SPEAK AT YOUR GRADUATION.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
GOVERNOR BILL HASLAM.
>> THANK YOU, CHANCELLOR.
AND THANK YOU.
THAT WAS SO NICE, I HAD TO CHECK
FOR A SECOND AND MAKE SURE THAT
HE WAS GOING TO SAY BILL HASLAM
AT THE END.
I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU
THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS ABOUT YOU
AND THEN YOU FOUND OUT THAT IT
WASN'T.
I WAS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
DO AS GOVERNOR IS I TRAVEL
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD
SELLING TENNESSEE.
RECRUITING BUSINESSES TO COME
HERE.
AND ONE TIME, I WAS IN ASIA AND
WE WERE FLYING FROM SEOUL,
KOREA, TO CHINA TO RECRUIT A
COMPANY.
AND THE FLIGHT WAS LATE AND OUR
MOST IMPORTANT MEETING WAS THE
FIRST ONE AND I KNEW IF WE DID
NOT HURRY, WE WERE GOING TO BE
LATE THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT, MY
WIFE IS WITH ME AND AS WE LAND I
SAY QUICK, GET YOUR STUFF OUT OF
THE OVERHEAD BIN.
WE HAVE TO HURRY.
I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE BEING
GOVERNOR SO I CAN TELL ALL OF
THE SECRETS NOW.
WHEN YOU TRAVEL AS GOVERNOR,
SOMEHOW YOU GET TREATED A LITTLE
DIFFERENT.
YOUR BOARDING NUMBER IS ALWAYS
1.
AND YOU'RE ALWAYS THE FIRST TO
GET OFF THE PLANE AND USUALLY
WHEN YOU GET OFF THE PLANE THERE
IS SOMEBODY TO MEET YOU.
THERE IS A STATE TROOPER FROM
THAT STATE, OR WHATEVER WHO
WHISKS YOU AWAY BEFORE YOU
EVEN -- MOST FOLKS ARE EVEN OUT
OF THEIR SEAT.
AND YOU GET TREATED DIFFERENTLY.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, IN CHINA,
THEY DON'T NORMALLY THINK THAT
BEING THE GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE
IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
AND SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT, AS WE'RE GETTING OUT OF OUR
SEATS I'M SAYING HURRY, WE'RE
ELATE.
GETTING STUFF OUT OF THE
OVERHEAD BINS AND WE LOOK LIKE
YOU DO WHEN YOU'VE BEEN
TRAVELING FOR A WHILE.
AND WE KIND OF STRAGGLE OFF AND
WE'RE THE FIRST ONES TO GET TO
THE DOOR.
AND, AS WE DO, SHE LOOKS OUT THE
WINDOW AND SAYS WHAT'S ALL THAT
ABOUT?
I SAID WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT.
ALL THAT.
AND I LOOK AND THERE IS A BAND
AND A LARGE MILITARY CONTINGENT.
AND I GO, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
AIRPLANES WHERE YOU EXIT FROM
THE PLANE STRAIGHT ON TO THE
TARMAC.
SO I DON'T KNOW BUT HURRY.
SO WE GRAB OUR STUFF AND WE GET
TO THE DOOR OF THE PLANE, AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BAND STARTS
PLAYING MUSIC.
AS WE WALK DOWN THE WHOLE
MILITARY CONTINGENT COMES TO
ATTENTION, AND FULL SALUTE, AND
WE GET TO THE BOTTOM AND THERE'S
A GUY WITH A BOUQUET OF ROSES
THAT HE GIVES CHRISSY THAT SHE
LATER TELLS ME IS MORE ROSES
THAN I HAVE EVER GIVEN HER
CUMULATIVE.
LIFETIME.
AND THEY HAVE THIS CEREMONY AND
ALL OF THIS HAPPENING AND ALL OF
A SUDDEN WE'RE IN THE BACK OF
THE LIMOUSINE AND WE'RE WHISKED
AWAY.
AND WE'RE LIKE, LOOKING AT EACH
OTHER LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND FINALLY, I SAID TO OUR HOST,
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT'S
HAPPENING?
