logo
University of Alabama students weigh in on President Donald Trump's commencement address

University of Alabama students weigh in on President Donald Trump's commencement address

Yahoo01-05-2025

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — President Donald Trump will deliver a commencement address at the University of Alabama on Thursday. This ticketed event for graduating seniors is set to take place inside Coleman Coliseum at 6:30 p.m.
The event was added to the graduation ceremonies already scheduled to take place by the individual colleges May 2 through May 4.
Nick Saban and University President Stuart Bell are also planning to speak at the event.
UA Senior Clara Hurst says she does not plan to attend his commencement address.
'I just feel like my values do not align with his and not something that I want to go to,' Hurst said.
'I just don't want to deal with the hassle,' another student, Stephen Adkins, said. 'Either way, it's cool for a sitting president to come and do a commencement speech at Alabama.'
'I think it's a cool opportunity for students, especially being a graduating senior. It's something that I'll look back on,' Senior Andrew Stovall added.
The UA College Democrats have planned a peaceful protest from 4- 8 p.m. at Snow Hinton Park. The protest will feature former Representative Beto O'Rourke, former Senator Doug Jones and U.S. Senate candidate Kyle Sweetser.
More information, as well as updates, can be found on the UACD's social media pages.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin gives update on efforts to reduce blighted houses
Riley Mcardle, the Executive Director of the UA Republicans, said he's excited about the president's visit. While he's only a junior, he will get to attend the event.
'First and foremost, I think he should be giving so much honor and praise to our graduates who have worked so hard to get here,' McArdle said, also noting that he would be okay with President Trump discussing his accomplishments.
Braden Vick, President of UACD, said he would not be opposed to a republican commencement speaker as long as they had ties to the University of Alabama.
'But this is Donald Trump,' Vick said. 'This is a guy who has defiled the office of the Presidency throughout his political career. This is a guy who has no real special personal interest in the success of this university, but now he's using it as his playground. We don't exactly take kindly to that around here.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Poll: Majority of Democrats give thumbs-down to their leaders in Congress
Poll: Majority of Democrats give thumbs-down to their leaders in Congress

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Poll: Majority of Democrats give thumbs-down to their leaders in Congress

Most Democrats disapprove of how their party's lawmakers in Congress are handling their jobs, according to a new national poll. Fifty-three percent of Democrats questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday gave their party's congressional members a thumbs-down, while 41% approved of their performance. According to the poll, conducted June 5-8, just 21% of all voters approved of the way Democrats in Congress were handing their jobs, with seven in ten disapproving. Head Here For The Latest Fox News Polling The 21% approval is the same as in Quinnipiac's February national poll, matching "an all-time low since Quinnipiac University first asked this question of registered voters in March 2009." The survey indicates 79% of GOP voters approve of the way congressional Republicans are handling their job, with 13% disapproving. Read On The Fox News App Where Trump Stands In Fox News Polling 100 Days Into His Second Term Among all voters, 32% approved of how GOP congressional members were performing their duties, while just over six in ten disapproved. Overall approval for Republicans in Congress has dropped eight points since Quinnipiac's February poll, with disapproval jumping nine points. The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since November's elections, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party's base. Since President Donald Trump's return to power earlier this year, an increasingly energized base of Democrats is urging party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president's sweeping and controversial agenda during the opening months of his second administration. And their anger is directed not only at Republicans, but at Democrats they feel aren't vocal enough in their opposition to Trump. And that's fueled a plunge in the Democratic Party's favorable ratings, which have hit historic lows in several surveys the past couple of months. The new poll from Quinnipiac also indicates a decline in Trump's approval ratings among voters nationwide. Thirty-eight percent of those questioned in the survey said they approve of the way the president is handling his duties, down three points from Quinnipiac's early April poll. Fifty-four percent in the new poll gave Trump a thumbs-down for his handling of his job as president, down one point from the April survey. Trump's approval ratings were mostly above water as he returned to the White House in late January, but his numbers soon slid underwater in many national surveys and remain in negative territory nearly five months into his second article source: Poll: Majority of Democrats give thumbs-down to their leaders in Congress

Senator Markey announces plans to file amendment on AI regulation
Senator Markey announces plans to file amendment on AI regulation

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Senator Markey announces plans to file amendment on AI regulation

BOSTON (WWLP) – State Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has announced that he intends to file an amendment on AI regulation. Senator Markey said he plans to file an amendment to the Senate reconciliation bill to block Republicans' attempt to prevent states from regulating AI in the next ten years. Senators in both parties have expressed an interest in regulating artificial intelligence. Car dealership aids relief at Baystate Children's Hospital 'Despite the overwhelming opposition to their plan to block states from regulating artificial intelligence for the next decade, Republicans are refusing to back down on this irresponsible and short-sighted provision,' said Senator Markey. Last Tuesday, the senator delivered remarks on the Senate floor opposing the reconciliation bill passed in the House. He also took part in a virtual roundtable last week with advocates to discuss the ban's impact on communities throughout the United States. 'I plan to file an amendment to strip this dangerous provision from Republicans' 'Big Beautiful Bill,'' Markey said. 'Republicans should be prepared to vote on this outrageous policy and explain to their constituents why they are preventing their state leaders from responding to the harms caused by this new and evolving technology.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Schumer says 16 Republicans have ‘discomfort' with green tax credit rollbacks
Schumer says 16 Republicans have ‘discomfort' with green tax credit rollbacks

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Schumer says 16 Republicans have ‘discomfort' with green tax credit rollbacks

Democrats are working to convince some 16 of their Republican colleagues to oppose the GOP's policy bill because of its rollbacks to climate-friendly tax credits, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday. 'We have a group … of seven or eight Democrats who are talking to their Republican colleagues … and we're getting some vibes that people realize this bill went too far, and we're hoping they can all go together to John Thune and to Crapo and say, 'Change it. We can't be for it the way it is,'' Schumer told reporters Wednesday, referring to Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). 'We have a list of 16 Republican senators who have shown some discomfort with this, and that's the main group we're focused on,' he added. The version of the 'big, beautiful bill' passed by House Republicans makes major cuts to tax credits for climate-friendly energy sources, making it so that any project that is not already under construction within 60 days of the law's enactment is ineligible for the tax credits. This provision, among others, is expected to bar many projects from eligibility and could ultimately lead to less low-carbon energy development. At least some Republicans have publicly expressed skepticism of a rapid end to the credits, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Thom Tillis (N.C.), John Curtis (Utah) and Jerry Moran (Kan.) warning against a full repeal. However, House Republicans who have championed the cuts are pushing for them to stay in their current form, with members of the Freedom Caucus board recently saying it will 'not accept' changes that water down the cuts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store