Organizers said Leavitt's selection is part of a broadening of the event.

"You will see, in the future, leaders from all different fields coming to speak," said Freedom Festival Executive Board member Reid Robison. "It's a question of time. With the increasing responsibilities of the Twelve, they've been cutting back on certain things."

Elder Groberg, who introduced Leavitt, explained before the service that the LDS Church thinks a broader approach was appropriate given the patriotic nature of the service and the demands on church leaders' time.

"I don't think they're saying anything other than just they feel the press of responsibility, there's just a lot on general authorities, and the desire to broaden, because it's a patriotic thing," Elder Groberg said.

2004 Freedom Festival President Steven Shallenberger said he likes the new direction and the new dimension it brings.

"We just thought that we'd like to take advantage of the many resources available to us in the country, and we just felt like this is an appropriate time to invite former governor Leavitt," Shallenberger said. "He's one of the very few individuals from our state that have ever served on a secretarial level in the United States government. We're thrilled to have him."

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E-mail: mdecker@desnews.com