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Former President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker at the 147th commencement of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art on May 23. The last time he spoke at the Great Hall, it was in 1993 and he had just been elected president to his first term. This time, he recalled another notable appearance at The Cooper Union, that of Abraham Lincoln. Clinton also touched on themes of achievement, both those of the graduates and of his own administration. George Campbell Jr., The Cooper Union’s president, said his wife, looking forward to hearing Clinton, had told him, “I not only want to hear a politician speak, but one who has something to say.” Campbell’s comment elicited laughs and cheers from the several hundred graduates and family members. Anna Deavere Smith, the playwright and performance artist, was the commencement speaker.