AND HE SAID, WELL, DO YOU WANT
AN HONEST ANSWER?
I SAID YES.
HE GO, WELL, NEXT WEEK WE'RE
HOSTING THE G-8 SUMMIT OF THE
LARGEST 8 INDUSTRIAL NATIONS.
AND THE HEADS OF STATE FOR ALL
OF THOSE COUNTRIES WILL BE HERE,
AND WE WERE PRACTICING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO, I'M HOPE -- IT IS AN
INCREDIBLE HONOR FOR ME TO BE
HERE.
MY LIFE STORY, I'M NOT A UTK
GRADUATE BUT MY LIFE STORY IS,
IN EX-TRICKBLY WRAPPED UP IN
THIS UNIVERSITY AND THIS CAMPUS.
70 YEARS AGO THIS FALL, MY DAD
WHO IS THE VERY FIRST IN HIS
FAMILY TO EVER GO TO COLLEGE, BY
THE WAY, DO WE HAVE ANY
GRADUATES -- IF YOU'RE THE FIRST
IN YOUR FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE,
WOULD YOU STAND UP THE IF YOU'RE
THE FIRST GRADUATE IN YOUR
FAMILY.
I'M THINKING THERE ARE SOME OUT
THERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THAT IS -- SO 70 YEARS AGO, MY
DAD WAS IN THE SHOES THAT SOME
OF YOU WERE IN FOUR YEARS AGO OR
HOWEVER LONG AGO HE CAME TO THE
CAMPUS.
TOOK A BUS FROM FLORIDA AND HE
ONLY GOT TO GO BECAUSE HE GOT A
FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP.
THE TRAJECTORY OF HIS LIFE AND
MY LIVE LIFE AND OTHERS WAS
CHANGED BECAUSE GOth TO GO TO
SCHOOL HERE.
IT IS A PARTICULAR HONOR TO GET
TO GIVE THIS ADDRESS.
8 YEARS AGO I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK
AT THIS AT THE TIME, I WAS A
NEWLY-ELECTED GOVERNOR BUT I
WASN'T EVEN IN OFFICE.
SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE GIVEN
SCORES OF COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES
AT UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS,
AND I HAVE LEARNED ONE THING.
AND THIS IS MY MOMENT OF
ASSURANCE TO ALL OF YOU.
THE FIRST I CALLED THE OPT OF
THE SCHOOL THAT I WAS SPEAKING
AT AND SAID, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
ME TO TALK ABOUT?
AND HE SAID, DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
SPOKE ABOUT AT YOUR GRADUATION?
I SAID NO.
HE GOES, DO YOU REMEMBER WHO
SPOKE AT YOUR GRADUATION?
I SAID NO.
HE GOES, THEY WON'T EITHER.
JUST BE REALLY SHORT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I GET IT.
NOBODY HERE IS HERE TO HEAR ME.
I GET IT.
BUT I DO WANT TO AT LEAST PASS
ON A LITTLE FEW -- I WON'T EVEN
CALL IT ADVICE SUGGESTIONS.
HANNAH BROWN WHO GOT UP HERE TO
SING AND YOU DID AN INCREDIBLE
JOB WHEREVER YOU ARE.
THAT WAS AWESOME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT LIKE MANY OF YOU ON THE BACK
OF HER CAP, I GET A KICK OUT OF
WALKING IN FROM THE BACK AND
SEEING WHAT EVERYBODY HAS ON
THEIR CAP.
BUT HERS SAID "FOR YOU."
AND HANNAH, I HAVE NO IDEA WHO
THE "FOR YOU" IS BUT ALL OF YOU
HAVE THIS SENSE OF DEBT, A DEBT
OF GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE
PEOPLE HELPING YOU TO SIT HERE.
AND I WANT TO MAYBE EXPAND YOUR
PICTURE OF THAT.
EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE THE
CITIZENS OF TENNESSEE.
WHO HELPED TO PAY FOR YOUR
EDUCATION.
