Obama's Commencement Speech: Never Rest On Your Laurels

Adam Sneed, writing for The State Press, broke the ASU story that made headlines in early April.

When President Barack Obama spoke to Arizona State University's graduating class Wednesday night, he made one thing clear: He has not achieved enough in his lifetime.

In his first commencement speech as president, Obama said he wanted to "clear the air" about the honorary degree controversy, which he turned into an encouraging message to graduates.

"I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven't yet achieved enough in my life," he said. "I come to embrace it, to heartily concur, to affirm that one's title - even a title like president - says very little about how well one's life has been led, and that no matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve."

The university's original explanation for its decision against awarding a degree was that "Obama's body of work is yet to come," as spokeswoman Sharon Keeler said April 7.

Many were upset with this reasoning, believing the university was saying he hadn't achieved enough in his career to earn an honorary degree.

But Wednesday night at Sun Devil Stadium, Obama stressed the importance of always building that body of work.

Students have achieved a great deal by earning their degrees, he said, but must continue to do more. Obama urged graduates to apply their knowledge and experience to large-scale projects like teaching in high-need schools or leading a green revolution, as well as to individual tasks like mentoring a troubled child or finding friends at a local homeless shelter.

"That's what building a body of work is all about," he said. "It's about the daily labor, the many individual acts, the choices large and small that add up to a lasting legacy."
New alumna Lindsay Traub, who graduated Wednesday with a degree in English literature, said Obama's call to action in hard times was very encouraging.

"Just like he said, ... it doesn't matter as long as you're helping people," she said. "It gives me hope for the future."

Rebecca Sommer, who graduated with a degree in biology, said the strongest point of Obama's message was that one person really can make a difference.
"It makes you reassured that with the economy the way it is, you still have a place and you can still do good," she said.

Sommer said she was torn as to whether or not Obama should have received an honorary degree from ASU, but thought he handled it in the best way possible by joking about it and then turning it into a serious message to graduates.

Obama called the situation "much ado about nothing," but added in jest that everyone had learned important lessons from the debacle.

"I learned to never again pick another team over the Sun Devils in my NCAA bracket," he said. "And your university president and board of regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS."

But all joking aside, Obama told graduates to look past individual achievements and failures in life.

"One thing I know about a body of work is that it's never finished," he said. "It's cumulative. It deepens and expands with every day that you give your best, and give back, and contribute to the life of this nation."

Comments

[JayinPhoenix]

I have been attending ASU for the past several years as a grad student. ASU is a decent school. It's reputation as a party school is reasonable, yes, and I've met more good looking airheads than Rhodes scholars, that's for sure...but Crow really has done wonders on a lot of fronts. And some of the programs are actually really of a high quality. My MPA program, for example, is ranked 25th in the nation. Being ranked 25th is not shabby by any means. So you should really look deeper, people, than just this one incident and the shallow sound-byte way we in American do our reporting. I'm not an apologist to Crow, but I've taken classes from him, and he's a smart man and he is sincere. Trust me, this was not a slight to Obama. It was mostly a misunderstanding. If you really read about what happened, it comes down to a policy taken out of context, and a very, very, very stupid PR spokesperson trying to explain the policy in the worst possible way. But this was not about Obama.

By the way - I had the privilege of being at the graduation. Obama was on fire. I will remember it for the rest of my life. Anyone who can't see how blessed we are to have him as President is just blind, blind, blind...

[voteblue4evr]

Adam,
thank you for your fantastic explanation of what is really going on at ASU. I'm proud of my Arizona State degree, and like many other graduates, I'm working hard to make real changes to society. The majority of the comments on the huffingtopost blogs pertaining to this subject are ignorant and solely based in stereotypes and lies. My fellow democrats are nothing but a bunch of hater-mongering jerks who add nothing to the conversation. Pres. Obama's best body of work IS before him and when his 8 years in office are completed, I'm sure the Univesity would be proud to roll out the red carpet and bestow the highest honor on him. Pres. Obama's speech was wonderful and regardless of politial affiliation, the student body was proud and thankful to have him address us. The only reason I can assume my fellow liberals are upset about the President not getting an honorary degree is because: Most of you expect to get something for doing nothing. President Obama understands. When will the rest of you? You're ruining my party and making us hardworking liberals look bad.

