Bush Denounces Legacy Admissions

[The Kernel]

CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Friday he opposes the use of a family history at colleges or universities as a factor in determining admission.

Bush stated his position to what's known as "legacy" in response to a question during a Washington forum for minority journalists called Unity 2004.

He was asked, "Colleges should get rid of legacy?"

Bush responded, "Well I think so, yes. I think it ought to be based upon merit."

Under legacy programs, applicants are given an advantage if their parents or grandparents attended the school. Bush, a third-generation graduate of Yale University, joked about his own legacy.

"Well, in my case, I had to knock on a lot of doors to follow the old man's footsteps," he said to laughter.

Bush's remark came as he was being grilled about his opposition to affirmative action programs that consider race as a factor for admission, particularly through quota systems.

Bush said admission should be based "on merit."

Bush has not previously expressed opposition to the use of family lineage at a university to help admission.

In a lengthy exchange with the journalist, Bush said there should be no "special exception for certain people."

He expressed his support for diversity.
Affirmative action

While Bush clearly stated his opposition to quotas, he also suggested that he was not opposed to affirmative action.

But he didn't explain what the distinction was.

"I support college affirmatively taking action to get more minorities in their school," Bush said as the audience laughed.

Prominent civil rights leaders have also called for an end to the legacy practice, as have some Democrats -- including vice presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards.

In a 2002 speech on education, Edwards called it "a birthright out of 18th-century British aristocracy, not 21st-century American democracy."

Following Bush's remark on Friday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN it's a positive step "if it's a policy, not just a speech."

"'Legacy points' are very widespread for children of wealth," he said, arguing that underprivileged children have their opportunities limited by a legacy system.

What I find particularly amusing about this is that from all indications, Bush would have never gotten into Yale if it hadn't been for Legacies. His third generation status got him literally 90% of the way there.

[Stormbringer]

What I find particularly amusing about this is that from all indications, Bush would have never gotten into Yale if it hadn't been for Legacies. His third generation status got him literally 90% of the way there.

No kidding, jeez.

[Master of Ossus]

Bush wouldn't have gotten into Yale without the legacy policy, but that doesn't mean he can't oppose it, now. Frankly, I agree with him that it should be done away with.

[The Kernel]

Bush wouldn't have gotten into Yale without the legacy policy, but that doesn't mean he can't oppose it, now. Frankly, I agree with him that it should be done away with.

I agree as well, I'm just making fun of the fact that he is perhaps the biggest abuser of it I've ever heard of.

[Keevan_Colton]

*whistles "Oh, I'm a hypocritcal bastard"*

[Stormbringer]

Bush wouldn't have gotten into Yale without the legacy policy, but that doesn't mean he can't oppose it, now. Frankly, I agree with him that it should be done away with.

I think that it should too. But it's funny that he's abusing it when it's probably the only reason he was allowed into a college, let alone Yale.

[General Zod]

Bush wouldn't have gotten into Yale without the legacy policy, but that doesn't mean he can't oppose it, now. Frankly, I agree with him that it should be done away with.

I think that it should too. But it's funny that he's abusing it when it's probably the only reason he was allowed into a college, let alone Yale.

i suppose it would be too much to hope for that he realized all the fuck ups he's made, realized that being admitted into yale through legacies allowed him to get into this type of position, and is now attempting to get it rescinded to prevent anyone else from following in his footsteps and being permitted to make the same mistakes. but that would presume bush had a conscience.

[Master of Ossus]

I agree as well, I'm just making fun of the fact that he is perhaps the biggest abuser of it I've ever heard of.

True.

For scores as low as Larry's, Yale would need a new international airport.

[RedImperator]

Bush wouldn't have gotten into Yale without the legacy policy, but that doesn't mean he can't oppose it, now. Frankly, I agree with him that it should be done away with.

I think that it should too. But it's funny that he's abusing it when it's probably the only reason he was allowed into a college, let alone Yale.

i suppose it would be too much to hope for that he realized all the fuck ups he's made, realized that being admitted into yale through legacies allowed him to get into this type of position, and is now attempting to get it rescinded to prevent anyone else from following in his footsteps and being permitted to make the same mistakes. but that would presume bush had a conscience.

So...........you're saying that he SHOULD be in favor of qualified applicants getting left out in the cold because someone else got in on a legacy admission?

Christ, yes, it's hypocritical for him of all people to be against legacy admissions, but it's not like he can go back in time now and apply to Texas A&M. Hypocracy is overrated as a character flaw, frankly, and it has no bearing on his argument, which happens to be right (insert saying about broken clocks here).

[General Zod]

So...........you're saying that he SHOULD be in favor of qualified applicants getting left out in the cold because someone else got in on a legacy admission?

being sarcastic mainly. . . .doesn't seem it quite came out the way i wanted though. and my post was supposed to be in favor of abolishing the legacy applicants actually.

[Darth Wong]

So...........you're saying that he SHOULD be in favor of qualified applicants getting left out in the cold because someone else got in on a legacy admission?

He's just pointing out that Bush is a flaming hypocrite.

Christ, yes, it's hypocritical for him of all people to be against legacy admissions, but it's not like he can go back in time now and apply to Texas A&M. Hypocracy is overrated as a character flaw, frankly, and it has no bearing on his argument, which happens to be right (insert saying about broken clocks here).

No one here has defended legacy admissions. But when Bush of all people wants them struck down despite making "flip-flopping" the linchpin of his hate campaign against Kerry, I think we have a license to say he's a fucking hypocritical bastard.

[Stravo]

With this latest hypocritical bullshit statement Bush reminds me of the immigrants who got here on special circumstances then want to tighten up the regulations to keep those others out. There's a special kind of shittiness to a person that takes advantage of a system then once he's squeezed everything out of it criticizes it and tries to shut it down.

[Howedar]

So...........you're saying that he SHOULD be in favor of qualified applicants getting left out in the cold because someone else got in on a legacy admission?

Christ, yes, it's hypocritical for him of all people to be against legacy admissions, but it's not like he can go back in time now and apply to Texas A&M. Hypocracy is overrated as a character flaw, frankly, and it has no bearing on his argument, which happens to be right (insert saying about broken clocks here).

If he acknowledged that he took advantage of the legacy system when he was going through college, I think you'd see a lot less cries of "Hypocrite!".