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."
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...
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.
"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.
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.
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 -
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?
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.
No.
Then shut up.
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.
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."
What has Obama sacraficed? What has he had to sacrafice to become POTUS? He tells these grads how bad the country is. Why?