ATL broke the news earlier this month that Northwestern Law School selected Jerry Springer as commencement speaker for its May 16 graduation.

ATL got a shout-out in the Chicago Tribune, which described the controversy around Springer’s selection. Despite some students’ dissatisfaction, the decision is final:

Last week, the students who selected Springer announced in an e-mail to classmates that their decision had faculty approval and was final, emphasizing that he also was an Emmy-winning news anchor and political commentator who had drawn large crowds at previous speaking engagements.

On Sunday, Springer, a 1968 graduate of the law school, confirmed that he will deliver the address.

“The students invited me, and I’m honored,” Springer said through his publicist, Linda Shafran. Although he has spoken on numerous college campuses, Shafran said, this will be Springer’s first commencement address.

We had a poll last week asking, “Do you support Northwestern Law School’s selection of Jerry Springer as its graduation speaker?” Here are the results. Springer had your overwhelming support, with over 76% voting in favor of the selection.

There was extensive discussion on our earlier post. We chose a few of your comments to highlight, after the jump.

Controversy surrounds choice of Jerry Springer as commencement speaker at Northwestern University Law School [Chicago Tribune]

Earlier: Jerry Springer to be Commencement Speaker at Northwestern Law School

Springer is a Northwestern law grad (‘68), former Cincinnati mayor, and an Emmy Award winner. But he’s had scandal in his life, resigning from the Cincinnati City Council after he paid for a prostitute, and he’s the ringmaster of the Jerry Springer Show, which many consider… what’s the word?… trashy.

Here’s what the commenters had to say in his support:

Having Jerry Springer as your graduation speaker, instead of some boring random judge, is awesome. That’s a story to tell your kids. I’m jealous.

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The guy is a great speaker. Hell, he was the Mayor of Cincy (I know it is a TTT, but still). I would also bet that he is smarter than 99% of the kids he would be addressing (same percentage applies to commentors here). I would also say that his career is the envy of any biglaw partner out there — more $, no work, no stress, and naked chicks (although often fat inbreeds).

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I graduated from Norhtwestern last year. I don’t remember who our speaker was, but I remember she said nothing worth-while or interested. I think she just read her resume to us, then read a few other people’s resume’s to us, then listed like 10 or 15 alums who had done something that she thought was very impressive, but it wasn’t impressive enough that any of us had heard of any of them (save for a few). Then we got our little hood, and went to lunch with our families. Basically is was not “Etched” into my heart forever. My wife will be graduating this year, and let’s just say I’m looking forward to being in the audience more than I was two weeks ago. That said, they could have found someone who was both dignified and interesting. But if we have to choose between the two, I’ll take interesting.

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As a Cincinnatian, I can attest: Jerry Springer is more than his latest incarnation as a talk show host. He started out as a gifted progressive civic leader, and he has appeared in Ohio this year as a thoughtful, articulate advocate for Democratic candidates here. But don’t take my word: Listen to WBEZ’s popular radio show, “This American Life,” which includes a profile of him. People who knew him as an elected official compared him to JFK. Expect him to resurrect that tone as your graduation speaker. Prepare to be surprised.

And from those opposed:

wow. the fact that people are defending this schmuck as a speaker makes me want to cry.

Jerry Springer: prime example of the degradation of the human race for money.

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What is there to argue about?:

This man exploits stupid, poor, desperate people for holier-than-thous to laugh at and belittle. He encourages violent solutions to messed up situations and shows that the personal problems of others are to laughed at and mocked.

And you guys think that’s admirable? This guy’s scum, plain and simple. Any “admirable history” (yes he was a politician! whoo hoo! so awesome!) is immediately swallowed by his scum-sucking, dirt-wallowing show.

He’s slime, and the Law school is slime for giving this cretin the stage. The Law School Faculty should be ashamed, and the alumni should be up in arms.

Who’s next? O.J. Simpson? Tonya Harding? Monica Lewinsky? Maybe Florida Cowgirl? Jason Blair!? Or Stephen Glass?

The majority of the comments, like the poll, suggest that people are looking forward to hearing Springer speak. We asked before, but we’ll ask again: Will there be midgets?