Former President George W. Bush said he didn't have much of a choice about speaking at Southern Methodist University's commencement Saturday."I got a call from my landlord … [SMU President] Gerald Turner," said Bush, who has his presidential library on the campus. "Rather than raising the rent or threatening to withhold our security deposit, I was relieved to hear President Turner ask me if I believed in free speech."
After Bush answered yes, Turner replied, "perfect, here's your chance to give one."
Bush was both lighthearted and serious.
And a lot cheaper than Slick or Shrillery.
He was self-deprecating about his public speaking and painting skills, and he invoked his faith while prodding graduates to participate in civic life.
Saturday's graduation address was the first Bush has given since leaving office but his second at SMU. His first was in 1999 while governor of Texas.
Though Bush is a Yale graduate, his wife, Laura, who also attended Saturday's ceremony, is an SMU alumna and on the board of trustees.
After his speech, Bush shook hands and posed with students receiving their doctorate degrees.
Do the Clintons charge for shaking hands? Or maybe you just need to contribute to the Foundation.
One student, who graduated with his law degree, said he found Bush's address "surprisingly entertaining."
"I don't usually agree with him politically, but on the whole, I liked it," he said.
In spite of my expensive leftist education.
One student, who received a degree in finance Saturday, said the former president's speech was "awesome. I loved it," he said. "It was really cool; it was a great way to graduate. I couldn't imagine a better speaker."