NRO liveblogging the McCain speech at Columbia.

Interesting. I'll put in order here for you:

"At New School commencement. Bob Kerrey just gave introductory remarks, mostly devoted to defending his decision to invite John McCain. At the mention of the senator's name there are loud boos and a smattering of applause. McCain, sitting behind Kerrey with various poo-bahs, laughs. When Kerrey mentions McCain's address at Liberty University, someone yells something about that being Jerry Falwell's university (thanks for the information!). Kerrey gets good applause when he says the word “liberal” should mean open-mindedness and individual freedom. But he salutes those who have protested McCain's speech as a sign of vigorous debate. He notes that McCain said, in defending his Liberty talk, that no one was objecting to him speaking at liberal The New School: “Well, John, at least you solved that problem.” McCain throws head back in laughter (he's good at demonstrating good nature in such circumstances). Finishes by saluting McCain and the protestors again."

"One of the student speakers now attacking McCain as not representing the university’s values and his appearance here as a top-down decision that over-shadows what should be a joyful occasion for students. And now she's preemptively attacking McCain's speech based on the fact that he said he's going to say the same thing he said at Liberty—a pretty effective tactic for her (makes McCain seem canned, if he's actually going to say the same thing, that is). She continues: “preemptive war is dangerous and wrong”; “Osama bin laden has not been found and neither have the WMD”; “We have nothing to fear from anyone on this living planet”; “We can allow our humanity always come before our nationality”; “This is not arrogance of young, strong-minded woman...I speak out of a need to honor the voices that came before me.” Standing ovation from a lot of the students."

"LOL. It sure sounds like that student speaker is doing her level best to keep it a "joyful" occassion! Maybe she can throw some pig blood on McCain to make it the happiest day of their lives!"

"McCain speaking. People holding up orange, “McCain: our commencement is not your platform” signs. A few anti-McCain banners being held in the aisles. At the beginning of his remarks, McCain thanks the prior student for the Cliff Note's version of his speech. A little laughter. Some students standing with their backs to him in front, but vast majority sitting and listening."

"McCain opens with a long riff about the arrogance of youth and how he learned humility as he grew older. He says we have “a noisy contentious society,” and that we love “self-expression,” but “that passion sometimes overwhelms our civility.” (That's you standing with your backs to him in front!) He says he was young he was “quite infatuated with self-expression” and thought he was “so much more eloquent and wiser than anyone I knew.” Hard to imagine an opening better suited to, through the subtle art of self-deprecation, make the protestors look like asses."

"Well, that was a pretty shameful performance by The New School student body, but I suppose it could have been worse. Kerrey must be a little embarrassed. He gets up: “For those of you who listened to two speeches...one from McCain...the other from [the student], you saw two acts of bravery.” (Actually, it is very bad form to directly attack another speaker in such a forum—but I guess Kerrey feels he can only go so far in defending civility.) Kerrey says, in contrast, that in heckling from the audience, there is “no bravery required.” He gets pretty good applause. Asks if when students get older and someone is heckling, laughing or booing them, will they stand up for their beliefs? “Will you stand and say unpopular things?” A loud shout from the back: “You are a war criminal!”
Another: “Let's graduate!”

It just makes my blood boil to think of all that McCain did and gave for his country and these snot nosed no experienced little arrogant selfish lefties who wouldn't know sacrifice if it slapped them in their smug youthful faces, stand up there and bash him. ARGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!