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Posted: 3:33 PM- WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney will make a courtesy visit to leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before giving the commencement address at Brigham Young University Thursday.
Cheney, whose visit has prompted protests and counter protests at the Provo school, will fly in and out of the state within a few hours, but, like most national leaders in town for a day, will drop by LDS Church headquarters in Salt Lake City to visit with President Gordon B. Hinckley and his top two counselors, church officials confirmed Monday.
Cheney is then scheduled to speak to BYU graduates before flying out of the state. Cheney's office declined to release further details of the trip Monday and a BYU spokeswoman said only that more information would be forthcoming Tuesday.
LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter said Monday one person of the three-member First Presidency also will attend the commencement address.
It's traditional for leading politicians to make a courtesy call to the LDS Church's leaders when visiting the state. President Bush met with leaders during a visit last August as he has previously during stopovers in Utah.
Cheney's visit is one of two high-profile drop-ins this weekend. First Lady Laura Bush is also scheduled to dedicate a renovated nature center at Zion National Park in southern Utah on Sunday.
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