AND HELP FUND THE BUILDINGS AND
THE OPERATIONAL COSTS.
TO INCREDIBLE FACULTY WHO HAVE
DECIDED, THIS IS WHAT MY LIFE IS
WORTH.
I'M GOING TO GIVE ME LIFE TO
TEACH FOLKS TO PARENTS AND GRAND
PARENTS AND OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE
SACRIFICED SO THAT COULD BE
RIGHT HERE.
AND SO, THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO
YOU DO WITH THAT DEBT OF
GRATITUDE AND I HAVE A
SUGGESTION:
I HOPE THAT YOU IN SOME WAY PAY
BACK THIS WONDERFUL GIFT OF
PUBLIC EDUCATION BY STAYING
INVOLVED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
YOURSELF.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN
THIS COUNTRY.
A LOT OF BIG ONES.
MOST OF THEM, IF YOU ASKED ME,
WHAT THE FUNDAMENTAL ANSWER TO
THOSE PROBLEMS IS, WOULD COME IN
THE FORM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PRIVATE VERSUS
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
I WENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOL MYSELF.
IT IS NOT ABOUT THAT BUT, MOST
OF OUR K-12 STUDENTS AND MOST OF
OUR HIGH SCHOOL, HIGHER ED
STUDENTS, ARE GOING TO GO TO OUR
GREAT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD FIND
SOME WAY TO STAY INVOLVED.
STAY INVOLVED IN THE UNIVERSITY
OF TENNESSEE WITH A SENSE OF
LOYALTY AND LOVE FOR THIS PLACE.
BUT, STAY INVOLVED MAYBE BACK IN
YOUR HOME.
MAYBE YOU WILL RUN FOR SCHOOL
BOARD SOME DAY.
MAYBE YOU'LL HELP AN EDUCATIONAL
ADVOCACY GROUP.
BUT I KNOW THIS:
ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS IN OUR
COUNTRY TODAY, FORGET YOUR
POLITICS FOR A MINUTE.
IS, INCOME INEQUALITY.
IT JUST IS.
THAT'S WHAT THE DATA SHOWS AND I
HOPE YOU HAVE LEARNED TO BE DATA
DRIVEN WHILE YOU'RE IN SCHOOL.
SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE DO
úABOUT IT.
I THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL HOPE,
FOR ADDRESSING THAT SITUATION,
LIES IN ACCESS TO PUBLIC
HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.
AND I HOPE THAT SOMEWHERE ALONG
THE LINE, YOU FIND YOUR WAY, A
PART OF SOLVING THAT PUZZLE TO
PROVIDE GREAT PUBLIC EDUCATION
TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF
INCOME, ZIP CODE, BACKGROUND OR
ANYTHING ELSE.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL FIND YOUR WAY
TO PLAY A ROLE IN THAT.
SO, THAT'S MY FIRST SUGGESTION
IS HOW DO YOU REPAY THIS DEBT
THAT YOU HAVE TO ALL OF THE
FOLKS WHO HAVE HELPED YOU.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL FIND A
WAY TO BE INVOLVED IN PUBLIC
EDUCATION.
THE SECOND THING IS, I HOPE THE
THAT YOU'LL REALLY TRULY BECOME
A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, MOST OF YOU ARE
CITIZENS SO I'M TALKING ABOUT A
DIFFERENT KIND OF CITIZEN.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ANYBODY IN
THIS GREAT AUDITORIUM THAT OUR
COUNTRY IS DIVIDED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT EVERYWHERE.
AND, ELECTIONS ALMOST ALWAYS
NATIONAL ELECTIONS ARE ALMOST
ALWAYS REALLY CLOSE.
ANY ISSUE THAT YOU LOOK AT IS,
WE'RE DIVIDED.
THE PROBLEM IS, THAT WE'RE
DIVIDED AND WE'RE MAD ABOUT IT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE OTHER
SIDE THINKS THE WAY THEY DO.
I'M GOING TO QUOTE ONE OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE'S, I
THINK, MOST SIGNIFICANT
GRADUATES OF ALL TIME.
