2008 Woodie Awards
Pelosi to graduates: 'You can make change'
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi granted an exclusive interview with The Journal immediately after the May 12 commencement ceremony
By: Kelley Atherton
Issue date: 5/3/07 Section: News
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Immediately following her commencement speech at the 2007 Webster University graduation May 12, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discussed in an exclusive interview several issues facing graduates.
Still in her billowing gown, Pelosi talked about foreign policy, education, the 2008 election and young adults' ability to change the world while sitting in a small room tucked away in the depths of the Edward Jones Dome. The school had placed in her room sweet-smelling flowers and special chocolate bars, Pelosi's favorite food, with "Webster University" emblazoned on them.
In her speech moments before, Pelosi conjured memories about President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address and his call for the country to be a compassionate, cooperative leader in the world. She mentioned in particular the sentence about what America can do for the world: "My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
"With this statement, President Kennedy signaled that our foreign policy would be distinguished by cooperation and respect for other nations," Pelosi told the audience. "And the world responded to American leadership. Today, the world still looks to America for leadership and hope. We must respond with respect and cooperation, not disregard and condescension. Only then can we engage in the diplomatic alliances needed to promote peace and avoid war. And avoid war we must."
Over the last couple of months, Pelosi has been embroiled in controversy with the White House over her trip to several Middle Eastern countries in order to spur peace talks. Pelosi's April trip to Syria to meet with President Bashar al-Assad was marred by criticism from the Bush administration. The speaker organized a tour of several Middle Eastern countries and Syria in particular after the Iraq Study Group suggested in December that peace talks with al-Assad could help quell the insurgency in Iraq. The White House has a strict policy about negotiating with terrorists or states that support terrorism. The administration claims Syria aids state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle East and is fueling the insurgency in Iraq. The U.S. cut ties with the country in 2005 after al-Assad was implicated in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. President Bush called the trip "counterproductive" and said it was sending "mixed messages" to Syria that the U.S. was willing to reestablish relations with the country.
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