ASU won't give Barack Obama an honorary degree

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   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   Leave it to McCain country!
   
   Arizona State University has invited Barack Obama to give the university's commencement address, but decided he "has not achieved enough" to be awarded an honorary degree despite being the so-called leader of the free world and our first black president.
   
   WTF? Is politics at play? Why would the university invite him in the first place?  ...Now I guess they are saying "they will consider him" after he finishes his presidency.  I think this all is clueless and insulting.  What do others think?

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      JamaGeneeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think the more interesting (and funny) issue is that their own senator isn't giving the address.  I don't think President Obama will lose sleep over not getting an honorary degree from ASU.  After all, he IS the leader of the free world and our first biracial president - not to mention he gets to sleep with Michelle, and McCain doesn't.

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      countrywomenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The core issue is honorary degree.
      
      Now first of all coming to Degree Mr Obama has Law Degree from one of the best schools in the world (in fact in any Top 10 lists in the world Harvard would be there in Law/Business programs). Hence an ASU degree isn't something great to look forward to for a Harvard degree holder. Of course the flip side is that some folks may say even Mr Bush was a Harvard graduate(although for his MBA I strongly suspect it had more to do with his family connections unlike Mr Obama's personal achievements).
      
      The second part is honorary and for a man as you rightly mentioned who is holding such a powerful office as the President of the US then does he need any more honor? In fact if they would have offered him the honorary degree and if Mr.Obama would have accepted it then it would be a honor for ASU to have Obama as holder of that degree instead of Mr. Obama being honored by the degree. I usually have this analogy when Mahatma Gandhi who successfully led hundreds of millions to one of the most unique non violent (peaceful) revolution is denied the Noble Peace Prize then it is not Mahatma Gandhi's loss but the loss of the Noble Prize not to have one of his stature among there ranks.
      
      Some folks may get added value from the award but there are others where the award gets value based on who holds it. And as the lawyers say I hereby rest my case

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         JamaGeneeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Good point, Countrywomen.  I also didn't realize Gandhi was denied the Peace Prize.  What were the Nobel people thinking???

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      VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      First inviting for a honour and then refusing does not look good. It looks as if ASU has no moral value enough to honour a president. ASU seems to have degraded itself by refusing it. It would have been written in history books if ASU honoured him. Short-sights-- small hearts--
      
      In our place in India, even an actor was awarded doctorate degree, which looked funny enough for school children. The University Grants Commission, governing body for universities had to get clarifications on this later.
      
      Compared to this, the ASU has missed a golden chance to boost its image. Students from all over the world have flocked there, looking for admissions.
      
      Electing a black President and honouring him with doctorate degree are not  small things.

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   RKHenryposted 14 years ago

   Screw'em!

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   imadorkposted 14 years ago

   Why should he get an honorary degree?  Did he go to that school?  No.  I think honorary degrees are dumb.  What's the point?
   
   There are more important things to worry about and whether or not Obama gets a degree from ASU or Notre Dame are pretty low on that list.

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      jjrubioposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah I think that is pretty lame

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   goldentoadposted 14 years ago

   I wish someone gave me an honorary degree

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      jjrubioposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I would give you one....in Herbology!!!

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         imadorkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I have a Master's in that one.

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            jjrubioposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            you are too funny...LOL

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   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   I dont have a masters but i have hundreds of hours as a test subject..

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6. 0

   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   Arizona would not recognize Martin Luther King day until the state was boycotted. In 1992, it was finally allowed as a holiday.
   This was 9 years after it was officially a NATIONAL holiday.
   
   But, yeah, WTF, right?  It's just symbolic.
   
   Use herbs here and they make you wear a pink jump suit in prison for 10 years.  No lie.  Google Arpaio. 
   
   Get it now?
   
   lol  'Night.

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   Drum Masterposted 14 years ago

   Degrees are over rated.. Didn't he go to Harvard? that Arizona Degree wouldn't be worth using as extra TP

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      RKHenryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, President of his Senior Class at Harvard too.  Screw ASU!

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8. 0

   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   Yes, all, but it is a horrible slight, nonetheless.  And I live here.
   
   I'm sure Obama will approach his upcoming commencement address at ASU with class, humor and dignity, as he always does, sans the honorary degree.  Of course an honorary degree is just that--an honor to the individual they have invited to speak to the students.
   
   If I worked at ASU, I'd be ashamed.  If I worked in PR or public information there I'd really be questioning the ethics of my superiors.

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      imadorkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sure he will have plenty of teleprompters to keep him from going "aaahhh" and "eerrrr" too.

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         Leta Sposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Aaaaaaaah, eeeeer.  Oooooooh.  Obama hater.  Or just totally politically disenfranchised.  LOL.  I get it!  Well, I support your freedom of expression, I do!
         
         

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            imadorkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks!  Cuz from what it looks like, you seem to be quite the Obama fan.  I expected the usual vehement berating from the Messiah worshippers.

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               Leta Sposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Berate, berate, berate.  Vehemently!

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                  pgrundyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Careful, he dissolves into profanity when you back him into a corner. But then, that's what dogs do.

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                     Leta Sposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     It's OK.  I dig swear words when used properly,

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9. 0

   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   ASU now says it will rename a scholarship program for Obama.  Uhh.
   
   They are sooo stupid. Even The Arizona Republic (which is ultra conservative) has columnists criticizing the university.  It is completely NON news for a commencement speaker to receive an honorary degree (it isn't about the 'specialness' of degrees--it's just standard operating procedure), it IS news for a university NOT to offer their commencement speaker, the sitting U.S. President an honorary degree.
   
   Oh, well!  First our police kill Carol Gautbaum in their custody at Sky Harbor airport, now this.

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10. 59

    Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

    Well, didn't Tiger Woods run into problems with entry into certain golf clubs? least it will be in the history books and actions do say a lot about the *hosts*

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    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    What the hell is a Harvard Law graduate doing wasting his time at the state university in a backward red state?
    Seriously, I don't think the president of the United States should be spending time giving commencement addresses while he is in office. He has much more to do than play petty politics with ivory tower bureaucrats.
    Ridiculous (or as I have sometimes seen it spelled -- on here, even "rediculous").
    Maybe the Obamas should send Bo in their place. Oh, right, he's a black dog. Never mind.

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    pgrundyposted 14 years ago

    On second thought, I take that back.
    
    It's an insult to my dog.

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    software_guruposted 14 years ago

    I don't even understand why he would need an honorary degree... The man is a fricking genius!  He doesn't need a lamo "honorary degree" to prove that.

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    SweetiePieposted 14 years ago

    I am sure Obama is not even worried about this snub.  We should follow his lead.

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