TEAM COVERAGE: President Donald Trump's speech and protests at the University of Alabama
WVTM 13 News
[{'start': '0.433', 'end': '2.134', 'text': "UP IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.  GUY ALL RIGHT.  JASON.  WELL, TONIGHT ALL EYES ON  TUSCALOOSA AS PRESIDENT TRUMP  MADE HIS HISTORIC COMMENCEMENT  SPEECH ON THE CAPSTONE.  HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED  INSIDE COLEMAN COLISEUM TO SEE  THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF  FIRSTHAND.  THAT INCLUDES WVTM 13 SHERI FALK  AND LISA CRANE LIVE IN LOCAL  TONIGHT AFTER MR. TRUMP'S  SPEECH, WHAT WAS HIS MESSAGE  TONIGHT?  WELL, GUY, BASICALLY THE  PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE WAS ABOUT  HIS RECIPE FOR SUCCESS.  HE LISTED MULTIPLE WAYS THAT  THESE GRADUATES CAN BECOME  SUCCESSFUL IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER  OF THEIR LIVES.  YEAH, HE TALKED ABOUT BASICALLY  HIS RECIPE ABOUT ABOUT TEN  DIFFERENT PIECES.  FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, YOU GOT TO  WORK HARD.  YOU GOT TO THINK BIG.  YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR MOMENTUM.  YOU WANT TO BE ORIGINAL AND  NEVER GIVE UP.  AND THIS WAS WAYS TO BE  SUCCESSFUL, NOT JUST IN YOUR  CAREER, BUT ALSO IN LIFE AS A  PERSON AS WELL.  AND HE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME  TOUTING HIS SUCCESS IN HIS FIRST  100 DAYS IN OFFICE.  YEAH.  AND HE KEPT REITERATING WHAT A  WONDERFUL STATE THAT ALABAMA IS  AND HOW MANY SMART AND  SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE HAVE CALLED  THIS PLACE HOME.  NOW, BEFORE HE TOOK THE STAGE,  THOUGH,, WE GOT TO HEAR FROM THE  GOAT HIMSELF.  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FORMER  FOOTBALL COACH AND LEGEND NICK  SABAN MADE AN APPEARANCE, HAD  THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING THE  PRESIDENT, BUT HE TOOK A FEW  MINUTES TO GIVE THE GRADUATES A  LITTLE LIFE ADVICE.  HE GAVE THEM THREE THINGS TO  REMEMBER AS THEY EMBARK ON THIS  JOURNEY.  FIRST OF ALL, HAVE COMPASSION  FOR OTHER PEOPLE.  THE SECOND THING IS BE  RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN  SELF-DETERMINATION.  AND THE LAST THING IS, IT'S NOT  ABOUT BEATING THE OTHER GUY.  IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING BETTER THAN  SOMEBODY ELSE.  IT'S ABOUT YOU BEING THE BEST  THAT YOU CAN BE.  WELL, THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE  STAGE TO ROARING APPLAUSE.  HE WAS DEFINITELY WITH HIS  SUPPORTERS TONIGHT.  HE WAS ON STAGE FOR ABOUT AN  HOUR AND A HALF, AND HE SPENT  SOME OF THAT TIME, AS WE  MENTIONED, TOUTING THE WORK THAT  HE'S DONE IN HIS FIRST 100 DAYS,  BUT ALSO GAVE ADVICE AND HAD A  LOT OF NICE THINGS TO SAY.  AS I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE  ABOUT THE STATE OF ALABAMA, THE  UNIVERSITY, AND THE CLASS OF  2025, THE CLASS OF 2025 WAS THE  FIRST TO ENTER THE HALLS OF THIS  UNIVERSITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF  COVID 19, FOLLOWING A DIFFICULT  SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.  MANY OF YOU CAME HERE TO  TUSCALOOSA FROM AROUND THE  COUNTRY AND FOR THE VERY FIRST  TIME, YOU EXPERIENCED SOMETHING  CALLED FREEDOM.  YOU HAD FREEDOM.  SO LET'S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF  APPLAUSE TO THE LEADERS OF THIS  STATE WHO CHOSE LIBERTY OVER  LOCKDOWNS.  THEY DID.  THEY DID A GOOD JOB.  IT WAS A NIGHT OF STANDING  OVATIONS, ROARING APPLAUSE AS  YOU HEARD THERE.  AND WITHIN THE FIRST MINUTE OF  HIS SPEECH, WE HEARD THE LEADER  OF THE FREE WORLD SAY THE MOST  IMPORTANT T TWO WORDS ON THIS  CAMPUS ROLL TIDE.  OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN HEARING  FROM SOME OF THE STUDENTS AND  OTHER GUESTS THAT WERE IN  ATTENDANCE FOR THIS HISTORIC  NIGHT.  WVTM 13 JARVIS ROBERTSON CAUGHT  UP WITH SOME OF THOSE ATTENDEES  OUTSIDE OF COLEMAN COLISEUM AS  THE EVENT WAS WRAPPING UP.  