Jerrrr-rrry, Jerrrr-rrry, Jerrrr-rrry, no, that Lee, Lee, Lee

I agreed with those who considered it unseemly for Columbia University to invite Iran's tyrant to speak on its campus. I also consider the "blistering introduction" by university president Lee Bollinger, in which he called the speaker a "petty and cruel dictator," the same way.

What is the point of inviting someone to campus and then trashing him during the introduction? If he was not worthy of a respectful introduction, wouldn't that indicate that he shouldn't have been invited in the first place? Was this Columbia University, or a remote taping of the Jerry Springer Show?