College leader disappointed by Cheney

[JoFerret]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4024498,00.html

FULTON, Mo. (AP) - Westminster College's president said Monday he was so ``surprised and disappointed'' by Vice President Dick Cheney's attacks on John Kerry during a speech that he is inviting the Democrat to visit for a reply.

Fletcher Lamkin told The Associated Press that Cheney's staff approached him last week about using Westminster as the backdrop ``for a major foreign policy address. Nothing was said about a stump speech.''

In a campus-wide e-mail after the speech, Lamkin said: ``I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry-bashing for a large portion of his speech.''

....
Standing in the campus gymnasium where Winston Churchill warned in 1946 of an ``Iron Curtain'' descending across postwar Europe, Cheney sharply criticized Kerry's Senate votes on defense and intelligence legislation.

....

Lamkin, who described himself as a split-ticket voter, said he tends to be a bit on the conservative side because of his military background. He is a former administrator at West Point.

``I'm pretty independent,'' Lamkin said. ``I can't tell you I am for one or the other, I'm not. As a college president, I try to remain someone who has all viewpoints represented on the campus fairly and equally.''

Lamkin said he was not expecting a speech minus any mention of presidential politics during an election year, but that the second half ``was all about politics and a political stump speech and in that respect it was disappointing.''

In the e-mail, Lamkin said that ``in the interest of balance and fairness and integrity, we will strongly encourage Senator Kerry to take advantage of this venue to make his views known as well.''

Kerry spokesman Bill Burton said the campaign had received Lamkin's e-mail and would consider a visit to Westminster, which is located in the center of a presidential battleground state.

[LittleApple81]

1. God, even Colleges do a better job than the press. n/t

[dusty64]

20. Thats kinda what I

was thinking. Giving a chance for rebuttal against smears and lies, wouldn't it be nice if our media did the same.

[Spazito]

2. Here is a Yahoo link as well, I am glad it is being reported in the US..

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=20&u=/ap/cheney_westminster

[Tellurian]

13. Cheney LIED- he's nothing more than an OPPORTUNIST!

"Fletcher Lamkin told The Associated Press that Cheney's staff approached him last week about using Westminster as the backdrop ``for a major foreign policy address. Nothing was said about a stump speech.''

"In a campus-wide e-mail after the speech, Lamkin said: ``I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry-bashing for a large portion of his speech.''

Kerry bashing thats all the GOP know how to do well. All this just to keep the onus of responsibility and accountability off them.

[saigon68]

21. Cheney LIED---Troops DIED

Where did I see that before?

[revcarol]

3. an "equal time" conservative?????

Thought the breed was dead.

Hope Kerry will accept before summer. Those college students deserve better than Cheney-politics.

[0007]

4. Oh I think Kerry will accept. And I believe he'll have a crowd

twice the size of Cheney and I would say the media will cover the event.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. This could be such a choice speech opportunity for JK.

He should do it soon and strike while the iron is hot.

[fishnfla]

7. Yes but, what kind of speech will Kerry give?

It will be ALL a campaign speech, no? Kind of defeats the purpose of the President's complaint, IMO

perhaps this would be a good time for JK to claim the high ground and forgo the stump speech .....

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. Good point. He could present his plan for Iraq and

take the high ground, showing Cheney how it's done.

[0007]

12. Kerry knows how to play it and he'll do exactly that,

he'll show Cheney how a real politican does things.

[blm]

9. Fortunately there are still a few of them left.

Old time Republicans are not fond of the End Times Republicans.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Lamkin you are a good American. EOM

[drfemoe]

8. Kerry Jumps on It ..

WASHINGTON, April 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by John Kerry for President:

Before misleading Americans across the country in a speech attacking John Kerry today, Vice President Dick Cheney misled his host - Westminster College - about the tone and topic of his speech. Expecting an issue-based discussion on foreign policy and Iraq, students, faculty and staff were instead treated to a series of inaccurate, misleading and false attacks against Kerry.

The Vice President's decision to "resort to Kerry-bashing" prompted Westminster President Fletcher M Lamkin to email Westminster students, faculty and staff expressing his surprise and disappointment and to inform them that he has invited Kerry to speak at the college in the coming months.
...
more including full transcript of Lamkin's email to the student body.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=179-04262004

[SayitAintSo]

11. Oh.... this is sweet .... I love it.....Lamkin you have guts my man .....

The Bushollinis will try to punish him for this you know ... those nasty evil doers !

Hope Kerry gets the maximum play out of this ... BASTARDS !!!!!

[despairing optimist]

14. Disappointed by Cheney? Line forms on the right.

Sickened and disgusted by him? Line forms on the left. It's much longer.

[newyawker99]

24. Hi ceejayay!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Terran]

15. I'm so proud to see this kind of stand-up behavior here in mid-MO

There are so many politically stupid and evil people in this state, it's really refreshing to hear this. And gawd I hope Kerry can make it here, Fulton's only 30 miles away!!

Dirk

[AP]

16. A hero steps forward.

The last four years I've been wondering, 'where are the heroes of democracy?'

I'm glad they're stepping forward now. Better late than never.

[RamboLiberal]

17. Hope this backfires on Crashcart

Here's the email the Westminster President sent to students:

I would like to thank each and every one of you who were so courteous and respectful to Mr. Cheney during his visit and speech. Frankly, I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry-bashing for a large portion of his speech. The content and tone of his speech was not provided to us prior to the event -- we had only been told the speech would be about foreign policy, including issues in Iraq. Nevertheless, I was extremely proud of the students, staff, and faculty who represented the College so well during the organization of the visit and during the speech itself -- inside and outside of the gym.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[Endangered Specie]

18. Sigh, more librully biased academia nuts (j/k)

[Art_from_Ark]

19. Westminster College

is where Churchill made his famous speech about an "Iron Curtain" descending on Eastern Europe

[Hand]

22. Contact Lamkin here...

Here's an e-mail address for Fletcher Lamkin:

[e-mail]

Here's the message I sent:

"President Lamkin--you have shown decency, integrity, and plain old intestinal fortitude in your wholly appropriate rebuke to Vice President Cheney's attempted hijacking of Westminster College for shallow and vicious Republican smear politics.

Thank you, President Lamkin, for doing the right thing!"

Give the man a pat on the back and a big DU :yourock:


ON EDIT: Boy, did I screw up--posted the URL for a whole different Westminster College! Apparently they've been getting a lot of mail for Lamkin there. Is my face red!

Corrected e-mail (and message) is above.


:spank:

[Moderator]

23. JoFerret

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you.


DU Moderator

[catzies]

25. How many other campaign stops have been duped this way???

It seems to me that Cheney got the invite under false pretenses, perhaps so they could charge the trip to taxpayers and not the campaign? Would they stoop so low? /sarcasm