[KathrynMilun]

If you live under the repressive Crow regime, you listen to public speeches much like citizens of the former Soviet Union: you hear the official talk but you listen for the more clever truth below the censors' radar. Usually this comes in the form of a joke. So, when President Obama made light of the honorary degree ASU did not grant him by saying this:

"I really thought it was much ado about nothing, but I do think we all learned an important lesson�(ASU) President (Michael) Crow and the Board of Regents will soon learn about being audited by the IRS."

we beleaguered employees heard this: Creating the U.S.'s most aggressive entrepreneurial public university, Crow may have dodged charges of double dipping and corruption at ASU Foundation, he may have ignored EEOC charges of discrimination and retaliation, he may have overpaid like-minded administrators to bully faculty who opposed his policies, but President Crow will soon learn important lessons by being audited by the IRS.

Let the IRS audit ASU. Let the Obama administration's renewed support of civil rights teach Crow and his cronies important lessons. (In my case, ASU was just denied their motion for summary judgment and will now be on trial for discrimination.)

As President Obama said, public universities should not have as their bottom line making money. A public university is not a private club. We already have a banking system for making money, and look where we are with them.

[XME]

Their reason for not giving him an honorary degree was the stupidest thing I've ever heard. At the same time, in SPITE of them, I somehow think that Obama would find far more value in the scholarship set up in his honor, than in an honorary degree!

[AuntiepoppyCock]

I enjoyed reading that. Thank You!

[rbragaw]

I think working as a community organizer after graduating with a degree from Columbia University counts as sacrifice. I'd say giving up a lucrative career practicing law in order to serve in the state Senate would be seen by some as sacrifice. An Illinois state Senator makes $67,833 a year. And, even though the job of an Illinois state senator is deemed "part time," $67,833 is a lot less than what a lot of graduates from Harvard Law School pull down their first year out of school. Even as a U.S. Senator, Obama's salary was only $162,100, far less than many of his classmates earn as law firm partners or general counsel.

I don't think the point is whether or not President Obama has sacrificed or whether or not he can bring us out of our current economic slump or whether he can change the culture in Washington. The point, at least the point that I took from his speech, is that we are the ones who are going to make the changes and that will result in a more responsive government, a more resilient economy and a renewed position of leadership in the world. We are the ones who have the power to create the culture we want. We can reject the crass commercialism that the media tries to feed us. We can embrace a culture of community and responsibility...or not.

[kmswriter]

Great job Adam Sneed -

President Obama honored ASU grads - fun - funny and as "light as a butterfly" jabbed Crowe - whom i suspect is still smarting today.

Congrats to ASU grads -

[Pleneras]

IT WAS A BRILLIANT SPEECH! All the rethugs are in panic mode because none of them could do any better or come close to his approach in theme.

[Dawn Teo - Huffpost Blogger]

Great job Adam! Keep up the great work.

[brandalucia]

Why do both of the Obamas continue to tell young people that they should not take a position or job for money yet both of these people enjoyed careers in lackey jobs that paid them very, very well.
Mrs. Obama's position at the Chicago hospital was created for her after Obama threw money to the hospital when he was a legislator. It's OK for them to get the millions but not for anyone else? Is that it?

[Pleneras]

Tired of your repug forum full of silly people?

[lakat]

HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA another sore loser. You can't throw mud on these people, they just continue to shine. You make me so happy with your bitterness, it sort of makes up for all the pain and suffering of the last 8 years, not totally but sort of. Keep on feeling blue, schadenfreude is awesome!

[Justadad1]

First of all, neither Obama has said that young people should not take a "job for money". What they have said in essence is don't take a job JUST for the money, or focus solely on short term gain. They are telling kids to pursue their passions and interests; continue to grow and learn; focus on the long haul; money etc. will follow; and BTW help your neighbor along the way. Why anyone has a problem with this is beyond me. That's the same message I give as a parent.

Second, "lackey jobs that paid them very, very well" and "ok for them to get the millions"? Please. The description of Michelle Obama's job is fictional and their tax returns are public, you know. The millions have largely come from writing bestselling books. I don't think that being a bestselling author is a "lackey job", but maybe that's just me.

[StillIRise]

You again!!!

[AxelDC]

If Obama didn't deserve an honorary degree, why did they invite him to speak?

[lakat]

I think the students voted to have him speak and the regents decided against honoring him (maybe they didn't like the students' choice. Hahahaha, he really is a master at killing them with kindness, it was a beautiful thing!

[WilliamBradford]

It is remarkable the things that President Obama is willing to say:

He rails against the "greed and irresponsibility that rippled out from Wall Street and Washington, as we spent beyond our means and failed to make hard choices" and yet he has proposed the most amazingly irresponsible increase in spending that our country has ever seen.

