By LAURA SANICOLA
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
As of Mar. 27, both the College Republicans and the College Democrats of Fordham University have announced their speakers for the spring 2014.
The College Republicans have invited Larry Kudlow, host of CNBCs Kudlow Report, to speak at Fordham College at Rose Hill on Monday, April 14. Kudlow, a previous member of the Fordham University Board of Trustees, is a conservative newspaper columnist, economist, television personality and blogger for Kudlow’s Money Politic$.
“The College Republicans are pleased and excited to have Kudlow speaking at Fordham,” said Luke Zaro, FCRH ’16 and president of the College Republicans. “As the only conservative group on campus, we go through a number of politicians, journalists and individuals in the media in our search for a speaker that will share their thoughts and ideas with the Fordham community.”
Previous speakers brought in by the College Republicans include James O’Keefe, a conservative activist who rose to prominence from his use of undercover video journalism, and George Will, a newspaper columnist, journalist, and author. Will notably replaced Ann Coulter, a Republican political commentator, who’s invitation to speak was rescinded following a highly publicized controversy over the College Republicans’ decision to invite such an unpopular figure in the Fordham community.
College Republican President Luke Zaro will welcome Larry Kudlow to campus. (Elizabeth Zanghi/The Ram)
Zaro maintains that aside from obvious budget restrictions, the College Republicans seek to find diverse speakers that will resonate on some level with conservatives, moderates, and libertarians, which comprise most of the organization and the Republican party at large.
“O’Keefe, who spoke in the fall of 2013, is young and ‘antiestablishment’…he used Jon Stewart clips in his presentation,” Zaro laughed. “Jonah Goldberg, another previous speaker brought a fairly typical conservative perspective, and Larry Kudlow brings an economic-based perspective. There has clearly been variation in the political messages of our speakers throughout the years.”
Kudlow’s most recent political commentary has included criticisms on the Bitcoin currency and the Obamacare rollout. Earlier this month he announced his impending retirement from The Kudlow Report, but is expected to remain on CNBC as a contributor after 12 years as a network host.
Despite a budget mishap which left the group with virtually no funds for a speaker this semester, the College Democrats announced that New York City Councilman James Vacca will be speaking at Fordham on Mar. 31 at 8:30 p.m. in Dealy 308. Vacca is a 3rd-term councilman chairing the city council’s Transportation Committee and has been in public service in the Throgs Neck neighborhood of the Bronx for more than 30 years, and reportedly was in the running as a speaker for the College Democrats this year.
“In December, after we learned we didn’t get money for a speaker this semester, our president, Mike Billotti, reached out to several elected officials from New York State and the City with an invite to speak at Fordham,” said Joe O’Brien, FCRH ’16 and treasurer of the College Democrats. “Elected officials cant accept speaking fees, so money no longer became an issue.”
Also expected to speak in mid to late April is Councilman Ritchie Torres, who serves in the Central Bronx.
The College Democrats have worked with Torres in the past, according to O’Brien. “Our club helped campaign for Ritchie Torres this year as he ran to represent the Fordham, Belmont, and surrounding area in the city council.”
At only 25 years old, Torres is one of the youngest members ever elected to the council. He is also the first openly gay elected official serving in the Bronx.
As in previous years, both speakers are expected to draw large crowds as Fordham.
