For hours on Thursday afternoon, BYU graduates and their guests waited in the security line and then took their mustard-colored seats in the Marriott Center, ready for the main event -- Vice President Dick Cheney.

Because Cheney was the featured speaker, security was tight, and that meant arriving hours in advance.

Click on button to left to hear the full audio of the Vice President's speech.

When Cheney stood to speak, the room went dark, and the camera flashes made the arena look like a giant sparkling black dress.

After a month of controversy surrounding the commencement speech, Cheney kept it contention-free. He didn't focus on politics, but instead the stuff graduation speeches are made of -- gratitude, the future, life choices and his own experience and family. Knowing his audience, he mentioned his wife's Mormon pioneer ancestors and roots -- her great-grandmother crossed the Plains and her father grew up in Provo -- and used the nicknames of buildings on BYU's campus.

Cheney used BYU lingo such as the Wilk in reference to the Wilkinson Center to remind graduates of the things they would miss. He even mentioned BYU's basketball victory over the University of Utah, and that BYU is not a party school.

"You'll remember that every year that you've been at BYU, the school's been ranked No. 1 in the category of stone-cold sober," Cheney said.

The vice president told students to take opportunities, even if they are unexpected, and that life doesn't always work out as planned.

"On the day of my own graduation from the University of Wyoming, I had no ambitions to hold higher office. If you were to ask me at the time what I planned on doing, I could have described in some detail what the next 10 years would be like."

Cheney pictured himself a college professor with a Ph.D., but he had opportunities that led him in different directions. He told students to be on watch for those opportunities. He illustrated this by telling graduates about the time he first met Donald Rumsfeld.

"Don's impression of me was that I was kind of a detached, theoretical, impractical academic, and I thought he was a brash young politician with a cocky attitude, and we were both right."

Rumsfeld ended up helping Cheney get his first position in the Ford administration.

"Standing here today, I can promise there will be people like this in your own life," Cheney said. "For all the plans we make in life, sometimes life has other plans for us."

Cheney and BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson spoke about being grateful.

"A grateful heart is an honest understanding of all that we have been given and all that is expected in return," Cheney said.

Samuelson told students to remember the debt they had to those who had helped them get their education.

"In this context, let me remind you yet again of a different kind of debt you have incurred -- different in that it cannot be tallied in a checkbook or bank balance, but real just the same. I speak of the tremendous debt owed by each of you to your spouses, parents, families and other direct financial benefactors."

Graduates in general said it was worth it to have the vice president at BYU, despite the security.

"I think it was an honor to have the vice president of the United States here to participate in our commencement," said Sam Mautz who graduated with a master's of accountancy.

Chris Weston, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting, agreed.

Others appreciated Cheney's attempts to make the speech fit the audience.

"He knew enough about BYU to make it interesting and appropriate," said Gordon Jones, who came to watch his son graduate with a bachelor's degree in political science.

BYU awarded the vice president an honorary doctorate of public service. Ira Fulton, Mary Lou Fulton, Jack Wheatley and Mary Wheatley also were awarded honorary degrees.

Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dick Cheney

Born Jan. 30, 1941 in Lincoln, Neb.

Grew up in Casper, Wyo.

Married to Lynne V. Cheney; two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary

College Education: University of Wyoming, Bachelor of Arts, political science; University of Wyoming, Master of Arts, political science

Career: White House Chief of Staff to President Ford; U.S. Congressman, Wyoming; Secretary of Defense; Chief Executive Officer of the Halliburton Company; Vice President of the United States

-- Source: whitehouse.gov