passed away a few years ago and our family still cracks up about that.

That's great about your grandfather! I would have given him a high five. As for the speaker, the JFK speech about secret societies and subsequent executive order to "end the fed"(eral reserve) is what got the poor bastard murdered, so maybe this Sorenson clown inadvertently had a hand in it? By the way, is your avatar the guy from The Wire?

As for the establishment candidates of either party, I graduated from watching WWF long ago, and much later figured out the parallels. Clinton and his 2003 hat was no different behavior than if Kim Kardashian had actually gotten to date Jeremy Lin like the rumors said she wanted to. Although neither of those media whores bother me as much as Spike Lee, especially after the Reggie Miller incident. I wonder if Georgetown ever had him at commencement?