Thomas hearings force Simon to cancel speech
Bye bye bow tie. Sen. Paul Simon has cancelled tomorrow's scheduled speech at the University because of the reopening of Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Simon (D-Ill.) was originally scheduled to speak tomorrow morning in Bodek Lounge, but as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the bow-tied former Democratic presidential candidate must remain in Washington, D.C. to hear testimony on charges that Thomas once sexually harassed a co-worker. Sponsors of the speech said that Simon has not shown any intention of re-scheduling the speech in the future. But as Simon's duties as a legislator take precedence over his responsibilities as a public speaker, many students sponsoring Simon said it would be worth missing Simon's speech if the delay resulted in Thomas' rejection by the Senate. Yoram Borenstein, of co-sponsor Penn Israel Connection, added that "I personally dislike Thomas' views, and if the fact that Simon's not coming to campus will help in getting to the bottom of the issue, then that's for the best."