Post by JoJo on Jan 31, 2007 18:35:03 GMT -5
LINK
UNH Interim President J. Bonnie Newman announced yesterday that George H. W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton will be the keynote speakers at commencement this May, and politically minded students couldn't be more excited.
"Sounds great!" said College Republicans Vice President Bill Hunt. "I know they've been working together for tsunami relief - it says a lot about Bush's character to be working together with Clinton after the solid defeat he gave him - he really had to swallow his pride there. He's taken bipartisanship to a new level."
After running against each other in 1992, Bush and Clinton joined together in 2004, at the request of President George W. Bush, to visit areas in southern Asia to raise money for tsunami relief.
"I couldn't be more excited," said Senior Nick Christiansen, former president of College Democrats. "I think these are probably the biggest names they could have possibly recruited, and I'm glad they're doing it together."
"I think they've become sort of a couple," said Christiansen, laughing. "They really did work well together [on tsunami relief]." He added that it made sense to have it in New Hampshire, especially with all the recent emphasis political leaders have placed on putting aside ideologies and crossing party lines to achieve common goals. "We all know now that the elections are heating up� It's a strong message of bipartisanship."
Neither former president is new to the area: Then-Vice President Bush was the keynote speaker at the 1987 UNH commencement, and Clinton campaigned frequently on campus during his presidential bids in the 1990s.
Last year's speaker was actor Mike O'Malley, a 1988 graduate of UNH and star of the CBS comedy Yes, Dear. A possible explanation for such high profile political figures this time around could be Interim President Newman's past work for the Regan and Bush administrations. From 1989 to 1991 she served as Assistant to the President for Management and Administration, where she oversaw all administrative operations for the White House and Executive Office of the President during the transition and administration of George H.W. Bush.
But regardless of how the university attracted these former presidents, students are eagerly awaiting May 19, 2007. Save the date.
UNH Interim President J. Bonnie Newman announced yesterday that George H. W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton will be the keynote speakers at commencement this May, and politically minded students couldn't be more excited.
"Sounds great!" said College Republicans Vice President Bill Hunt. "I know they've been working together for tsunami relief - it says a lot about Bush's character to be working together with Clinton after the solid defeat he gave him - he really had to swallow his pride there. He's taken bipartisanship to a new level."
After running against each other in 1992, Bush and Clinton joined together in 2004, at the request of President George W. Bush, to visit areas in southern Asia to raise money for tsunami relief.
"I couldn't be more excited," said Senior Nick Christiansen, former president of College Democrats. "I think these are probably the biggest names they could have possibly recruited, and I'm glad they're doing it together."
"I think they've become sort of a couple," said Christiansen, laughing. "They really did work well together [on tsunami relief]." He added that it made sense to have it in New Hampshire, especially with all the recent emphasis political leaders have placed on putting aside ideologies and crossing party lines to achieve common goals. "We all know now that the elections are heating up� It's a strong message of bipartisanship."
Neither former president is new to the area: Then-Vice President Bush was the keynote speaker at the 1987 UNH commencement, and Clinton campaigned frequently on campus during his presidential bids in the 1990s.
Last year's speaker was actor Mike O'Malley, a 1988 graduate of UNH and star of the CBS comedy Yes, Dear. A possible explanation for such high profile political figures this time around could be Interim President Newman's past work for the Regan and Bush administrations. From 1989 to 1991 she served as Assistant to the President for Management and Administration, where she oversaw all administrative operations for the White House and Executive Office of the President during the transition and administration of George H.W. Bush.
But regardless of how the university attracted these former presidents, students are eagerly awaiting May 19, 2007. Save the date.
You'd have to shower after attending that event. (Just my opinion.)
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