this is primary day in six states, including california and new jersey, where several congressional primaries are under way. wisconsin voters are going to the polls to decide whether to replace republican governor scott walker with milwaukee

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was this year's commencement speaker at the university of north carolina in chapel hill. michael bloomberg said north carolina's recent same sex marriage vote shows there's still a lot of work to be done for civil rights. the founder of bloomberg news and financial information company was first elected mayor in 2001. here's his speech and advice to the graduating class of 2012. his comments are about 20 minutes. [ applause ] >> tar! >> heels! >> tar! >> heels! >> tar! >> heels! >> forgive me but i just wanted to start this morning by shouting something but i knew what would happen if i said rah-rah, carolina-lina.

on that positive note, good morning, faculty, family, friends of the great class of 2012. i particularly wanted to thank chancellor thorpe and the unc board of trustees, including my friend and your fellow alum, peter grower, for inviting me here. i also want to thank the president of the unc system, thomas ross, and a former unc system president, my old friend, dick spangler. we went to the harvard business school just because neither of us could get into unc. i am thrilled to be standing here today, not only because unc is one of our country's oldest and greatest institutions. i'm actually thrilled to be standing here because it means i did not trip on the bricks walking over here. it's really treacherous out there. but i know this is only one of

the many challenges you have overcome on the way to your diplomas today. you have battled your way through trying to find a parking place on campus. you've battled your way through trying to register for classes on connect carolina. you have battled through living in hilton james and having to walk in the rain to an a.m. class at grand memorial. and you've battled your way through many games of zombies and humans. now i have to admit, i had never heard of that game, but it does sound like good preparation for anyone who will be moving to washington, d.c. you survived it all and here you are. however, while this is a very special day for you graduates, before imparting some of my invaluable, indispensable words of wisdom, i would like to say

something about another important group here today. they are sitting on the sides here, beaming proudly, and not even thinking about what it cost to get to this day, or what happens if you can't get a job and have to move back home. i am talking about your parents and relatives, so why don't you give them a big hand. [ applause ] >> and since today is not only a very special day here, but a very special day across our country, let me wish all the mothers here happy mother's day. [ applause ] >> being asked to speak at unc is really a dream come true for me, and i want this commencement speech to be different from any speech that has ever been given,

and in light of recent events here at chapel hill, there was only one way to do that, so i planned to slow jam the commencement address. unfortunately, i couldn't convince branford marsellis to join me. but i'm still determined to make this memorable so i did do a lot of research to put me fully in the unc groove. since i arrived this morning, i've already climbed the bell tower and signed my name. i sat on the davie poplar bench. i challenged chancellor thorpe to a rubik's cube contest and got my butt whipped. i drank out of the old well for good luck. someone told me to be careful, since some fraternity guys had just been there but i went ahead anyways. and finally, i joined a flash

rave at the library. but i watched and for the record, did not join a group of speakers run across the pit into the u.l. and then sing the alma mater. it has been a great morning and i haven't even played a few rounds of senior bar golf yet. so in any case, i'm feeling almost prepared for today as you graduates are. you've made it. you've done it. you've earned it. and i'm sure this week has been spent reliving memories and retelling stories and i know there will be more of that tonight. but right now, i want you to take a look around you and think not about where everyone has been, but where they are going. the guy in front of you could win an academy award some day. the girl behind you could be a future president of the united states or even better than that, the mayor of new york city. the guy sitting to your right

could be a future nobel laureate. okay, maybe not the guy to your right but certainly the one to your left. there is no telling what the future holds for you or for anyone else. this is an exciting time in your life and it's also an exciting time in history. more than any other generation that has walked the earth, you are free to pursue your dreams, unbounded by limits placed on your race, gender, ethnicity, orientation or lineage. only a lack of education can hold you back in america, and today, you've cleared that bar and you've done it at one of the finest institutions in the country. your freedom coupled with the diploma you will receive today, is something that people around the world would risk life and limb for. don't ever take it for granted. it has been won through suffering and sacrifice, by