He warns against pursuing profitable endeavors, holding up Bernie Madoff as the result of that path. This is an incredible insult to the millions of Americans who have excelled at their professions, advanced through hard work, and invented and created to make this the strongest country in the world. The vast majority of these people are dedicated to their families and the people they love and make significant contributions to charities of all kinds. Obama has somehow turned this lifestyle into the source of our problems.

He extends the theme that individual Americans' success is responsible for America's problems into America's success being responsible for the failure and suffering around the world. The blame is clearly placed.

His references to the founding fathers, including Thomas Paine, are especially wrong. The founding fathers, to a man, espoused the rights and responsibilities and potential of individuals. This contrasts completely with Obama's artful attack on individual accomplishment.

In the end, the students cheered and were happy. This is more a result of the circumstances and the skill of a great speaker. I just hope the eventually we start listening to what is being said.

[amistad]

Got any more right wing talking points?
No.
Then shut up.

[edwcorey]

"The founding fathers, to a man, espoused the rights and responsibilities and potential of individuals."

Yeah, so forget about the Preamble that declares that the U.S. Constitution is ordained and established to, among other things, "promote the general Welfare." Ignorance is indeed bliss to many folks.

[WilliamBradford]

The "general welfare" of the founders was nothing close to the "share the wealth" of today's "progressives". The extent and purpose of government spending that will occur in the Obama administration would stagger the founders.

While not a founding father per se, I like this quote from Davy Crockett when he served in Congress. They were debating whether to grant federal money to the widow of a distinguished naval officer:

"“Mr. Speaker, I have as much…sympathy as…any man in the House, but Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of the public money….Mr. Speaker, I have said we have the right to give as much money of our own as we please. I am the poorest man on this floor. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week’s pay to the object, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.” Edward S. Ellis, The life of Colonel David Crockett…(­Philadelph­ia: Porter & Coates, 1884), pp. 138-39."

[Pleneras]

And what have you done for the American people? What do you do in life that is of any value to the rest of the world? Your perception is nothing more whine.

[lakat]

Sweetheart, they haven't done anything for the American people, that's the point. They feel that they have what they need and screw anyone who doesn't. They don't want to be part of the larger group to ensure that we all do well. They like to do well as we fall. Sick Republicans.

[reasonshouldrule]

You've presented a remarkable twisting of what Obama said in this speech. All speech is dialogic, so your received "meaning" is as valid as anyone else's. However, I doubt if most people understood it the way you did.

[WilliamBradford]

After hearing the speech, I went and read the transcript of the actual words. With Mr. Obama's skill as an orator, I suggest that this should be common practice for anyone who wants to understand. Ideas are not "dialogic".

[Tericruz]

he does not say you should not try to be successful...he's saying you don't have to be successful and greedy!

[DallasMike]

The POTUS told these grads to sacrafice for the good of others.
What has Obama sacraficed? What has he had to sacrafice to become POTUS? He tells these grads how bad the country is. Why?

[IllinoisTexan43]

If that's all you were able to garner from his speech, then there's no use in trying to explain anything to you. President Obama has made and continues to make sacrifices for this country. What is so wrong about giving back to your community?

[stratdude]

Tired right-wing talking point, ie, Obama telling the students to shake off the stench of the last administration and the gop in general translates into bashing America. The only thing "bad" about the country is the shape our past Texas poser deserter-in-chief left it. (Feel free to not sacrifice your dictionary.)

[jsinclair]

"What has he sacrificed to be POTUS?"

Are you insane? Just LOOK.

But of course, his message was much deeper than that. I trust the graduates of ASU (unlike some bloggers) will be intelligent enough to understand it.

[jmsent]

How about not seeing his wife and kids for long periods of time over the course of 2 years?

[Pleneras]

You remind me of the old gossip lady down the block who can't mind her business. WTH do you act as if you care? They are millions of families who do the same in many fields of work, so why you crying? You belong to a small group of Americans that are an embarrassment.

[peakbagger]

What a bunch of crap ... so typical of the ignorant right ... just criticize everything about Obama no matter what it is ... and with no regards as to the irony of your criticism with respect to the prior administration and the current pronouncements of the rethugs ... it says so much about yourself and it's not flattering ...

[stratdude]

Watched the speech on TV and it was great. ASU students seemed into it as they cheered loudly several times. I'm surprised that none of the usual hate-monger suspects have posted any inane comments. Perhaps they have spoken on right-wing talk radio. I don't listen to it or watch the fox republican channel. The students' seemingly enthusiastic response to Obama bodes well for the future of our country and civilization. Sure is a stark contrast to the tire old hateful unAmerican bs the repugs have big dishing out for the past decade or so.

[Parastar Doc]

I really have to agree with you on that one.

[chuk98death]

look up.