FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse's attempt at humor during a speech at a Nebraska high school's online commencement — which included jokes about students' fitness and psychologists and also blamed China for the coronavirus outbreak — drew strong criticism.

The Republican senator's speech on Saturday was panned by a Fremont High School board member and his Democratic opponent in the November election. Sasse's spokesman, James Wegmann, told the Omaha World-Herald Sunday the senator was joking during the graduation speech.

Sasse said during the speech "95% of all gainfully employed psycho...