A MAN NAMED HOWARD BAKER.
HOWARD BAKER WENT TO UNDERGRAD
AND LAW SCHOOL HERE.
BECAME A UNITED STATES SENATOR,
MAJORITY LEADER OF THE U.S.
SENATE.
BECAME OUR AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN.
WAS CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THAT'S WHO THE BAKER CENTER OF
PUBLIC POLICY HERE ON CAMPUS IS
NAMED AFTER.
SENATOR BAKE LETTER A SAYING.
HE ALWAYS SAID, ALWAYS REMEMBER
THE OTHER FELLOW MIGHT BE RIGHT.
IN TODAY'S WORLD, WHERE YOU CAN
CHOOSE HOW YOU GET YOUR NEWS,
RIGHT.
YOU CAN DECIDE WHICH CABLE
CHANNEL THAT YOU WATCH AND WE
USUALLY WATCH THE ONE THAT TELLS
US WHAT WE ALREADY THINK.
YOU CAN DECIDE WHERE TO GO AND
GET YOUR NEWS ON THE INTERNET
AND YOU CAN GO TO THE SITES THAT
THINK LIKE YOU DO.
BUT LET ME SUGGEST THAT THIS
TENDENCY TOWARD CONFIRMATION
BIAS IS NOT GOOD FOR ANY OF US.
WE SHOULD ALL GO TO THOSE PLACES
AND LISTEN TO VOICES THAT MIGHT
NOT AGREE WITH US.
BECAUSE, MY EXPERIENCE AFTER
BEING A MAYOR FOR SEVEN YEARS
AND GOVERNOR FOR 8 YEARS IS THE
ISSUES ARE A LOT MORE COMPLEX
THAN PEOPLE THINK.
SOME THINGS THAT SEEM REALLY
SIMPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE ARE
HARD.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, ONE OF
THE KASS GREATEST JURISTS SAID
THIS I WOULDN'T GIVE A FIG FOR
THE SIMPLICITY THIS SIDE OF
COMPLEXITY, BUT I WOULD GIVE THE
WHOLE WORLD FOR THE SIMPLICITY
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF COMPLEXITY.
I HOPE THAT PART OF WHAT YOU SEE
AND BECOMING A GREAT CITIZEN OF
THIS COUNTRY IS TO WORK HARD
THROUGH THE COMPLEX ISSUES THAT
CHALLENGE US, LOOKING FOR
SIMPLICITY, -- LOOKING FOR A
CLEAR ANSWER, BUT NOT LOOKING
FOR THE SIMPLE ANSWER ON THIS
SIDE OF THE COMPLEXITY.
IF YOU DO THAT, YOUR ROLE AS A
CITIZEN IN OUR COUNTRY WILL BE A
HUGE ONE.
AND THE THIRD THING THAT I WANT
TO SUGGEST IS THIS:
AND FINAL, PEOPLE LIKE THAT WHEN
YOU TELL THEM THIS IS THE LAST.
IS HOW YOU SHOULD LOOK AT
YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, CS LUIS SAID HUMILITY
IS NOT THINKING LESS OF
YOURSELF, IT IS THINKING OF
YOURSELF LESS.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO THINK LESS
OF YOURSELF.
I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK OF
YOURSELF LESS.
NOW, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THEY
DON'T LIKE THAT.
YOU READ LIKE, YOU NEED TO GO
AND BE YOUR BEST SELF AND LIVE
YOUR BEST LIFE AND DO YOU.
BUT, I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU,
THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
THAT THE HAPPIEST MOST CONTENT
PEOPLE THAT I KNOW ARE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE REALIZED THE STORY IS
NOT ABOUT THEM.
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BIGGER
GOING ON THAN JUST YOUR STORY.
AND THE MOST CONTENT PEOPLE THAT
I KNOW ARE THE PEOPLE WHO
FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE THEIR
STORY PART OF THIS BIGGER STORY
GOING ON AND DON'T THINK THAT
THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND THEM.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE DECIDED THERE
ARE TWO KIND OF PEOPLE IN THE
WORLD.
