Posted on 04/12/2006 8:30:52 PM PDT by DrewsDad
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Former President Clinton will give this year's commencement address to graduates at the University of Texas' Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, the school announced Wednesday.
Clinton will speak at the school's May 20 convocation ceremony, which is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. at the LBJ auditorium, school spokeswoman Marilyn Duncan said. The event is open to graduates, their families, invited guests and members of the media, she said.
"We are delighted that President Clinton has agreed to address our convocation this spring. As our graduates begin their careers in public service, it is fitting that they gain the perspective of someone who has himself had such a long, distinguished public career," James Steinberg, dean of the LBJ School, said in a press release.
Clinton, whose speaking fees start at $100,000, didn't charge for this event, organizers said.
The last time Clinton gave a speech at the University of Texas was in 2003. The event was open to the public and demand for tickets was so high that it had to be moved from the Bass Concert Hall to the Erwin Center. Clinton spoke for an hour and discussed international diplomacy, President George W. Bush's tax cuts and the then-impending war in Iraq.
"There is a lot of risk in this conflict," he was quoted as saying in the Statesman at the time. "Even though I think it will be over quickly, a lot of innocent people will die."
Organizers seem intent on holding a lower-profile event this time. When former President George H.W. Bush spoke to LBJ graduates in 2002, he was part of the diploma ceremony and posed for pictures with each of the graduates.
lheinauer@statesman.com; 445-3694
Really now, should President Clinton be speaking at an institution with... alright, I won't go there. ;)
Mark your calendars. X42 is coming to Austin May 20th.
I hear he is very knowledgable about public affairs.
His legacy lives on!
LOL. The sign ideas are mounting already.
My calendar is marked.
All graduates are to receive bogus Silver Stars, just like the schools namesake.
Just don't let ol' BJ alone with any of those young female graduates.
protect the interns!
I went to a commencement exercise at the same location 27 years ago. Thank God Clinton wasn't the speaker then. I would have yelled some choice cuss words and walked out, no doubt stunning my siblings, mother, aunts and uncles in the process.
[Bill]Clinton FReeped by Heart of Texas Chapter(Austin) After Action Report[05/05/05]
Texas conservatives, Republicans protest Clinton speech (FreeRepublic.com mentioned)
Golly, and I thought I was going to be creative with: "What does it stand for ? Lewinsky B*** J** ?
Y'all are too fast for me.
LOL
You're too quick!
That's was first thought--Bubba sure knows about public affairs. How appropo he should speak at such a school.
Somebody should tell Clintoon that 'LBJ' stands for Lyndon Baines Johnson and not Large...oh never mind.
We are thinking about a FReeper meetup this month and are open to suggestions for an interesting place such as the Walburg German Restaurant. Do you know any unique places in the Austin area that would be good for that?
,,, why not let Monica talk instead of Bill?
,,, all the way at LBJ.
It's hard to talk with your mouth full........
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