“As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am saddened at efforts by some of my fellow liberals to silence commencement speakers with whom they might disagree on some issues.”

American political analyst, pundit, and operative

Bob Beckel was an American political analyst, pundit, and political operative. Born in 1948 and active in U.S. television politics for many years, he was known for his work as a Democratic commentator, especially on Fox News. From 2011 to 2015, Beckel appeared on Fox News as an analyst and commentator and was an original co-host of The Five. After a period away for back surgery, he later became a commentator for CNN and then returned to Fox News in 2017. His public profile was built around sharp political commentary and a long career in Democratic politics and media.