Terminator 1, Hippies 0

This past Tuesday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) gave the commencement address at his alma mater, Santa Monica College.

Showing typical liberal class and integrity, approximately 100 audience members, some students, jeered throughout the entire speech.  According to news reports, some protestors held anti-Arnold signs, others screamed and booed, and some even blew whistles -- all during the speech, from start to finish.

Half of the professors, who traditionally sit behind the speaker podium at such occasions, sat with their backs facing their alum guest speaker.

Apparently one of the issues of protest was the special election that the governor of California called for November 8 to address pressing needs and concerns for the state and its rebounding economy.

When a friend of mine (who lives in the Los Angeles area) recently told me about this story, my first reaction was, "I hope he kept giving the speech like he didn't notice."

Apparently, that's EXACTLY what Mr. Schwarzenegger did.

The AP report of the incident made sure to point out how the governor's face "appeared to redden" as the speech progressed and the catcalls and noisemakers persisted.

But one thing that will FOREVER be proven time and again is that the classless hecklers could not break him.

Immensely to his credit, the keynote speaker finished what he started.  He did not quit until he acquired his objective.

And he did it with class.

Graduation ceremonies are supposed to be proud moments focused on the students for their accomplishments and their embarkation into adulthood. Some professors, students and other guests selfishly stole that from the majority of people who came to celebrate that very achievement.

But Arnold Schwarzenegger set the best example of anyone at the commencement. I like to think he inspired the mature adults in the audience -- whether they agree with his politics (or like his movies) or not -- how to be respectful with grace.

Liberals historically prove they just don't understand that concept.

The governor showed class even after the ceremony, when he addressed the situation publicly, putting the blame on Public Worker Unions who he believed organized the heckling -- and credited the students for taking interest in (and showing respect during) his speech.

Like my friend (and lifelong Califnornia resident) concluded, "Face it, government workers in California were overpaid and it bankrupted the state for years. And Arnold is the only one with the balls to make the tough decisions to make cuts to save the state from absolute poverty."

She concluded with, "[The heckling] was a disgrace. I don't go boo Jimmy Carter and he caused more human suffering than anyone."

I liken this incident to sports, when your team is up by a ton of points, yet the losers for the other team insist on trash-talking. The best defense is to simply point to the -- or say, "Scoreboard."

The video of this incident will always be Arnold Schwarzenegger's "scoreboard" against the losers who beligerantly (and hopelessly) try to bring him down to their level.

Perhaps the best irony from Tuesday's shameful commencement ceremony was the student who held up a sign that sarcastically quipped, "I'm brainwashed!"

Apparently the joke is on that student, after all.

More DNC Brilliance

Dean Defends Criticism of Republican Party
By PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press Writer
Wed Jun 8, 4:25 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean on Wednesday defended his recent harsh criticism of Republicans, including his observation that they are "pretty much a white, Christian party."

Dean noted that he, too, is a white Christian. But he said the GOP is too narrow in its scope and the Democratic Party is far more diverse.

While even prominent Democrats in recent days have distanced themselves from some of his comments, the outspoken Dean, appearing on NBC"s "Today" show, said criticism of him is meant by Republicans to divert attention from the country's problems and make him the issue instead.

Dean told a forum of journalists and minority leaders Monday that Republicans are "pretty much a white, Christian party." ... it's pretty much a white, Christian party."

Challenged on that during the NBC interview, Dean said "unfortunately, by and large it is. And they have the agenda of the conservative Christians."

"This is a diversion from the issues that really matter: Social Security, and adequate job opportunity, strong public schools, a strong defense," Dean said.

Asked about it on the "Fox & Friends" show, GOP Party Chairman Ken Mehlman joked that "a lot of folks who attended my Bar Mitzvah would be surprised" he heads a Christian party.

"We gotta get ourselves beyond this point where when we disagree about politics, we call the other guy names," he said.

Said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.: "Last week's scandal was Deep Throat. This week's scandal was Dean's throat, and apparently Dean likes the taste of his own foot."

Dean also recently raised eyebrows when he told a group of progressives that Republicans "never made an honest living in their lives," a comment he was forced to explain a day later. The one-time presidential candidate also said that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has not been accused of any crime, ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence.

Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Tuesday that Dean is doing a good job, but is not the party's spokesman.

Last weekend, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and 2004 vice presidential candidate John Edwards criticized Dean for his recent remarks, saying he doesn't speak for them.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, talking with reporters Wednesday, said she did not agree with the statement Dean made about the Republican Party.

"The role of the chair of the Democratic National Committee is one that is different than the role of the Democratic leader of the House or in the Senate," the California congresswoman said, "and sometimes the exhuberance of that position results in statements that neither of us would make."

"I don't think that the statement the governor (Dean) made was a helpful statement," she said. But Pelosi said she thought that Dean was "doing a good job."

"Listen. Any one of us at any given time will make a statement that we may, in retrospect, say maybe that was a little over-enthusiastic," she said. "And I can put that statement in that category for Governor Dean."

Biden, asked about Dean Wednesday during an interview on the Don Imus radio show, also said the chairman is doing a good job.

"A lot of things he does say, I agree with," Biden said. But he also said that Dean "has views that are slightly different than mine .. .But look, he's a lightning rod. ... It's probably good that there's a guy out there that's a lightning rod ... ."

Biden, however, added that he thinks "the rhetoric is counterproductive."

"I think this country has a purple heart, not a red heart or a blue heart," Biden said. "If we can't bring this (country) together, man, boy, we're really in deep trouble."

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It'll be a fun day when Dean resigns as DNC Chair.  Watching the spin Democrats will slather on that event -- to make it seem like Dean's own personal decision -- will be priceless material.

What's funny is that Howard Dean tries to criticize Republicans by calling them "white" and "Christian."  The accusation alone is fine because THE MAJORITY OF AMERICA is comprised of caucasion, Judao-Christian citizens.  And the majority of Americans during the past two presidential elections voted for George W. Bush (a Republican).

According to the article, Dean said the GOP is too narrow in its scope and the Democratic Party is far more diverse. First of all, it's no secret that most African- and Mexican-American voters vote Democrat.  But most Cuban-Americans vote Republican.

As for Dean's own history with minorities, let's review briefly:

1) NO (zero) members of Dean's Gubernatorial cabinet were African-Americans.

2.) Dean said the following at a meeting with the Democratic black caucus in February 2005: "You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here."

3.) The Pew Research Center recently surveyed 11,000 of Howard Dean's closest advisers, contributors, activists and volunteers.  It discovered that Dean activists:
*attend church seldom or never (59 percent of Dean activists seldom or never compared to 25 percent of all Democrats)
*are 92 percent white
*are 82 percent liberal
*are 45 percent over $75,000 [annual income]

Let's also consider these facts:

1.) President George W. Bush has assembled, over both his terms, the most ethnically and racially diverse Presidential cabinet -- BY FAR -- in the history of the United States presidency.

2.) Just today did the U.S. Senate confirm California judge Janice Rogers Brown (an African-American woman) for the federal/district appeals court (D.C. Region).  She was first nominated for the position TWO YEARS AGO by President Bush.  For two years, Democrats blocked her from getting a yes-or-no vote.

Dean said: "This is a diversion from the issues that really matter: Social Security, and adequate job opportunity, strong public schools, a strong defense."

Whether or not it's a diversion, it's Dean who created it.  Republicans are not making this an issue.  Howard Dean is the one who keeps saying publiclylines like this:

1.) December 2003 - "We shouldn't prejudge Osama bin Laden."

2.) May 14, 2005 - "I think Tom DeLay ought to go back to Houston, where he can serve his jail sentence down there courtesy of the Texas taxpayers."

3.) May 2005 - "I hate Republicans."

4.) June 2, 2005 - "...a lot of [Republicans] have never made an honest living in their lives."

Meanwhile, President George W. Bush has twice toured the country promoting his Social Security reform plan.  In addition, he held a primetime nationally-televised press conference to discuss the issue.  Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee have not made a single proposal yet other than "stop talking about personal accounts, then maybe we'll discuss Social Security."

And when has Howard Dean EVER been pro-defense?

And also, it's not the GOP who vehemently defends the corrupted welfare system in America.  There's where you go first to find people not making an honest living.

So prepare your popcorn and comfy seats now.  When Howard Dean resigns as DNC chair, it'll be quite an enjoyable show.