my mother felt sorry for Ahmadinejad after that debate. She thought that Bollinger acted like an ass -- not at all like a university president, who's supposed to cultivate free debate should. She said something like, "If he was just invited to Columbia so Bollinger could smack him around, why bother? He should at least be treated with a little respect."
My mother! First, she's all antiwar now... the woman who covered her ears and didn't want me to remind her of all the lies she lived through in the lead up to Afghanistan..... she wanted someone to pay. Now, she's thinking Ahmadinejad should get a fair hearing.
Maybe Chip Berlet's advice about politics and family did the trick. :)