Arizona State Univ. not awarding Obama an honorary degree when

[madinmaryland]

he gives the Commencement Speech next month.

:wtf:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/10/new-commencement-headache-for-wh/

CNN) – The commencement season controversies are continuing for the White House with Arizona State University's decision not to award President Obama an honorary degree when he addresses graduates next month.

The university says that the president's achievements have yet to rate the honor, and is directing reporters to use a statement given to the Associated Press. "His body of work is yet to come. That's why we're not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency," Media Relations Director Sharon Keller told the AP Thursday.

The university's guidelines say the degree is merited by "significant contributions to education and society over the course of a person's career," though Sandra Day O'Connor and Barry Goldwater — both Arizonans — received the honor after the latter had served just over one term in the Senate, and the former was roughly three years into her Supreme Court tenure. Also honored: activist Cesar Chavez, legendary Arizona senator and former presidential candidate Mo Udall, and broadcaster Walter Cronkite.

The White House has not commented on ASU's decision.

Last month, the National Right to Life Committee called on the University of Notre Dame to rescind its invitation to President Obama to speak at that school's May commencement, and the bishop for the Ft. Wayne/South Bend diocese said he planned to boycott the university's graduation ceremony. Bishop John D'Arcy said his decision "is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life."

..snip

Hmm. Do I smell racism here?

[NOW tense]

1. I don't think it is racism.....

I think it is just plain old jackassery.

[Vanje]

2. Who cares

If the most powerful and important man in the world gets a meaningless honor, Who cares?

[immoderate]

3. Whatever...

An honorary degree could come in handy if you ever run out of toilet paper. It makes handy filler for a scrap book, but won't get you on the subway. The rules seem to be totally arbitrary. One of the newscasts mentioned that Kermit the Frog has an honorary degree. That may be one of the cases where it is actually deserved. Think of where Kermit's been.

In a sense, I agree with U of A that Obama is really at the dawn of his greatness, if he achieves greatness. I really hope that he doesn't give a shit. I envy the students that will hear him. I don't remember who spoke at my college graduation.

--imm

[annabanana]

4. Somehow I think the former President of the Harvard Law Review's

career won't suffer much from NOT getting an honorary from Arizona State University.

[Merlot]

5. Agreed! Kinda funny when you put it like that

[MidwestTransplant]

6. Not to be a snob but degrees from Harvard law and Columbia are preferable to honorary ones from ASU