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American Morning

George W. Bush Attends Commencement at Yale

Aired May 21, 2001 - 10:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President George W. Bush returning to his alma matter today. He's attending the 300th anniversary commencement at Yale University. CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace is with the president in New Haven, Connecticut, and joins us now live from the scene. Good morning, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

Well, this is a true homecoming of sorts because aides say President Bush has only been back to Yale once before since graduating in 1968 and that visit apparently was just driving through New Haven on his way to Maine. So the president today coming back.

He will be receiving an honorary degree. He will also be delivering an address to these graduates here, what aides describe as a very light-hearted address reflecting on his years at Yale when the history major earned rather modest grades and when he was known a bit more as a fraternity boy prankster than a rising political star. And a short time ago the president talked to reporters, talking about how it feels to come back to his alma matter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm honored to be here at Yale. I am thankful that the university has bestowed this honorary degree. I had a great time when I was at Yale University as a student. I made lifelong friends. I learned a lot. I'm a proud Yale dad and I can't tell you how honored I am to join this august group of honorants today. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And as we know, Mr. Bush's daughter Barbara just wrapping up her freshman year here at Yale. Now, quite interestingly, the president has kept Yale University at a distance pretty much during most of his political life, referring to it as a symbol of elitism and choosing instead to try to paint himself as a man of the people, talking more about growing up in Midland, Texas and not really mentioning very often the fact that he actually was born here in New Haven on this campus when his father was an undergraduate at the university.

Also, apparently, the president somewhat miffed at the university for now awarding an honorary degree to his father until 1991, three years after he was serving in the White House. This visit, though, not without some controversy. Some students are protesting, holding up some signs, planning to protest against the president's positions when it comes to AIDS, abortion and the environment. And also, Miles, some professors are boycotting the ceremony because they believe that the president is not quite worthy yet, just after four months in office, of getting an honorary degree -- Miles?

O'BRIEN: I suppose there are a lot of members of fraternities who will be in the audience today quite happy to hear his words, however.

WALLACE: That's right. It shows that you can be a fraternity person, a president, in fact, of his fraternity and go on to be president of the United States.

O'BRIEN: All right, Kelly Wallace in New Haven, Connecticut, proving that Bs and Cs are OK.

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