After e-mailing most every organization and calling every student leader they could get phone numbers for, Fox has its Columbia pundits set for the next few days. Here’s the list, possibly incomplete and subject to change:
TONIGHT at 8:00 PM on the O’Reilly Factor:
Columbia College sophomore Alejandra Aponte, arguing in favor of Columbia’s decision to host Ahmadinejad
Business School student Reed Werner, arguing against
Saturday at 2:48 PM with host Jamie Colby:
Journalism School student Bess Kargman, arguing in favor
CC senior and College Republicans president Chris Kulawik, arguing against
Saturday at 5:30 PM with host Julie Banderas:
CC senior and Spectator Editor-in-Chief John Davisson (after Bwog turned the job down), arguing in favor
Monday, after the speech:
CC senior and College Democrats president Josh Lipsky, arguing we’re not sure what (although the Democrats endorsed the decision earlier this afternoon).
45 Comments
@a thought Alejandra Aponte kicked ass. Am I the only one who noticed how short the segment was? O’Reilly and the other Fox shows use a lot of creative editing to create the illusion that they want to create. If they only had three minutes of material, that means that the vast majority of the conversation was her wiping the floor with them.
@pleeaaassseee give us links of the fox news interview with spec’s editor in chief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Fuck u Matt Sanchez http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axEtNHikJ-g
@Kulawik flip flop? Here’s the link to the letter Kulawik co-signed:
http://bwog.net/articles/quickspec_4
“We believe that this presents an incredible opportunity for the student body to learn about world affairs and to challenge a major controversial figure. In a university setting, no view is too disreputable to be excluded – the goal of a university is to hear and present a wide array of opinions so that they may be challenged and debated in the spirit of free speech and the pursuit of knowledge.”
I think Kulawik needs to explain why he supports the letter and yet will be opposing (whatever that means) on Fox News. If Bess Kargman is reading this, she should print off the letter and bring it with her today, in case Kulawik is suddenly anti-invite.
However, it’s entirely plausible that he’ll be consistent, and they’ll both argue that this is an “incredible opportunity.” There are shades of gray – Kulawik could say that, while also being more aggressively anti-Ahmadinejad (again, whatever that means). We’ll just have to wait and see, but I’m definitely interested in whether he’s flip-flopped. That would be too bad.
@#37 Just to clarify, maybe Kargman is a member of the ISO, and this will be a debate between someone who opposes war with Iran and someone who supports it. Not sure if that’s what they believe, but it could be the distinction between them if they both agree Ahmadinejad should speak here.
@rumor someone said there’s columbia on hannity & colmes on monday, too – is that lipsky or someon e else?
@If any of these people were responsible, they would turn down their invitations to appear on the show
@Wow All I have to say is, HOW EMBARASSING. Great that more of our moronic so-called student leaders our putting themselves out there to be made into asinine figures to be mocked by liberals and conservatives alike
@Huh I know Kulawik, who said he’s opposed?
I trust spec (and the petition he signed) more than bwog on real news, remember this is a gossip blog
@yeah I agree. I don’t think Kulawik is opposed & actually believes in the statement as he helped to write it. Although I don’t put it past him to argue the con for his own personal glory on Fox News.
@Irate '10 Why do these gloryhound Columbia students insist on going on FauxNews programs and making the rest of us look like out of touch moral relativists? The consensus on campus from what I can tell is not that he’s not evil – it’s that we should have debate. Whether or not we agree with the invitation, Alejandra Aponte should apologize, first for presuming to represent the student body (who the hell elected her?) and for making us all look like Ivory Tower nincompoops.
@rjt Ooh! Faux News! Incisive political commentary! Micro$oft! Bu$h!
@LOL You often seem to get very elitist over humor, Mr. Trump.
@yah Much as I’m sure John would relish the idea of taking Bwog’s sloppy seconds, Fox first contacted Spec on Wednesday, so I don’t think that’s the case.
@ya... Doubtless true, but at the same time I suspect they do like B&W staffers. Zenilman’s performance was EXACTLY what the O’Reilly Factor was looking for last year.
@agreed! “CC senior and Spectator Editor-in-Chief John Davisson (after Bwog turned the job down), arguing in favor”
How petty, Bwog! As if hundreds of students didn’t receive an e-mail invitation to appear on the O’Reilly Factor and any number of other programs. They’re not exactly being picky.
@oh man she was not what the columbia student body needed right now.
@o god she fucked up. she should have made it absolutely clear that hes a villain
and why was that a vet such a fag?
@Anonymous put these things up on youtube.
please.
I want to laugh a little.
