Foreign Dignitary Gives Commencement Address

Reading about the Menlo College graduation I was taken aback when I read;

"The college's 78th annual commencement drew a crowd of about 2000. U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, delivered the keynote address, calling the graduating class member of "America's greatest generation" yet."

Republican Richard Pombo? Without protest? Have the raging grannies slipped into senility?