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2015 Commencement Speaker Discussion
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 7:24 am
by Rooster Cogburn
Just wonder if anyone has any guesses .
mine is Rubio.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 7:34 am
by Purple Haize
Rooster Cogburn wrote:Just wonder if anyone has any guesses .
mine is Rubio.
Jeb or Walker
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 8:04 am
by ATrain
Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 8:16 am
by SuperJon
Don't we have this same conversation every year?
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 9:38 am
by jbock13
I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's a Republican politician. Just a wild hunch I have...

Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 9:45 am
by Rooster Cogburn
SuperJon wrote:Don't we have this same conversation every year?
This late??
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 10:06 am
by SuperJon
2014: April 16.
2013: March 31.
2012: April 19.
2011: March 28.
2010: April 23.
2009: April 6.
2008: March 26.
So, yeah.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 10:55 am
by Kiwon
SuperJon wrote:2014: April 16.
2013: March 31.
2012: April 19.
2011: March 28.
2010: April 23.
2009: April 6.
2008: March 26.
So, yeah.
And in 1975.....?
You have too much time on your hands.

Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 10:55 am
by ATrain
Kiwon wrote:SuperJon wrote:2014: April 16.
2013: March 31.
2012: April 19.
2011: March 28.
2010: April 23.
2009: April 6.
2008: March 26.
So, yeah.
You have too much time on your hands. 
Agreed
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 12:20 pm
by SuperJon
That took five minutes on Google while I was installing a website.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 8th, 2015, 3:37 pm
by Rooster Cogburn
OK then.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 9:42 am
by jcmanson
Jeb Bush
Jerry Jr announced this morning on the Get Up & Go Show
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 10:10 am
by BJWilliams
Let the wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth over "ANOTHER" politician begin...
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 10:10 am
by jbock13
.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 10:10 am
by jbock13
BJWilliams wrote:Let the wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth over "ANOTHER" politician begin...
Well... yeah?
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 10:25 am
by BJWilliams
My wife and I are planning to make the trip to Lynchburg for Commencement to support a friend getting his masters degree. The fact that its a politician speaking isn't going to change that. I mean, I am really not a fan of politics and people who know me personally are aware of that dislike. That said, the university can invite whoever they darn well please to speak. Is everyone going to like that decision? Of course not, but that is the beauty of this country I think. What I don't like is that the only time people seem to complain is when its a "politician". What if Oprah Winfrey was speaking...would there be the same level of vitriol? What if it was George Foreman? What if it was Wolf Blitzer? My point is, the university invites people from all walks of life to be a part of speaking to the students (and in this case graduates) from the World's Most Exciting Christian University, and you shouldn't forget that just because you don't like one particular subsection of those speakers.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:06 am
by BJWilliams
Here is the thing though...the school invites non-Republicans to speak here...the onus is on those people to accept or not. When I was a student and we had Tim Kaine come speak (that is the one I most remember, I am sure there were others), a Democrat, the students were nothing but respectful in their response. Yeah, they cheer and what not for Republicans, but its not like they boo at non-Republican speakers. Now you may hear the odd person shouting something, but that is more the exception than the rule.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:17 am
by Purple Haize
I wonder if Jeb will use the occasion to announce his candidacy
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:18 am
by Purple Haize
Purple Haize wrote:Rooster Cogburn wrote:Just wonder if anyone has any guesses .
mine is Rubio.
Jeb or Walker
BTW. Why do people still doubt

Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:19 am
by ATrain
I am not a doubter
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:25 am
by Dr. Sheh
BuryYourDuke wrote:But what is Liberty known for? Bringing in prominent Republican politicians to speak at commencements and convos.
Well said, totally agree.
I think everyone perfectly understands the University can invite whom they please, that much is crystal clear. I just think that some of us wish LU wasn't so closely tied to politics, mainstream republicans specifically (at least for me). Someone would know better than me, my bet is of the last 10 commencements, 6 or 7 are politicians or those connected to politics such as Glenn Beck. I wish we had more prominent ministers or evangelists.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 11:34 am
by ballah09
When you keep digging yourself a reputation as Liberty is doing with being a Republican University with these speakers it's going to be hard getting any liberal democrat or liberal christian (athlete/hollywood) to come speak here. They can keep playing Obama and Hilary rejected our invited but do your blame them? To outsiders Liberty is just as extreme as Cal berkley but with the right. I'm not saying we are because there is so much diversity among the students, staff and faculty it's really not fair.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 12:11 pm
by ATrain
Dr. Sheh wrote:BuryYourDuke wrote:But what is Liberty known for? Bringing in prominent Republican politicians to speak at commencements and convos.
Well said, totally agree.
I think everyone perfectly understands the University can invite whom they please, that much is crystal clear. I just think that some of us wish LU wasn't so closely tied to politics, mainstream republicans specifically (at least for me). Someone would know better than me, my bet is of the last 10 commencements, 6 or 7 are politicians or those connected to politics such as Glenn Beck. I wish we had more prominent ministers or evangelists.
Gingrich, McCain, Romney, Rove, Hannity, Jindal and Beck in this century. So roughly 50%, higher if you count Fox News correspondent Shannon Bream as well. There were 4 straight at the end of Doc's lifespan.
https://halfabridge.wordpress.com/2012/ ... 12-update/
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 12:12 pm
by alabama24
Dr. Sheh wrote:I wish we had more prominent ministers or evangelists.
I think the argument would be: "We do. It's called baccalaureate." We also have many of those speakers in convo. FWIW - I stand by my opinion that the BEST commencement speaker we have had in the past decade was Randall Wallace.
Re: isn't it kinda late to not know who the grad speaker is?
Posted: April 15th, 2015, 12:15 pm
by ATrain
alabama24 wrote:Dr. Sheh wrote:I wish we had more prominent ministers or evangelists.
I think the argument would be: "We do. It's called baccalaureate." We also have many of those speakers in convo. FWIW - I stand by my opinion that the BEST commencement speaker we have had in the past decade was Randall Wallace.
Wallace was a good one, but I also liked Ben Stein at my (second) graduation in 2009.