freedom fighters and freedom riders, by abolitionists and suffragettes. it has been won at the ballot box and on the battlefield, in state houses and courthouses. the path to victory has not always been straight or swift, but it has been sure and steady. and that's been the story of america, stretching back to our earliest days. at our nation's founding, african-americans were held in bondage. those without property could not vote. catholics could not hold office. women could not vote or hold office. and homosexuality was in some places a crime punishable by death. but over time, we understood that freedoms are not fully shared if not fully safe. if government can deny freedom to one, it can deny freedom to

all. exclusion -- [ applause ] >> exclusion and equality are mortal enemies and in america, every time they have met in battle, equality has ultimately triumphed. [ applause ] >> throughout our history, each and every generation has expanded upon the freedoms won by their parents and grandparents. each and every generation has removed some barrier to full participation in the american dream. the work is not over, far from it. and i would argue last week's referendum banning same sex marriage shows just how much more work needs to be done to ensure freedom and equality for all people. [ applause ]

>> when the torch passes from one generation to the next, the light of liberty always shines more brightly, and i have no doubt that in your lifetime, liberty's light will allow us to see more clearly the truth of our nation's founding principles and allow us to see all people and all couples as full and equal members of the american family. the progress that freedom's journey is making is only half of what makes this moment in history so exciting. the other half is symbolized by something that you're probably holding in your hand or your pocket right now, your phone. the smartphone is arguably the greatest invention the world has ever seen and the reason is

simple. it democratizes technology. you are making the computer and everyone who uses it smarter. since the dawn of time, we have been sharing knowledge with each other but today, knowledge is being shared globally and as quickly as it is being discovered individually. that revolution in computer-based communications which started in government laboratories and in steve jobs' garage and in a little office i rented 30 years ago is now being led by the masses. whether you like it or not, the computer nerds have won. we're all computer nerds now. the creation of the smart phone is the most visible symbol of the technological revolution we're experiencing, but it's happening all around us, in every industry, the speed of innovation is moving at breathtaking pace. you can see it just down the road at research triangle park. you can see it in silicon valley, in boston, mass and in

austin, texas. all of those places are home to great universities where pioneering work is being done, and good jobs are being created. in new york city, we've joined forces with cornell university, nyu and carnegie mellon as well as the institute of technology in israel appeuniversities as w as in canada and india. we know the future of the global economy is tied to the discoveries that are made by university educated researchers and innovators and if those discoveries happen in new york city, we know the companies spin off from them will start in new york city. now, i have no doubt that many of you here today will be a part of these discoveries. your work will reshape our understanding of the world, everything from the origins of the universe to a cure for cancer. for the nonscientists here, you, too, will have an important job to play. you business and finance majors, you may be providing the capital

for the discoveries to be brought to market. education and journalism majors, you may be writing or teaching about those discoveries. nursing and premed students, you may be talking to patients about them and you future lawyers, yes, lawyers always have to be involved in everything we do, you will be needed to protect patents and of course, fight off other lawyers. but technology revolution that is reshaping our understanding of the world and the freedom that you join to pursue your dreams are complementary which is why i mention both of them. they reinforce each other. the more we learn, the freer we will be, and the freer we are, the more we will learn. light and liberty. that is the motto of your university and that i believe will be the defining spirit of the 21st century. the more light we shed on the nature of the world, the more we advance knowledge in science and technology, the more liberty we

will spread. in fact, i would argue that the technological revolution that is now under way will not only be our most powerful weapon in the fight against poverty and disease, it will be our most powerful weapon in the fight against repression and intolerance, because where there is light, liberty grows and where there is liberty, light flows. now, it's up to all of you in your own way to take what you've learned here and spread light and liberty wherever you go. that may sound like a daunting task and i understand if you're thinking sure, i'll be happy to do that, once i find a job. but whether you have a job lined up or are still figuring out your next step, don't think that you've got your career all figured out. no plan for the rest of your life ever works out the way you thought it would. for example, i was an

