ITHACA, N.Y. -- To explain why there is hope in the adversity of today's world, political strategist James Carville carried 5,000 Cornellians, their families and friends to the magical world of A.A.Milne's Hundred Acre Wood on Saturday, May 24.

Speaking at the Senior Convocation in Barton Hall during the university's 135th Commencement weekend, Carville told of once pondering the advice he should give to graduating seniors, and suddenly deciding to draw on the wisdom of children's literature. He had been watching a "Winnie-the-Pooh" movie with his two-year-old daughter, and there was a crisis in the Hundred Acre Wood. Christopher Robin told Pooh, "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."

Carville told the graduating students that sooner or later "you're going to have a gut-wrenching fear. … At that moment that fear is too great. I want you to close your eyes and go to that Hundred-Acre Wood. And I want you to think, you're stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and braver than you believe."

When Carville was introduced as a Democratic strategist on Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns it drew an enthusiastic round of applause. When it was mentioned that Carville was married to Mary Matalin, Republican commentator and political activist, there was an equally enthusiastic cheer.

Carville told the graduates, teetering on the verge of becoming alumni, that tough times lie ahead for them, but not to view life as pointless or hopeless. "There's no sense in pretending you don't face adversity ahead … but it ain't all bad," he said. "When you learn to accept and deal with it, you'll have happiness in your life."

At a media conference prior to the Convocation, Briana Collins, a student writing intern with the Cornell Chronicle, asked Carville if he knew who would replace Ari Fleischer, the presidential press secretary, who recently announced his resignation to work in the private sector. "I can't remember, but I know who would know," said Carville, reaching for his phone and calling his wife.

While Carville waited for his wife to come to the phone, Carville quipped, "She's on another call, I guess she'll have to put [Vice President] Dick Cheney on hold." But Matalin was unable to take his call.

During the media conference, Carville was loquacious about the political landscape. He noted that since the war in Iraq ended, President Bush's popularity has dropped 10 to 15 points in the late May polls.

He said that Americans are feeling pinched, and he explained that the current economy would make the 2004 presidential election far different from the 1992 campaign. 'The situation is more dire than it was in 1992 [when Bill Clinton first ran for president]," he said. "This administration is more reckless than the 12 years of Republican rule before Clinton," he said.

Carville expressed confidence in the Democratic party in the next presidential race and said he felt that the presidency was within the party's reach. "War and tax cuts are not the only answer to all of our problems," he said. "We know tax cuts won't work. Then the Republicans tell us to invest, which in itself is a cockamamie idea, because there is more to it than that."

The U.S. economy is sputtering for many reasons, not the least of which is that "we have a demand problem," Carville said. "The states, in the meantime, need to build and improve infrastructure -- parks, schools, roads." He said, "We need to get some hammers swingin' and people workin'."

At the Convocation, Nicole Manning and Carl Jones Jr., the Class of 2003 alumni co-presidents, said that more than 34 percent of the senior class donated to the annual class gift. The class presented $49,335.78 to the university for a Class of 2003 scholarship.