Beck ranted at New School graduation speaker Jean Rohe: “Shut up! Shut up! Shut Up! I can't take her!”

Written by Rob Morlino

Published

On his CNN Headline News show, Glenn Beck played an excerpt of a graduation speech by New School University graduate Jean Rohe, in which she asserted that Sen. John McCain's selection as keynote speaker “was a top-down decision that did not take into account the desires and interests of the student body.” While the excerpt was playing, Beck rolled his eyes, then turned his back to the screen before covering his ears and shouting: “Jean! Jean! ... Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I can't take her!”

On the May 22 edition of his CNN Headline News show, nationally syndicated radio host Glenn Beck reported that New School University graduate Jean Rohe, in remarks at the school's commencement on May 19, took issue with the decision by New School president and former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) to select Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as the ceremony's keynote speaker. Rohe stated, “The senator does not reflect the ideals upon which this university was founded.” While playing an excerpt of Rohe's speech, in which she asserted that McCain's selection “was a top-down decision that did not take into account the desires and interests of the student body,” Beck rolled his eyes, then turned away from the screen before covering his ears and shouting: “Jean! Jean! ... Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I can't take her!”

From the May 22 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: All right. Welcome to today's “Quality of Life” market update. The commencement sector took a big hit today on the news that some college graduates have apparently gone four years, or in some cases much longer, without ever learning the first thing about manners. Senator John McCain, speaking at New York's New School -- I love that one -- took the podium and was greeted by dozens of students and faculty members turning their backs on him. Watch this.

McCAIN [clip]: Only a fool or a fraud sentimentalizes war. Americans should argue about this war. It has cost the lives of nearly 2,500 of the best of us.

BECK: OK, stop the video. This is actually -- when he started talking about Vietnam, they actually started screaming, “Boring” out to him. Undergraduate keynote speaker Jean Rohe, later addressed the crowd, was adamant in her belief that a commencement address is the wrong place to inject partisan politics. Listen to her.

ROHE [clip]: Right now, I'm going to be who I am and digress from my previously prepared remarks that I had been working on for the past several weeks. The senator does not reflect the ideals upon which this university was founded. Not only this -- please -- not only this, but his invitation was a top-down decision that did not take into account the desires and interests of the student body.

BECK: Jean! Jean!

ROHE: I do know that pre-emptive war is dangerous and wrong, that George Bush's agenda in Iraq is not worth --

BECK: Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I can't take her!