VP Gets Standing Ovation from BYU Graduates

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Vice President Dick Cheney offered a decidedly non-political speech at BYU Commencement exercises yesterday. He spoke of his own path to politics, but mainly offered a warm speech to graduates, full of self-deprecating humor and familiarity with BYU's quirks. And he made some personal revelations about his family's connection to Utah and the LDS Church:

Speech excerpt:

Entire speech (15 mins)

 

Vice President Dick Cheney received enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation for his speech at BYU graduation yesterday. Cheney made no reference to the current political climate, sticking mainly to humorous anecdotes including his first encounter with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in the 1960s:
"Congressman Rumsfeld agreed to talk to me, but things didn't go all that smoothly," said Cheney. "In fact he pretty much threw me out of his office. Don's impression of me was I was kind of a detached, theoretical, academic type. And I thought he was a brash young politician with a cocky attitude. And we were both right."

Cheney made no reference to the controversy surrounding his visit to BYU, nor the protests held earlier in the day. Critics say the LDS Church showed inappropriate political bias with its invitation to the Vice President. In a show of support for the decision, LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley made an unexpected appearance at the ceremony, escorting Cheney into the Marriott Center. Graduates said they were particularly impressed with Cheney's humor and well-prepared references to BYU culture:

"I'm told you probably won't miss your visits to the Testing Center, nor your dealings with the Traffic Office," quipped Cheney. "But you'll remember that ever year that you've been at BYU, the school's ranked number one in the category of Stone-Cold Sober."

The Vice President also gave appreciation to those who had given him a second chance during his career, saying quote "America is still the country of a second chance. Most of us end up needing one."

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