JARVIS, WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO  SAY ABOUT BEING HERE TONIGHT?  WELL, SHERRI, I'M ACROSS THE  STREET ACROSS THE STREET FROM  COLEMAN COLISEUM, AND RIGHT NOW,  YOU WOULD NOT THINK THAT A  SITTING PRESIDENT WAS HERE ON  THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF  ALABAMA.  ALL QUIET RIGHT NOW.  BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE LEAVING  OUT OF THE COLISEUM, THERE WAS A  LOT OF LIFE, A LOT OF ENERGY, A  LOT OF SMILING FACES.  AND I TALKED TO QUITE A FEW OF  THEM.  OVERALL, THEY HAD POSITIVE  THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HEARING  PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SPEAK.  TAKE A LISTEN.  WHY DID YOU WANT TO COME HERE  TODAY?  I WAS GOING TO TRY TO MEET HIM,  BUT IT JUST DIDN'T TURN OUT LIKE  I THOUGHT IT WAS.  BUT WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART  ABOUT IT?  MY FAVORITE PART.  I THINK DONALD TRUMP DOES A GOOD  JOB OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT A  WORKING AMERICAN IS LIKE, AND HE  DID A GOOD JOB OF LISTING SOME  OF THE IMPORTANT QUALITIESES THT  A GOOD AMERICAN WORKER HAS.  I LOVE IT.  DID YOU ENJOY THE SPEECH?  I DID, I THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE  MOMENTS THAT WERE A BIT ERRATIC,  BUT I THINK THAT JUST TRUMP'S  PERSONALITY, I'VE COME TO GROW  ACCUSTOMED TO IT, BUT I KIND OF  WISH HE WOULD HAVE FOCUSED A  LITTLE MORE ON THE GRADUATES.  HOW DID YOU ENJOY THE SPEECH?  I LOVED IT, I LOVED IT, DONALD J  TRUMP ELECTRIFIED EVERYBODY OUT  THERE TODAY.  GREAT ENERGY, GREAT DAY TO BE  ALABAMA STUDENT ROLL TIDE.  WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART  ABOUT THE SPEECH?  MY FAVORITE PART OF THE SPEECH  WAS PROBABLY HIS COMEDIC, YOU  KNOW, CHARISMA.  I THINK H HE HAD ALL THE PEOPLE  LAUGHING IN THERE.  AND I LIKED THAT OF A PRESIDENT,  YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?  I LOVE IT.  YOU DON'T GET ALL THE PROTEST  NOW, THE VIBE OVER HERE ACROSS  THE STREET FROM COLEMAN  COLISEUM, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT  FROM WHAT I SAW EARLIER TODAY  WHEN I WAS AT SNOW PARK, WHICH  IS NOT FAR FROM THE CAMPUS.  BUT AGAIN, THOSE PEOPLE I SPOKE  TO SHOWED UP.  THEY ENJOYED WHAT THEY HAD TO  HEAR.  WE ARE LIVE ON THE CAMPUS OF THE  UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN  TUSCALOOSA.  I'M JARVIS ROBERTSON, WVTM 13.  ALL RIGHT, JARVIS, THANK YOU SO  MUCH.  AS HE MENTIONED, THE  ANTICIPATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S  SPEECH AND VISIT TO THE CAMPUS  CREATED SOME CONTROVERSY  THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.  WVTM 13 ZOE BLAIR SPOKE WITH  STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS ALL  THROUGHOUT THE AREA TODAY ABOUT  WHAT THIS VISIT MEANS TO THEM.  GRADUATION WEEK IS ALWAYS A BUSY  TIME HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF  ALABAMA.  YOU'VE GOT FINALS GOING ON,  YOU'VE GOT FAMILY COMING INTO  TOWN, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE GETTING  READY TO GRADUATE.  AND THIS WEEK WAS MADE A LITTLE  BIT MORE HECTIC BY THAT VISIT  FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.  AS STUDENTS WERE FILING INTO THE  COLISEUM TODAY, I WAS ABLE TO  SPEAK WITH THEM AND JUST KIND OF  ASK THEM IF THEY THOUGHT IT WAS  WORTH IT.  I MEAN, TO HAVE THE SITTING  PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES  COME SPEAK TO YOUR COMMENCEMENT  CEREMONY IS SOMETHING ONLY VERY  FEW GRADUATES CAN SAY.  SO IT'S A VERY EXCITING  OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS CAMPUS AND  THIS UNIVERSITY.  EMMA BROADFOOT WILL TURN HER  TASSEL AND RECEIVE A DEGREE IN  EDUCATION THIS WEEKEND.  SHE SAYS ONE OF THE MOST HECTIC  PARTS OF THE DAY IS ALSO ONE OF  THE MOST WARRANTED.  SHE'S TALKING ABOUT SECURITY.  I MEAN, YOU KIND OF EXPECT THAT,  ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT PRESIDENT  TRUMP HIMSELF HAS BEEN THROUGH,  YOU KNOW, WITH TWO ASSASSINATION  ATTEMPTS, YOU KNOW, GOT TO BE  CAREFUL.  