It was a poor choice. I realize there is a committee that determines who the commencement speaker is, but there are many better choices that could have been made. Hell, Obama went to ASU - and we get Gates? Seems like a significant disconnect exists between the committee this year and the graduating seniors.

They wanted Jon Stewart.

Too much money.

So they settled for the war machine, which is free.

"So they settled for the war machine"

Seriously, how do people like Sean get admitted to the UW? I don't get it.

Lol, and now I feel the need to apologize because you wrote a nice comment on my blog.

Darn you Sean! ;-\

But seriously, thanks for the comment.

Thanks Nick -

Having a notable commencement speaker is a token of prestige, and reflects well on the University. I understand that. The University of Washington is the premier institution in the Northwest, so I would expect planners to view things with that in mind.

Gates is thought of highly by administrators and policy makers. He is considered a decent guy.

I disagree with his worldview and think that it has wreaked havoc around the world. So we would never agree upon that.

I think it is possible to appreciate the circumstances any in the US military finds themselves in, and the great sacrifice they make (and their families and their kids http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/2618489... ) by joining up. The military provides great risk to life and family continuity, but it is one of the few if not the only institutions left that offer a degree of financial security and professional mobility left in American society. Globalization has removed whatever opportunities like that in the private sector.

Maybe a future commencement will feature leaders or social entrepreneurs who redefine what US leadership means - based on a productive means of investing national resources and the energies young men and women into positive projects.