As a part of this year’s Founder’s Day festivities, the Washington University Alumni Association sponsored a question and answer session with former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, a 2000 presidential candidate.
Following brief introductions by Chancellor Wrighton, SU President Justin Ragner and Marie Oetting, chairman of the Alumni Board of Governors, Bradley began a short speech before asking for questions from the student audience.
Senator Bradley’s opening comments focused on the political leadership of the country and later addressed the role of college students in politics, especially in his own presidential campaign, which drew large support on American campuses.
“I won every college town we ran in, but there were not enough college students,” said Bradley. “I did get a [positive] response from young people across the country because I was basically very candid about where we are in the country.”
Bradley’s closing remarks addressed prolematic areas of American society. Specifically, he focused on healthcare and child poverty as issues of great concern. He concluded his speech by discussing the role of politicians as representatives of the American people.
Aside from a small group of students-including heads of political organizations, student government, and media-who were given automatic invitations to the event, a lottery determined which students could attend the discussion, held at Anheiser-Busch Hall’s Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom.
While the organizers of the event had ten screened questions submitted by those with automatic invites to the event, Bradley simply took questions from the audience at large if a student raised his hand. Most of the prepared questions were not asked.
“During your time as senator, what do you feel has been your most important contribution?” asked Brian Shank, president of the College Republicans. Legislative initiatives, including the 1986 Tax Reform Act, Bradley said, had the most sweeping impact of his efforts.
Another student asked Bradley to explain and debate the reluctance of young people to get involved with politics, when there is a stigma attached to the profession. Bradley cited three factors undermining involvement: the overblown role of money in politics, national media that are generally “much too superficial and sensational,” and a lack of politicians who speak from core convictions.
Many questions addressed the recent terrorist attacks. When asked how he felt President George W. Bush was doing in responding to the tragedy, Bradley’s response was positive, while he added that Bush could “do more.”
“I think [Bush] is doing a good job, but it is too early to tell. The president did what he needed to do. He effectively mourned the loss of 6,000 Americans,” said Bradley.
Bradley, a native of Crystal City, Mo., and former basketball player for the New York Knicks, was in St. Louis to deliver the keynote speech at the Founder’s Day banquet which took place that night at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton.