"My Fellow Ivy Leaguers..."

We have asked graduating seniors: If you were writingPresident Bill Clinton'sspeech to Dartmouth'sgraduating class thisyear; what would youhave him say?

There was, as you might imagine, mixed reaction among'95s even about having a politician address them. Thomas Marlowe said he hoped Clinton vail "refrain from political pandering....A graduation speech should be inspirational and motivational. To my knowledge [Clinton] has never delivered an inspiring speech (he's no JFK). The speech will be forgotten unless it says something universal and significant."

John Marshall echoed those sentiments. "I'm torn. On the one hand I think it would be really neat if Clinton made a major policy announcment, A Dartmouth Doctrine as it were. On the other hand... this is our graduation and it would be belittled by political grandstanding and petty accusations." And David Siff added, "I want a speaker who will inspire me.... I do not want somebody who is campaigning, I do not want a Democrat or a Republican. I do not want a politician. I want a full human being and if he is a politician I want to hear about being a human being who has a job in the White House."

One '95 was especiallyenthusiastic about theClinton visit: "I campaigned for then-Governor Clinton for the New Hampshire primary almost from the day I hit campus," said Scott Thompson, "and I have stuck with him ever since. If I were writing his address I would throw protocol to the wind and make a political speech, especially given the poor marketing job from which [he] has suffered at times."

The hopes of two seniors are perhaps prescient. Because David Rinehart sees the country as having "little sense of pride or responsibility as a national community, I would like President Clinton to address the attitude of the modern America how it has changed, what it means, and how it ought to be. " And Hosea Harvey stated: "I want... his vision of our sense of purpose and direction as we move beyond the Hanover Plain. I hope he'll offer a message that motivates us to make a commitment to each other.. .and address the problems that plague [this country]."

Now, David Gonzalez took us literally and wrote some sound bites for the President. We quote, in part: "This is a tragic irony, presiding over an Ivy League commencement in the midst of the most destructive cuts in the history of education. Let me remind you how fortunate you were to make it to this point. You are the exception, the top one percent, the future leaders—all of the descriptions you sometimes doubt but your parents incessantly brag about to the neighbors. This does not come without a price," continues Gonzalez as Clinton. "Your parents are still going through Ivy League sticker shock. But paying the bill does not negate your responsibility to educate others.. ...All the proposed reforms and education legislation don't mean a thing unless people like you are in front of a classroom. You are sitting here today because somewhere along the line a teacher, coach, or parent instilled in you an unbreakable sense of confidence. Now you have the opportunity to trade places with that person from your memory." (We sent Gonzalez's speech to Clinton's speechwriters.)

And we heard from one Alexandra Morgan, who said, "I have the sneaking and disheartening suspicion that he will be speaking primarily to the media, attempting to ingratiate himself with them in order to get reelected. I think his appearance will result far more in a campaign address than a Commencement one!"

SeniorsprofferClintonsome points.

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