Condoleezza Rice bowed out as graduation speaker at Rutgers University amid protests by a small but noisy gaggle of intolerant leftist students and professors offended by the former secretary of state’s role in the Iraq war.
Miss Rice was as usual more gracious than her foes. “Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families,” she said, announcing her withdrawal. “Rutgers’ invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time.”
Noting her background as a professor at Stanford University, she said, “I understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony, and I am simply unwilling to detract from it in any way.”
This is Rutgers loss. A small group can alter and silence this event. Condoleezza Rice, I have nothing but respect for. In my opinion, she has all the necessary requirements to be running this country. I have the utmost respect for her. One of her greatest assets is perception, that keeps her out of politics. She prefers being an educator.
