About 40 graduates turned their backs on House Speaker Newt Gingrich and walked out as he delivered the commencement address at the University of California, San Diego.
The Sunday walkout culminated protests by students who opposed the decision to have the Georgia Republican speak and demanded a say in the selection process.Gingrich was gracious about the dissent, saying he participated in a few protests in his days as a student and recognized the value of differing opinions.
He approached the podium amid both boos and cheers. The crowd on the university's athletic field was estimated by UCSD officials at 8,000.
Last year's UCSD graduation speaker was President Clinton, who used the occasion to launch a yearlong discussion of race relations. Gingrich's speech covered science, technology, political leadership and federal funding for research.