@Speccie I think John is going on Fox News to discuss the position the editorial board took and why they did so.
@well the editor in chief of the paper is above the news section, the “reporting” section. He can represent the paper and/or say what he wants. John, if this is true, here’s hoping you give insight on the two sides. You’re a better journalist than fox news–prove it.
@by the by oh look i’m chris kulawik and i support free speech. oh i mean unless i don’t want to hear what he has to say.
@yay ale in terms of mere public speaking ability, Alejandra shat on Reid Warner. He cleared his throat more times than a thai hooker, and like it’s been said, said basically nothing but what i’m sure he’s read on the right-wing blogs that be. o’reilly has a talent for reducing his debate opponents to speechless incoherent rage, and alejandra didn’t submit. kudos.
@big fan bring back AVI ZENILMAN!
@Avi = joke. That guy was trounced by Bill
@student I agree Ale did okay all things considered. She definitely should have come out much harder on Iran. But given the fact that she found out about this a few hours before the show, and is new to the student leadership thing, she stayed quite composed. In fact I think she did us justice until she was asked about the Iranian president.
@Anonymous i think Alejandra did ok although she was clearly at a disadvantage, it seemed like fox really didnt want to hear her out
@objectivity? This whole post may not be true, but if it is, why would John Davisson agree to support a position? If you’re reporting on this, you should stay neutral. I’m a reporter on campus, I got an e-mail from Fox today, and I said no.
@Wow Kulawik is all KINDS of hypocrit
@uhh none of you care about having mahmoud at school.. you’re just thrilled to have columbia in the news–nobody cares about us. along with brown, cornell, and dartmouth, we’re the losers of the ivy league.
@ttan Alejandra Aponte did very well. She didn’t let the situation devolve into a shouting match, which is what I think a lot of people were expecting. Unfortunately, Bill didn’t do himself any favors. To begin with, he kept calling her “Ponte”.
@are you insane “I can’t judge ahmadinejad’s actions in iran without being in his position and understanding what he’s going through.” -Alejandra Aponte
ARE YOU SERIOUS? You think that’s “doing well”? That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. Gee, maybe Ahmadinejad has some depression and he’s taking it out on his country, I mean, I don’t know, there has to be a reasonable explanation for this, I’m sure he’s a good guy…
@ttan If you’re asking about the substance of the arguments, I think both sides were pretty awful. Alejandra, yes, waffled and flaked. Reed, on the other hand, did nothing but repeat what what every conservative blogger/commentator/pundit has already written. I was merely referring to the fact that she handled the situation far better than the ISO wingnuts who went on O’Reilly last year — she didn’t let it devolve into a shouting match.
@right I think that’s the point. Remember, this is O’Reilly, the show is about HIM. Nobody on his show is more intelligent than he is, because the point is to make him look good. The two girls last year were total idiots, you’re right. But being a silly moral relativist makes Columbia look TERRIBLE because she’s supposed to be some kind of Student Leader, the best of the best. That was awful!!
@ttan Right, and who watching O’Reilly, expecting red meat and mud slinging and towering gushers of blood, really cares about the intellectual and moral content? As you said, the show’s not about content. It’s about O’Reilly. And the fact that she did not allow O’Reilly to make it about him and how loudly he can scream does not just her, but all of Columbia credit.
@Student Ale Aleponte is the Head Delegate for Model UN, the largest international relations club on campus.
@ok then sorry, i didn’t know that. is cumun part of the coalition of groups protesting though? i don’t think so. hopefully she’s at least studied last year’s tapes of columbia on o’reilly.
@A Little Sad I’m a little saddened that this is on Fixednoise (Republikkkan$!!) or I might be able to watch these news idiots go BAAAAAAAAAAAW! No talky! Yes talky! BAAAAAW.
@well i kinda feel sad for the people who are on the pro side on these programs. it’s going to eventually become two people yelling at them, without much discourse
@j'aime ale Ale Aponte is amazing! What a sexy Guatemalan hearthrob. Who’s she representing, Model UN?
@woohoo ale! make 2010 proud :)
@So... can we revive the drinking game?
@uh, yeah, wow, kulawik/who is alejandra aponte? did they just pluck her off of campus?
and i hope lipsky will be talking about how many students will be protesting this man on monday. otherwise, shame on the dems.
@almamater Chris Kulawik signed a petition endorsing Ahmadinejad’s invitation as a great “learning opportunity” in world affairs just a few days ago. Now he’s suddenly had a change of heart? Oh, and by the way, shame on the College Dems.
@hmmm Assuming Bwog is right… because, you know, they’ve never been wrong