One year after speaking at Harvard, Novak said Harvard and Berkeley host only “left-wing speakers”

Written by Raphael Schweber-Koren

Published

CNN host Robert Novak claimed on Crossfire that "[t]hey only have left-wing speakers on campuses like Berkeley and Harvard." In fact, conservatives have spoken at both universities, including Novak's own speech (video) at Harvard University's Institute of Politics on April 8, 2004.

In addition to Novak, other notable conservatives have spoken at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. They include:

  • Former executive director of the Christian Coalition and Southeast regional chairman for the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign Ralph Reed (Harvard, 3/23/05)
  • Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith (Harvard, 3/3/05)
  • U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (Harvard, 9/28/04)
  • Former U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige (Harvard, 4/22/04)
  • Bush-Cheney '04 campaign manager Ken Mehlman (Harvard, 4/13/04)
  • Former Club for Growth president Stephen Moore (Harvard, 3/11/04)
  • Students for Academic Freedom president David Horowitz (UC Berkeley, 2/3/05)
  • Former U.S. Senate candidate Bill Jones (UC Berkeley, 10/6/04)
  • Weekly Standard editor William Kristol (UC Berkeley, 10/4/04)
  • Conservative columnist and author Michelle Malkin (UC Berkeley, 9/7/04)

From the April 7 edition of CNN's Crossfire:

PAUL BEGALA (co-host): Well, all right, just to support Bob, I'll get off of President Bush for a moment and get on to an unusual target.

Arkansas State University Mountain Home advertises itself as a school where students can develop what are called -- quote -- “critical thinking skills” -- unquote. So, why are they censoring a speaker? David Corn of The Nation is one of the most brilliant and progressive journalists of our time. He's also a fine speaker, as Fox News recognized when they hired him as an analyst.

When Mr. Corn was asked to speak at Arkansas State University Mountain Home -- at a greatly reduced fee, I might add -- he agreed. And then some weasel named Mick Spaulding, the vice chancellor for development, disinvited Mr. Corn. David was told he was dumped because his website, www.DavidCorn.com, advertised T-shirts with slogans like: “Don't blame me. I voted for Kerry.”

Pretty tame stuff compared to Dick “Potty Mouth” Cheney, but apparently enough to get booted from Arkansas State University Mountain Home. You know, it's a school that doesn't get mentioned on CNN very often. And it's too bad the only time it does is to expose its censorship and close-mindedness. Incidentally, Mr. Spaulding's email is MSpaulding@asumh.edu, MSpaulding@ -- well, you got it on the screen. Whatever.

NOVAK: I would recommend to Mr. Spaulding that he reinvite Mr. Corn. I think everybody should --

BEGALA: Good for you.

NOVAK: These students should hear all points of view. But that --

[bell ringing]

NOVAK: The real problem with the universities, Paul, is that they don't invite conservatives. They have only left-wing speakers on campuses like Berkeley and Harvard. They don't let people like me tell them what the truth is about America.

[laughter]

BEGALA: Well, they should have you. They should.