Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told students at the University of Alabama that “a great American comeback is just around the corner” Tuesday night.

Speaking at an event organized by the university’s chapter of the Young Americans for Freedom, an organization for young conservative voters, Pence touted the overturn of Roe vs. Wade, criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the national debt and told students their generation would be the ones to “stand on the ramparts of freedom” while defending America from “the agenda of the radical left.”

Much of Pence’s speech was biographical, describing his journey to the vice presidency, or focused on taking the country back from current leadership.

Pence said the Biden administration had released a “tidal wave of left-wing policies,” saying it “wiped out all the progress” he and former President Donald Trump had put in place.

“The truth is in the Biden administration, wokeism has run amok in our public universities. In our schools patriotic education has been replaced with political indoctrination,” Pence said.

He condemned critical race theory, calling it “state sanctioned racism” and saying it should be banned in all schools. Alabama Republicans again are targeting “divisive concepts” in proposed legislation; the state GOP party also has prioritized ending some public government diversity, equity and inclusion work.

Following the speech, Pence took questions from the audience.

One attendee asked Pence whether AR-15 style rifles and similar styles of guns are needed.

While Pence did not address the AR-15 or similar rifles, he said he would like to see mental institutions in every state where “troubled youth” could go if they “represent a threat to themselves or their community.”

Pence added he would like to see federal legislation enacting the death penalty for mass shooters.

Asked about Trump’s recent indictment on federal charges in New York, Pence admitted they weren’t on the best of terms, but said the effort to prosecute Trump was an outrage and a disgrace.

He added, however, that “I know the president, and the president can take care of himself.”

Lines to see Pence were lengthy — they wrapped around a hallway and down the stairs. The university ballroom was full. Former Secretary of State John Merrill and Rep. Robert Aderholt attended.

Not everyone in attendance was a supporter.

“I completely disagree with the stance that the school took to bring him here. I thought there should be a lot more on the inclusiveness of the student body’s decision, but I’m just here to really see like, what the reaction is going to be with the audience,” said Shelby Johnson, a junior majoring in operations management.

She said the title of Pence’s talk — “Saving America from the Woke Left” was confusing, and she hoped to hear his definition of wokeness, but didn’t think it would happen.

Dequiala Kelly, who is pursuing her graduate degree in health education, said she hoped Pence would address extremism.

“I think it would be really nice if he addresses just the extremism from the right wing,” she said. “I think that’s something is growing more and more these days and particularly on this campus, a lot of students are becoming targets for hate speech or even just violence, so I think that’s something that he really should give a dog whistle to calm down.”

The event also attracted Alabamians from outside the university — father and son Thomas and Anthony Pratt drove from Oxford. Anthony Pratt hopes to attend UA to after graduating from Oxford High School.

Anthony said he plans to major in political science and aspires to be a U.S. senator for Alabama. He wore a Young Americans for Freedom shirt and said he plans to join the chapter when he attends.

“When I see an open border, and I see people flooding in and I’m like: ‘Close it.’ I want to help close it. Like when I see crime ravaging communities, it’s like: ‘Put more police officers in,’” Anthony said when asked what draws him to a career in politics. “It’s not hard. I just want to be a force for good.”

Thomas, wearing a button that read “To hell with socialism,” said he is concerned about fiscal policy at the federal level.

“I’m a little closer to retirement than most of the people in this room, so I’ve seen my retirement funds dwindle last two years — it’s not back to where it was two years ago,” Thomas said. “I don’t know how Pence can do that, but I’d like to see our politicians kind of address that issue more often.”