In the run up to the 2008 presidential beauty contest, John McCain is getting a lot of press.  Some of it has turned nasty as the MSM has decided they do not need to prop up a foil for Bush any longer (since some of them - and only some - realize he cannot run again).

And in keeping the high profile that he needs, McCain is doing commencement addresses - what politician is not?  McCain has several, but 2 stand out in stark contrast. The New School - headed by his friend and fellow veteran Bob Kerrey, and Liberty University headed by none other than Jerry Falwell. And therein lies the contrast of ideas.  For it seems the "progressives" (why they cannot call themselves liberals is a story in and unto itself) of the New School are up in arms over the choice of commencement speakers!  It seems that the progressive mentality brooks no debate. Period.

It is not that they disagree with his stands, although they surely do.  It is the fact that their fragile hold on a dying ideology cannot stand the temptation of hearing someone who does not believe as they do.  Are the students at Liberty U up in arms?  I mean, other than perhaps Bob Jones U, it is about as conservative a campus as you will find in the US.

But there is no outrage erupting in Lynchburg Va, just at the supposed open minded New York school.  Some accuse Bob Kerrey - who can finally speak openly and truthfully now that he has shucked the yoke of the Democrat leadership and their muzzle - of allowing McCain of offsetting his Liberty University engagement with the one at their school.  This is not only stupid, but is arrogant in the extreme.  And Bob Kerrey rightly debunks this pish posh:

Mr. Kerrey disputed assertions by protesters that Mr. McCain only chose to speak at the New School graduation, which will be held on May 19 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, to offset his appearance at Liberty, in Virginia. "It's the other way around," he said.

Indeed, McCain is never going to be a liberal.  Moderate, sure, but to get the nomination, he needs not liberal endorsements, but those like the ones at Liberty.  Once he gets the nomination, he can appeal to the voters in the center, but he will never appeal to the far left that appears to be afraid to call themselves liberals, or hear a viewpoint not entirely in line with theirs.

Ultimately, the only people these 'progressive' people are hurting are themselves.  For it will allow people yet undecided about their political views a chance to see who is the more tolerant people when it comes to open and honest debate.  This is not new, as it has been the far left that refuses to acknowledge any disagreement with their positions for a long time.  The difference with this situation, and others recently in the news,  is that they are becoming more open about it, and not even bothering to try to hide behind a smoke screen in their intolerance of dissent.