ChicagoClout

chicagotribune.com Daley finds NU graduates a tough crowd After complaining about the selection of speaker, some consider his talk 'generic,' one he would give 'anywhere, anytime' By Dan Mihalopoulos Tribune reporter 10:47 PM CDT, June 20, 2008 Appearing unfazed by the campus controversy over his selection as commencement speaker, Mayor Richard Daley told Northwestern University graduates Friday evening that he would try "to impart some of what I've learned in pursuing a life's passion of public service." Some students had complained that Daley's selection as speaker was a letdown after the university's president promised that an "extremely well-known person" would be coming to Evanston to address the Class of 2008. Hewing closely to a prepared text, Daley made only faint reference to the tempest shortly after stepping up to the podium for his 15-minute speech. "For those of you who still don't know me very well, I've been for the last 19 years the CEO of the city of Chicago, one of the most culturally rich, economically diverse, globally recognized cities on Earth," said the mayor, who was awarded an honorary doctorate in law. "With that as the foundation, I will do my best." Graduates gave the mayor's talk mixed reviews. "It was the most generic speech anybody could come up with," said Laila Chen, a political science graduate who grew up near the mayor's Bridgeport neighborhood. "None of it was directed to us. It was just about him selling himself, the city, the Olympics. He could have given that speech to anyone, anywhere, anytime--and he probably has." Tyler Brandt, a computing graduate from Berkeley, Calif., said, "He spent a lot of time talking about what he had done and all the things that made him great and not so much time talking to us." Indeed, it was the kind of talk he often gives to out-of-town visitors or on trips abroad. Daley highlighted his takeover of Chicago's public schools and his efforts to make Chicago "the most environmentally friendly city in the nation." He also spoke of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Daley urged students to volunteer for the Olympic effort and look for other ways to serve the public. Chelsea Lambert, a mathematics and English literature major from Vero Beach, Fla., may take him at his word. She said she is encouraged to volunteer, perhaps helping "underprivileged adults." And Saad Qazi, a Chicagoan who received a master's in information systems, said he was happy to hear about the city's Olympic push. "I like Mayor Daley," he said. . "Actually, I came to this ceremony because he was here." Daley closed by telling the students they can change the world, despite the gloomy outlook of society: "Don't let the cynics and skeptics discourage you. You can make a difference. In fact, we're counting on you."