engineering major who then went to business school in hopes of some day running a factory which i knew nothing about. i got the mba and then i took an entry level job in the financial services industry, which i knew nothing about. 15 years later, i got fired and i started a company in another industry i knew nothing about, information technology. 20 years after that, i ran for mayor, even though i knew nothing about politics. some people say i still don't. you don't need a grand plan. whatever plan you do have is probably going to change 100 times before you're 30 years old and you don't need to be an expert in something to try it. so what then do you need to do? okay, i'm going to tell you. but really, all i'm going to do is remind you of the few things you've already learned here, just by watching carolina basketball. first, make career decisions the same way you fill out your tournament brackets. follow your heart and go with

your gut. do what you love, find a way to get paid for it and if you ever have the luxury of multiple job offers, don't make the decision based on salary alone. i know when i was starting out, i turned down a job with the higher salary because i had a good feeling about the people at another firm, and it was one of the best decisions i ever made. your gut won't always be right. for example, who knew nc state would make the sweet 16? but you'll sleep better at night if you go with your gut. second, out-hustle the competition. when i started my first job out of college, i made sure i was the first one into the office every morning and the last one to leave. not only did it save me the price of the "wall street journal" because i just grabbed the office copy, it allowed me to get to know the firm's partners. woody allen once said that 80% of success is showing up. i actually think he got it half right. 80% of success is showing up

early and staying late. third, you occasionally have to throw some elbows. it's true, it's rough out there. no matter what profession you're in. of course, in most professions, you don't break your wrist driving to the basket, thankfully, but the world is competitive. i've been in the business world and i've been in government, and people ask me all the time what's the difference. i always tell them the business world is dog eat dog. and government, it's exactly the reverse. don't be afraid to assert yourself. have confidence in your abilities and don't let the bastards get you down. fourth, fourth, team work is everything. i could never have built my company without the three brilliant guys i started it with and whatever success i've achieved as mayor results from surrounding myself with the most

talented people that i could find. the innovations that are coming out of the research triangle park and silicon valley and new york city are all built on team work. the person who works the hardest and works with others the best, who says we and us and doesn't use the words i and me is the person who will win. fifth, don't be afraid to shoot the long ball. take the risk. life is too short to spend your time avoiding failure. if i had worried about failure or listened to those who do, i would never have started my company and never run for mayor, and i can't imagine my life if i hadn't taken those risks. not every risk will work out, but that's okay. failure is the world's best teacher. sixth, never stop studying what the competition is doing and never stop learning. education is a lifetime journey. when you leave these walls, keep

asking questions, keep acquiring knowledge, keep seeking truth. don't let party labels you. no party in government has a ma kn monopoly on truth or god on its side, and i should know. i was a democrat before i was a republican and brn i became independent and never changed my principles. i have enormous respect for your period and my friend erskine bowles and i hope all you will will put partisanship above all and i think he does deserve a round of applause. think more yourself, decide for yourself. even if it's not popular or if it runs counter to the party line. if everyone in washington did that, our country would be a whole lot better off. and now -- the seventh and the final piece of advice i have is, in the game

of life, when the final buzzer sounds, the only stat you carry with you is the number of assists you made. to help other people put some points on the board, or as dicky v. might say, don't are slow to dish the rock. there's nothing more rewarding than making a difference in the lives of others. i've learned that firsthand both through philanthropy and public service. give what you can. your time, your talents, your money. and i promise, you will never forget it. now, i know you've remembered every single word of that. but just in case i thought i would provide a summary of the seven in no particular order. teamwork is everything. assist others. risks are necessary. hmm. the first three letters of those words are t.a.r. i wonder where this is going.