BUT, YOU KNOW, HE CAME HERE IN  THE FALL FOR FOOTBALL GAMES.  SO WE'RE KIND OF USED TO THIS  KIND OF HECTIC ENVIRONMENT WITH  SECURITY AND ALL THAT MEASURE.  SO, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST KIND OF  EXPECT IT THAT SECURITY IS  MAKING THIS GRADUATION WEEKEND A  LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR GRADUATES.  GRAHAM JONES WILL WALK ACROSS  THE STAGE TO ACCEPT HIS MASTER'S  IN POPULATION HEALTH, HIS SECOND  DEGREE FROM UA.  HE SAYS THIS YEAR'S COMMENCEMENT  IS A LITTLE CHAOTIC, BUT HE'S  COOL WITH THE CHAOS.  IF IT MEANS HEARING FROM THE  COMMANDER IN CHIEF, THE SECURITY  IS DEFINITELY NEW.  LAST TIME IT WAS JUST KIND OF  SHOW UP AND ALL THE KIND OF LAST  MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS.  EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TOUGH TO  KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO.  TIMING OF EVERYTHING.  BUT WE'RE READY TO ROLL.  CERTAINLY A HISTORIC NIGHT HERE  AT THE CAPSTONE, ONE THAT THESE  GRADUATES WON'T SOON FORGET.  IN TUSCALOOSA, ZOE BLAIR, WVTM  13.  AND WHILE MANY SAW THE  PRESIDENT'S VISIT AS A POSITIVE  MOVE, OF COURSE OTHERS DID NOT.  DOZENS OF PEOPLE MARCHED IN  PROTEST OF THE SPEECH, PART OF  TWO DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS AGAINST  THE VISIT.  THE LARGEST OF THE TWO TOOK  PLACE AT SNOW HINTON PARK, WHERE  MANY PEOPLE WERE JOINED BY  FORMER SENATOR DOUG JONES AND  FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE  BETO O'ROURKE.  MANY OF THEM SPOKE AGAINST THE  SPEECH BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING  DETAINMENT OF A UA DOCTORATE.  STUDENT, ALIREZA DRUDI, AND  FUNDING CUTS R RECENTLY MADE TO  HIGHER EDUCATION.  NOW, ASIDE FROM THE PRESIDENT'S  VISIT, THIS WEEKEND IS TRULY ALL  ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE  GETTING READY TO TAKE ON THIS  NEXT CHAPTER IN THEIR LIVES,  MANY OF WHICH WILL NOW BE  PREPARING FOR THEIR GRADUATION  CEREMONIES OVER THE NEXT FEW  DAYS.  GRADUATION CEREMONIES DO BEGIN  TOMORROW.  TOMORROW AFTERNOON FOR THE  COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES,  THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND  THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK.  SATURDAY, WE'LL SEE GRADUATES  FROM NURSING, COMMUNICATIONS,  EDUCATION AND BUSINESS TURN  THEIR TASSELS.  THE LAST CEREMONY WILL BE ON  SUNDAY, WHEN STUDENTS FROM THE  SCHOOL OF LAW WALK ACROSS THE  STAGE.  AS FOR WHAT'S NEXT FOR PRESIDENT  TRUMP, HE WILL SPEAK TO  GRADUATES AT WEST POINT ACADEMY  IN NEW YORK DURING THEIR  COMMENCEMENT, WHICH WILL TAKE  PLACE ON MAY 24TH.  THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME  THAT HE SPEAKS TO THE ACADEMY  GRADUATES, AND IT WILL BE VERY  DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TIME.  THE FIRST ADDRESS THAT HE GAVE  WAS BACK IN 2020.  DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE  COVID 19 PANDEMIC.  BUT THIS WEEKEND, PRESIDENT  TRUMP IS SITTING DOWN IN AN  EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW  WITH MEET THE PRESS MODERATOR  KRISTEN WELKER.  THAT INTERVIEW WILL AIR ON  SUNDAY AFTER OUR MORNING  NEWSCAST.  AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR  PRESIDENT TRURUMP'S REMARKS FROM  THIS EVENING, YOU CAN HEAD RIGHT  NOW TO OUR WEBSITE OR TO THE  FREE WVTM 13 APP.  YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO HEAR NICK  SABAN FULL SPEECH TONIGHT  THROUGH OUR LIVE UPDATE ARTICLE  THAT WE HAVE ON ALL OF OUR  PLATFORMS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL  CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ANY  DEVELOPMENTS OF PRESIDENT  TRUMP'S VISIT TO THE STATE.  WE'LL BRING YOU WHAT WE LEARN IN  THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, STARTING IN  OUR MORNING NEWSCAST, LIVE IN  TUSCALOOSA FOR LISA CRAN"}]