Bush will speak at AFA graduation

The 950 or so graduating Air Force Academy cadets could be saluted by their commander in chief when they receive diplomas next month.

President Bush will address the Class of 2008 at graduation May 28, the academy announced Thursday. The president, who traditionally takes a turn as graduation speaker in a four-year rotation at the service academies, was last at the Air Force Academy in 2004.

Bush's visit is guaranteed to draw a larger crowd than in recent years, as well as heightened security at Falcon Stadium

"It's the highest interest for any speaker we get here," academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker said, predicting that the tickets available for the public will go fast. "Seating will be limited."

That was the case during Bush's visit four years ago when the extra tickets for the public were gone in less than an hour. The academy said it plans to give away extra tickets through the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce as in past years but hasn't set a date for when those tickets will be available.

The number of public tickets is determined after the academy learns how many will be needed for cadets and their families.

In 2004, in the midst of a presidential election and barely a year into the Iraq war, Bush spoke about his vision for a peaceful and democratic Middle East inspired by the ouster of Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein.

"Like other totalitarian movements, the terrorists seek to impose a grim vision in which dissent is crushed, and every man and woman must think and live in colorless conformity," Bush told cadets in his 2004 speech. "So to the oppressed peoples everywhere, we are offering the great alternative of human liberty."

Bush's vision has become bogged down in a bloody insurgency, and Bush has had to defend his decision to launch the 2003 invasion.

Cadets and graduates will likely remember Bush's 2004 appearance for something other than his commencement speech. After giving his speech, the president, who was only scheduled to greet the first 97 graduates before taking a seat, hung in for all 974.

"He shook hands and saluted every last one of them," Whitaker said.

Bush also doled out hugs and highfives to the graduates and posed with them for parents getting snapshots from the grandstand.

Those who get tickets to see the 2008 graduation can expect traffic jams as streets are blocked off for the president's motorcade or helicopter flight and tight security at Falcon Stadium. The Secret Service will lock down the stadium, so everyone who plans to attend the ceremony will have to be there hours before it begins.

"This will be the highest security for a visitor that we see here," Whitaker said.

The other traditional attendees at the commencement are scheduled to be overhead - the Air Force Thunderbirds' F-16s will streak over the stadium as the new second lieutenants toss their caps in the air.

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