hustle always. elbows occasionally have to be used. education is a life-long journey. love what you do, and if you put that list together, it, of course, spells tar -- >> all: heels! >> before you put your diploma together and leave i have one more piece of wisdom to share. when the hard times come in your life and they will, when the doubt creep in about whether god is looking out for you, just remember that not only did you see an ncaa basketball championship during your time here -- [ cheers and applause ] but in your senior year, duke lost in the first round to a 15 seed! [ applause ] so you know there's a god up

there, and that carolina blue sky. congratulations and good luck. we recently attended the commencement for the school of communication at american university in washington. and we spoke with some of the graduates after the ceremony. tell us your name and your home town. >> christina joyner and i actually don't have a hometown. i grew up around the world. a bit of a complicated story for

me. >> and what did you get your degree in today? >> in public communications. >> what did you think of the commencement speeches at the ceremony today? >> i thought they were really good. i loved the speech about making mistakes a lot, and no one's perfect. so -- that stuck with me. i know i can make mistakes and still get to where i want to go. just got to keep trying. >> what are your plans after you've graduated? >> looking for jobs in the d.c. area. >> what would you like to do? >> i would like to work for the government, doing commune caucuses for them. but we'll see what happens. >> and do you have any student loans that you're responsible for? >> no. i have -- thankfully i don't. i'm one of the lucky ones. >> my name's mike and i'm from latrobe, pennsylvania. >> mike what did you think of today's commencement? >> it's weird, you know, to come here for years ago and all of a sudden see how fast things go by and see the kids that you met at

orientation walking next to you at graduation. a special experience. >> what about today's speeches? >> speeches? i thought they were good, because i have a lot of brothers and sisters and have been to a lot of commencements and speakers can kind of tend to be cliche. but i thought everyone did a good job of beal original and conveying interesting points. >> what degree did you get? >> journalism. >> a bachelor's degree in journalism? >> yes. >> what are your plans after graduation? >> my plans are, i have a job, and i hope to pursue journalism that i hope to become a sports writer some day. >> what's the job? >> at a consulting firm. consulting at the department of justice. >> how about loans? >> loans? luckily, my parents are really great and they took care of college for me, so i don't have to worry too much about that. up next it virginia governor bob mcdonnell, this year's commencement speaker at christopher newport university in mid-may.

more than 1,000 graduates listened to the governor's keynote address in newport news. this address is just ender 20 minutes. [ applause ] good morning! thank you so much, president turble for that very warm welcome and thank you for being in choarge of the diplomas and putting me in charge of the weather. i appreciate that very much. you and rosemary have just didn't a remarkable job here along with the board, the faculty, the staff, to create an incredible world-class university where you put the students first, and i thank you for that vision for cnu. i want to congratulate all of the families, the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brother, sister, children, all who are here today to witness this great graduating class of

2012, and i want to say, go captains! [ applause ] now, while we're still talking to the parents, thank you to all the mothers. we owe you a great debt of gratitude for raising these young children that are here today. now, while you're applauding you may be graduating with a degree, but i want to warn you, you better still listen to your mother. she's got great advice for you. by the way, to all your parents, congratulations. you get a pay raise today! i felt it yesterday as my daughter walked across the stage at virginia tech. getting her -- a couple hokies here. all right. that's great. well, president, your vision to transform chift fer newport university into a world class

liberal arts university focused on smaller classrooms and individualized attention and world-class facilities we see here today is now becoming a reality. as we celebrate the 50 years now of christopher newport university with the very first commencement here on the great lawn, i think we can all personally witness a transformation that has taken place during your 16 years as president of this university. i want to say to all of you, this is the best and brightest and best looking class ever in the history of the university, mr. president. sthap right? is that right? and i understand some of you have actually gotten a 4.0, and i just -- well, i have to tell you when i was at notre dame i actually got at 4.0 myself. one year. i got a 2.ot first semester and a 2.0 the second semester and it wasn't that hard. i had a great time that year,

and i -- want to commend all of you for your academic success here. listen, i know that this speech is the last obstacle between you and your degrees. and mercifully we learned from the gettysburg address which was five minutes that good speeches don't have to be that long, and i promise you that mine will not be that much longer, but i do want to tell you that i have a few simple truths i want to offer to you today that i hope you may remember for your consideration as you go out into an increasingly global but also an increasingly complex world. but i believe that's 36 years now since i walked out of my alma mater, but the same general rules of life that led to happiness and full nilme filame to today are stillin