The valedictorian at Bell County High School in southeastern Kentucky drew cheers when he quoted President Trump.
But just as quickly, everything changed.
Ben Bowling, 18, said to the crowd: ‘This is the part of my speech where I share some inspirational quotes I found on Google.
‘Don’t just get involved. Fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table’ – Donald J. Trump.’
Ben Bowling delivered the valedictory address to Belly County High School on Saturday
The crowd went wild and cheered. Kentucky is Trump country, President Trump carried the state with almost 80 per cent of the vote in 2016.
Then, Bowling revealed who he was actually quoting saying: ”Just kidding. That was Barack Obama.’
The room got suddenly quiet and a lone rang out ‘boo’.
He was quoting then President Obama’s 2012 commencement address at Barnard College.
He told the Louisville Courier Journal, that he ‘didn’t mean anything bad by it’.
‘I just thought it was a really good quote,’ Bowling told the paper. ‘Most people wouldn’t like it if I used it, so I thought I’d use Donald Trump’s name. It is southeastern Kentucky after all.’
Ben Bowling graduated with a 4.2 GPA and plans to study medicine at the University of Kentucky
Bell County High School principal Richard Gambrel told the New York Times that Bowling is ‘very politically aware’, and that overall people liked the speech.
‘Most of them probably got the joke,’ Gambrel said of the graduation crowd.
He did point out that nobody really knew who Bowling was quoting, ‘It proves that people don’t read or pay attention.’
Bowling graduated with a 4.2 grade point average. He will go to the University of Kentucky in the fall where he plans to study biology and get a degree in medicine.
‘I’m really excited to go to college,’ Bowling said. ‘There’s more freedom in college and there’s also way more places to eat in Lexington.’