THERE'S FOLKS WHO WALK IN TO AN
EVENT AND SAY, HERE I AM, AND
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO WALK INTO AN
EVENT AND SAY, THERE YOU ARE.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE A THERE
YOU ARE PERSON FOR YOUR ENTIRE
LIFE.
BECAUSE, LIFE HAS A WAY OF
REMINDING YOU OF THAT WHEN YOU
THINK IT MIGHT NOT.
YOU KNOW, AS GOVERNOR, PEOPLE
TREAT YOU DIFFERENTLY.
YOUR JOKES ARE FUNNIER, PEOPLE
STAND UP WHEN YOU COME IN A
ROOM.
YOU GET ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A TROOPER
DRIVING YOU AROUND AND BY THE
WAY, I'M LOSING ALL OF THAT IN
ABOUT 36 DAYS.
THIS IS THE ONLY JOB WHEN YOU
LOSE YOUR JOB, YOU LOSE YOUR JOB
AND YOUR LOUIS AND A LOT OF
OTHER THINGS.
BUT YOU LEARN REALLY QUICKLY
THAT PEOPLE TREAT YOU
DIFFERENTLY.
AND YOU KIND OF START TO GET
USED TO THAT, AND I HAVE BEEN IN
OFFICE ABOUT THREE YEARS, AND, I
SAW A WOMAN WITH LIKE AN
8-YEAR-OLD BOY, AND SHE WAS
WHISPERING IN HIS EAR AND
POINTING AT ME.
AND SO I THOUGHT, OH, SHE'S
EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT THAT'S
THE GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE.
AND WHY THAT IS SUCH A BIG DEAL
AND FINALLY SHE FUMBLES IN HER
PURSE, AND PULLS OUT IT IS LIKE
A CHURCH BULLETIN AND A PEN, AND
PUSHES THIS 9-YEAR-OLD BOY
TOWARD ME.
AND I CAN SEE THAT SHE SAID, GO
ASK FOR HIS AUTOGRAPH.
AND SO I DECIDED, I'M GOING TO
MAKE THIS MOMENT MEMORABLE.
THAT THIS 9-YEAR-OLD IS GOING TO
REMEMBER THIS MOMENT THE REST OF
HIS LIFE.
AND SO, AS HE GETS CLOSE ABOUT
AS FAR AS THE FLOWERS ARE IN
FRONT OF ME, I DECIDE TO GET
DOWN ON ONE KNEE, SO I CAN LOOK
HIM IN THE EYE AND THE REST OF
HIS LIFE, HE'LL REMEMBER THAT'S
THE DAY THAT I MET THE GOVERNOR
OF TENNESSEE.
AND I GET DOWN, AND HE GETS
ABOUT AS CLOSE AS THE EDGE OF
THE STAGE, I REACH OUT FOR THE
PEN AND PAPER, AND HE WALKS
RIGHT PAST ME TO DARYL WALTRIP
THE RACE CAR DRIVER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHO IS STANDING BEHIND ME.
AND THEN I HAVE THE ISSUE OF I'M
FAIRLY MATURE ADULT KNEELING IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR FOR NO
APPARENT REASON.
LIFE CAN REMIND YOU OF THE
BEAUTY OF HUMILITY THAT WAY, OR
YOU CAN CHOOSE IT FOR YOURSELF.
AND CHOOSE THE JOY OF LIVING A
LIFE THAT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, BUT,
ABOUT THE BIGGER STORY THAT'S
GOING ON.
CONGRATULATIONS.
I HAVE 36 MORE DAYS TO SAY THAT
ON BEHALF OF 6.6 MILLION
TENNESSEEIANS, WE ARE THRILL FOR
YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL UNIVERSITY
BEING THE IF FLAG SHIP CAMPUS OF
A STATE'S LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY
IS AN INCREDIBLE -- MAKES FOR
THIS TO BE AN INCH CREDIBLE
INSTITUTION.
THANK YOU, CONGRATULATIONS, AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT
COMES NEXT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]