<p>Just received this news: </p>
<p>The Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Vice Admiral Joseph Stewart, is pleased to announce that the Honorable John S. McCain, III, Senior Senator from the State of Arizona, has accepted the Academy?s invitation to deliver the Commencement Address to the Class of 2007 on Monday, 18 June 2007. His bio is at <a href="http://mccain.senate.gov/about/%5B/url%5D">http://mccain.senate.gov/about/</a></p>
<p>Hey, that sounds great! Almost as good as the President last year!</p>
<p>Good choice; he is a good speaker and good man. I don't agree with everything he stands for but he is a true patriot who gave a lot for this country.</p>
<p>It will probably be a little different atmosphere on campus than it was for the class of 2000 graduation commencement...</p>
<p>mmainsider....and what was that my friend?</p>
<p>cjcatl, apparently KP was an "interesting place" for the the mids who were at the academy in June of 2000. Perhaps one of them can enlighten us about their personal experience at KP during that time. Thanks.</p>
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<p>So let's roll back to fall/winter/early spring of 99/00 and graduation is around the corner and a speaker is lined up for graduation. (unfortunately can't remember who it was at this time, but someone everybody was more than happy to have). </p>
<p>Enter Hillary Rodham Clinton (at the time First Lady) into the New York Senate race who realizes, "Hey, Great Neck, lots of people who would vote for me and lookie there, there's a college there and they have graduations every year." "And even better, it's a military academy"</p>
<p>So, guess who gets a call from the White House declaring they had a speaker for KP Graduation. And guess who came to KP that year instead of an already invited speaker who had to be disinvited on the basis of someone who was entering a Senate Race....yes, all the midshipmen were pleased.</p>
<p>Fast forward to graduation day....zooooommm.....Tada Hillary Clinton is there to give her little campaign speech of what nobody wants to hear, and several people in the audience turned their backs on her and didn't stand or clap, etc, etc. And then the Valedictorian of the class got up and gave a very interesting speech, of which I wish I had a transcript. But let's just say he was not suffering fools that day.</p>
<p>A very interesting day in Kings Point history, one that will probably live in infamy, and not one of our most shining moments in decorum, but what can you say, we're just a bunch of dirty sailors when you get down to it.</p>
<p>kp2001, thanks for the first hand information. That account agrees with others that I have heard and this story also had attracted some national press coverage at the time. One of the press accounts reads:</p>
<p>"An academy spokesman confirmed that...Hillary would replace Navy Secretary Richard Danzig after two cadets tipped WABC radio's Sean Hannity to the news. Danzig had accepted the invitation to speak after the first lady rejected three separate requests from the Academy last fall. </p>
<p>But by Tuesday Hillary had changed her mind and Secretary Danzig had to be disinvited. "He graciously agreed to step down," said the spokesman, who explained that Danzig understood he might be bumped by someone "higher in the administration" when he accepted the invitation.</p>
<p>But another source says the Academy had no choice whatsoever in the matter."</p>
<p>At least the jr. senator knows where the Merchant Marine Academy - a constituent school, is located and the student body - to which she makes appointments. </p>
<p>Sure would have loved to hear the valedictory speech: ;)
Bush was great!</p>
<p>wow...what a story, thanks for filling me in. Now I seem to remember somethng about that in the news or maybe on Hannity. Hopefully she could never bump McCain. Maybe we could somehow dig up that Valedictorian speech..that would be a fun read , i am sure.</p>
<p>Pretty great that there will be another high profile commencement speaker. Clap Clap Clap </p>
<p>Ok. I'm done. I looked around the web for two hours trying to find the valedictorian speech from the 2000 graduation. No luck. Yep, would have been a fun read. Darn it. I did find another goodie today though. USMMA's own Mark Kelly is going back up on the space shuttle:</p>
<p>Davy you rock!!! thanks for the link. By the way enjoyed watching some of your vids on youtube.</p>
<p>I've gotten word someone wanted to know what was said June 19th, 2000?</p>
<p>Some of the highlights...</p>
<p>-Too many Lawyers
-Too many rules, i.e. gun laws and seatbelts and smoking in a bar you own
-Individual Freedoms which don't adversely affect others should be left alone
-Too many people watching what we do without reason to suspect</p>
<p>Bring back any memories?</p>
<p>suzannegra - what videos of mine on you tube?</p>
<p>I believe the ones you made of your sea term? Hope it was you LOL. They came up under your name.</p>