... But in the end it was less the Iranian president’s speech than the introductory remarks from Columbia’s president, Lee Bollinger—an expert in free speech and First Amendment rights—that may have stolen the show.
Answering the concerns of Ahmadinejad's many critics, Bollinger drew gasps and scattered applause as he slammed the Iranian president for displaying "all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator." His voice shaking at times, Bollinger posed several questions to the guest speaker, asking why Iran serves as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and a supporter of "well-documented terrorist organizations that continue to strike at peace and democracy in the Middle East."
As Ahmadinejad listened to Bollinger's remarks via a headset translator, he stood silently with a smirk on his face. Once it was his turn he immediately addressed his introduction, calling it a series of "false claims and allegations." He added, "In Iran, tradition demands that when we ask a person to be a speaker, we actually respect the students and the professors to allow them to make their own judgment." ...
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