Columbia Students May Vote on ROTC

15 September 2008 New York Sun article "Columbia Students May Vote on ROTC".  Note:  The article reports that a vote to hold "a student-wide referendum about whether the military program should be allowed ... could come as early as this week."  The article also described the reaction of 7,500 people watching video feed of the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia.  "Mr. McCain was booed by students when he voiced his opposition to the ban, but that when Mr. Obama expressed a similar sentiment, the crowd had a different response.  "Almost everyone's expecting him to say no, because he's on our side, right? So then you heard him say 'yes' and everyone's mouths opened in stunned silence. It was absolutely priceless," Mr. Hirsch said."

Obama and McCain v. Ivy League

13 September 2008 Wall Street Journal editorial "Obama and McCain v. Ivy League".  Note:  The Journal described the boos in the audience at the 11 September presidential candidate forum when Senator McCain called for lifting the ban on ROTC at Columbia and the "silence when crowd favorite Mr. Obama (Columbia '83) called the ban "a mistake"".  The editorial asked "if a bipartisan rebuke on ROTC is enough to shame Columbia and the other Ivies into changing their dishonorable act".  See letters on 27 September.

ROTC and the Ivies: The presidential candidates agree that the de facto ban by elite universities should end

13 September 2008 Washington Post editorial "ROTC and the Ivies: The presidential candidates agree that the de facto ban by elite universities should end."  Note:  The Post observes that "the restoration of ROTC at the Ivies might help reconnect two important American subcultures -- elite academia and the military officer corps -- that have grown apart"

Despite Campaign Halt, Event Focuses on Political Issues

12 September 2008 Columbia Spectator article "Despite Campaign Halt, Event Focuses on Political Issues".  Note:  The article discussed the pro-ROTC statements by Senators McCain and Obama at the 11 September presidential candidate forum at Columbia and interviewed Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden after the event, who agreed that ROTC should be a choice on campus. “I think that there should be ROTC on campus. No one has to show up and sign up. Just as I defended this University’s right to invite Ahmadinejad, regardless of how bad that judgment may have been, how can you say that there should not be an ROTC group here?"

School of War

12 September 2008 WNYC Brian Lehrer show "School of War".  Note: The show played the audio clip of Senator Obama's answer on ROTC at the 11 September presidential candidate forum.  Scott Jaschik, the editor of Inside Higher Education, noted Senator Obama's opposition to the "Don't ask, don't tell" law and observed that "if Obama were able to execute all of his plans, the opposition of many on campus to ROTC units might also evaporate".  He added that "some people are arguing that American society would benefit if more military leaders were educated at places like Columbia".  Robert McCaughey, professor of history at Barnard College and a former naval officer responded to

Obama, All Talk, No Action on Bringing ROTC Back to Campus

12 September 2008 National Review "Campaign spot" item "Obama, All Talk, No Action on Bringing ROTC Back to Campus" by Jim Geraghty.  Note:  Geraghty noted Senator Obama's pro-ROTC remarks at the 11 September presidential candidate forum and wrote "it would have helped if the senior lecturer/professor had ever said or done something about it while he was teaching at the University of Chicago, which kicked ROTC off campus during the Vietnam War ... The University's student newspaper has opined in favor of bringing back ROTC."

Fox's Williams falsely suggested Obama has changed position in now supporting ROTC on campuses

12 September 2008 Media Matters for America article "Fox's Williams falsely suggested Obama has changed position in now supporting ROTC on campuses".  Note:  The left-of-center media watch group documents that Senator Obama took an approach to ROTC in a 15 January Democratic presidential debate that was similar to the position that he took at the 11 September ServiceNation forum at Columbia University.

Obama and McCain Remarks at ServiceNation Summit Forum

11 September 2008 Congressional Quarterly transcript "Obama and McCain Remarks at ServiceNation Summit Forum".  Note:  Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama discussed ROTC.  McCain brought it up himself, saying "And frankly, we’re here in a wonderful institution. I’m proud that my daughter graduated from this school. But do you know that this school will not allow ROTC on this campus? I don’t think that’s right. Shouldn’t the students here be exposed to the attractiveness of serving in the military, particularly as an officer?  ...  I would hope that these universities would re-examine that policy of not even allowing people who come here to represent the military and other Ivy League schools and then maybe they will be able to attract some more."  Senator Obama was asked by moderator Richard Stengel "your alma mater, invited President Ahmadinejad of Iran to be here last year, but they haven’t invited ROTC to be on campus since 1969. Should Columbia and elite universities that have excluded ROTC invite them back on campus?"  Obama replied "Yes. I think we’ve made a mistake on that.  I recognize that there are students here who have differences in terms of military policy. But the notion that young people here at Columbia or anywhere, in any university, aren’t offered the choice, the option of participating in military service, I think is a mistake.  That does not mean we disregard any potential differences in various issues that are raised by the students here, but it does mean that we should have an honest debate while still offering opportunities for everybody to serve, and that’s something that I’m pretty clear about."

Why McCain, Time, and Obama Are Wrong About ROTC

11 September 2008 ObamaPolitics.com blog item "Why McCain, Time, and Obama Are Wrong About ROTC".  Note: Wilson, author of Barack Obama: This Improbable Quest, points out the lack of parallelism between Columbia's hosting of an appearance by Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Columbia's decision not to host ROTC programs since one involves speech and the other involves setting up an educational program.  He suggests alternatives for reconciling university norms with the ROTC Vitalization Act of 1964.  An ROTC program at Princeton already implements many such approaches.

ServiceNation Announces Columbia University to Host "ServiceNation Presidential Candidates Forum"

3 September 2008 Columbia University press release "ServiceNation Announces Columbia University to Host "ServiceNation Presidential Candidates Forum": Presidential Candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will Kick-off the Two-day Summit on Civic Engagement and Public Service on Sept. 11".  Note:  The 9/11 timing, the setting at Columbia and the inclusion of military veterans make it likely that the ROTC issue will be discussed.  As noted in the ServiceNation press release, "the public is encouraged to submit on-topic questions for the candidates at http://tinyurl.com/6jmhd5".

The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas

15 January 2008 Federal News Service transcript "The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas".  Note:  Moderator Tim Russert asked "There's a federal statute on the books which says that, if a college or university does not provide space for military recruiters or provide a ROTC program for its students, it can lose its federal funding.  Will you vigorously enforce that statute?" Senator Clinton said "Yes, I will...  I think that everyone should make available an opportunity for a young man or woman to be in ROTC, to be able to join the military and I'm going to do everything I can to support the men and women in the military and their families."  Russert followed-up by asking "Of the top 10 rated schools, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, they do not have ROTC programs on campus.  Should they?" and Clinton responded "Well, there are ways they can work out fulfilling that obligation. But they should certainly not do anything that either undermines or disrespects the young men and women who wish to pursue a military career."  To the same question about ROTC Senator Obama responded "Yes. One of the striking things, as you travel around the country, you go into rural communities and you see how disproportionally they are carrying the load in this war in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan. And it is not fair. Now, the volunteer Army, I think, is a way for us to maintain excellence."  Senator Edwards also responded affirmatively but switched immediately to discuss veterans' issue.  None of the candidates mentioned the "Don't ask, don't tell" law cited by these universities in banning ROTC.