“But commencement exercises are different.”

Mike Pence was baptized a Catholic. Inspired to get involved in politics by JFK and MLK, he became an active Democrat, campaigning for Jimmy Carter. His is now “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican — in that order.” He attributes his conversion to the "common-sense conservatism of Ronald Reagan.”

On “The Mike Pence Show” (WRCR-FM, Rushville, IN), he discussed topics like “the normalization of adultery” and “whether or not it was time to rethink this whole business of women in the military.” In 2015, he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, setting off the biggest controversy of his political career.

The issues and his career are still unsettled matters. During this “existential threat to our democracy," vice-President Pence must do his best to “normalize his occupancy of that office.”

This commencement will be different.