Politician inspires Model Congress

For the past week Irvine Auditorium has boasted a number of notable political figures including Karl Rove, Bill Clinton and after last night, Penn alumnus and former Congressman Harold Ford Jr (D-Tenn.).

For more than 600 visiting high-school students, Ford's visit marked the beginning of Penn Model Congress - a program that offers them a chance to jumpstart their political futures.

PMC was started in 1977. It is designed to put students abreast of contemporary political issues while sponsoring panels, taking field trips and bringing in guest speakers.

Ford was the keynote speaker at yesterday's opening ceremony of the PMC, which drew high school students from around the country, along with a number of members of the Penn community.

"I owe a lot to this University, and I owe a lot to this auditorium," Ford said.

A 1992 graduate of Penn, Ford served in Congress for 10 years before making an unsuccessful bid to gain a seat in the Senate, left open by retiring Senator Bill Frist. One of the youngest members to ever sit in Congress, the 37-year-old Ford presented the students with a view of what he expects the next generation of politicians to be - young, energetic and eager to serve the best interest of the country.

"Not enough politicians put the country first; they put their party first," he said.

During his speech, Ford covered a wide range of topics that dominate today's political landscape, including America's military presence in Iraq, education, energy conservation and national security.

"I don't think we can take our troops out of Iraq tomorrow," he said. "That would be like losing a war to a gang."

His suggested plan for Iraq entailed a gradual pullout that would allow for more resources to be channeled into important areas such as employment and security.

PMC executive director and College junior Max Reibman said Ford was the most dynamic speaker ever to address the conference in its 11-year history.

"He highlighted some of the most pressing challenges facing our society," Reibman said. "I think it's an incredible opportunity for the high-school students to learn more about our legislature."

The high schoolers weren't the only one's on hand to take in Ford's speech. College sophomore Radhika Gharpure said she found value in Ford's political insight.

"He did a great job introducing the conference and setting a tone for what we want the spirit of the weekend to be," she said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.