The Governator tells USC 2009 graduates to fight on

by fayala | May 16, 2009 at 08:58 pm

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After he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree, Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered the commencement address to 4,500 graduates at the University of Southern California on Friday. C.J. Dablo reports.

After receiving an honorary doctorate degree on Friday from the University of Southern California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger jokingly suggested that his new title might offer more clout in Sacramento.
"Wow, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Doctor of Humane Letters. I love it," Schwarzenegger told USC's class of 2009. "But maybe now since I'm the doctor ... the Legislature will finally listen to me."

Schwarzenegger delivered the commencement address to USC's 4,500 graduates, who were in attendance along with their families and supporters. (Views the full webcast of Schwarzenegger's appearance at USC here.)

The governor's commencement speech comes one day after he announced radical proposals to state law makers to fix California's budget problems. In order to handle a deficit totaling $15.4 billon, Schwarzenegger recommended to the state legislature Thursday to eliminate 5,000 state employee jobs and to make other drastic budget cuts, especially in health care and education.

While the state's economic problems were not directly mentioned during his Friday commencement address, Schwarzenegger acknowledged that the graduates may face difficult times as they transitioned out of the academic world.

With a light, humorous tone peppered with frequent references to his past movies throughout his address, the governor offered the graduates "Dr. Schwarzenegger's Six Rules of Success." He used his life story to illustrate how hard work and determination took an ambitious Austrian youth all the way to Hollywood and eventually to the steps of the State Capitol.

The governor recommended to "work your ass off" and encouraged the new alumni, who, with degrees in hand, may be now hunting for a job.

"I know you're a little bit stressed-out right now as you start this exciting new chapter in your lives. Some people say it is scary to leave the comfort of the university and go out in the cold, hard world. But I have to tell you something; I think this is a bunch of nonsense because after all, this is America."