Governor dismisses protest at Santa Monica college (Schwarzenegger) [View All]

[Kadie]

Governor dismisses protest at Santa Monica college
By The Associated Press

Thursday, June 16, 2005



(06-16) 18:58 PDT SACRAMENTO, (AP) --


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, responding publicly for the first time to the protesters who heckled him at a commencement speech, said he believes most students were attentive and appreciated his words.


Schwarzenegger dismissed the jeers and catcalls he endured during his speech Tuesday to about 600 graduates at Santa Monica College, telling Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that the protesters were inspired by unions who oppose his November special election.


"It was very clear that there was a difference between the students who very much appreciated my speech, and they were sitting there and giving me a standing ovation, and then 100 people in the background, all the way up to the right of the bleachers. They were organized by the public employees' union," Schwarzenegger said Thursday on O'Reilly's show.


"So these were all union people that were organizing this demonstration," he said. "It is not the ordinary people out there. It was not the students that were protesting. The students had great respect and they enjoyed my speech."

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/06/16/state/n185817D18.DTL

Sure Arnie, whatever you say.