Obama Says ‘Ignorance Is Not a Virtue’ in Latest Swipe at Trump
- President bemoans anti-intellectualism in commencement speech
- Comments reflect Obama’s coming role as surrogate-in-chief
President Barack Obama speaks after receiving an honorary doctorate of laws during the 250th anniversary commencement ceremony at Rutgers University on May 15, 2016, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Photographer: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama told graduating students at Rutgers University that “ignorance is not a virtue” in politics, as the president continued to attack Donald Trump -- by implication, if not by name -- for his provocative campaign pronouncements.
“Facts, evidence, reason, logic, an understanding of science, these are good things,” Obama said in a commencement address Sunday on the university’s New Brunswick, New Jersey, campus. “These are qualities you want in people making policies. These are qualities you want to continue to cultivate in yourselves as citizens.”