Obama Doesn't Need Honorary Degrees From ASU, Notre Dame

Over the last few days, there's been an odd kerfuffle in the media over Arizona State University apparently choosing not to award President Barack Obama an honorary doctorate when he gives the university's commencement speech later this year. After intense scrutiny by people who clearly have very little to do with their time, ASU has caved, in a way, and announced instead that it's naming a scholarship after him, now called the "President Barack Obama Scholars" program, probably one of the more awkwardly named scholarships available, at least until Dick Cheney gets one.

But by giving in to criticism, ASU has just shown itself to be as tone deaf as the people who criticized the university in the first place.

Obama will be delivering a May 13th speech to ASU graduates at the university's Tempe campus, and over the years, many commencement speakers have received ceremonial degrees there, including "pioneering scientists and college presidents, titans of oil and computer microchips, newspaper publishers and generous donors, a foreign communist educator and a successful movie director." (See a full list here.) And to all of these distinguished figures, an honorary doctorate from the nation's third biggest party school (according to Playboy in 2006) might be a nice little trinket to put on the mantelpiece.

But no sitting president has ever delivered a commencement at ASU, and not all speakers have received honorary degrees. So why should President Obama receive an honorary degree anyway?

Right here on Huffington Post, Dawn Teo says Obama is getting "stiffed," and that complains that Obama's done quite enough already to merit the honor.

Writing two best-sellers? Not outstanding. Developing one of the largest grassroots organizations in the world? Nothing special. Becoming the first African American President of the United States? Good, but nothing to write home about.

But this flippant, and no one at ASU is suggesting such. The university wouldn't be inviting Obama to deliver their commencement speech if they didn't think he was an impressive and important person with a message its graduates would benefit in hearing.

An editorial by the East Valley Tribune, after noting that the University of Notre Dame has chosen to honor Obama with an honorary degree, snarked that, "perhaps Notre Dame has a better understanding of what Obama already has accomplished simply by reaching our nation's pinnacle of political power and public service."

Perhaps. Or maybe Notre Dame just has lower standards and wants the media attention, or Arizona State's administrators have a better understanding of what an honorary degree means. Or maybe the comparing the two universities is completely fallacious to begin with.

Yes, it's a momentous achievement for Obama to be our first black president. Yes, his campaign was a stunning example of how grassroots organizing and the internet can be leveraged to involve more people in politics than ever before.

But Obama already lives every day with one of our country's greatest honors: he's the President of the United States of America. He's got the nation's top job as the world's most powerful person. We the people have entrusted this job to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. That's nice company.

So at this point, no offense to ASU, but Obama doesn't need the honor of any university. Obama is honored every day by kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents. In Obama's recent visit overseas, French President Sarkozy couldn't look more desperate to please him, and we haven't had the French so in love with us since the British burned down the White House in the 1800s.

More importantly though, Sharon Keeler, an ASU spokeswoman, was right when she defended the university's actions initially by telling the AP that, "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." I'm sure Obama would agree with this assessment - he has barely gotten started. Not yet 100 days into his presidency, he, like the rest of us, hopes and believes that his best and brightest days are in front of him.

When he does, however, complete his work in the White House, after one term or two, then we will honor him, as we honor all our presidents. We will remember him; we will analyze and interpret his policies, his successes and failures - and no one will ever recall whether or not Arizona State gave him an honorary degree on some beautiful spring morning in 2009.

Comments

[mergina]

I would tell them just what part of their anatomies they could wipe with those honorary degrees.

[Gidster]

YEAH!!!

What Blaise said!

[DannyDanson]

"and no one will ever recall whether or not Arizona State gave him an honorary degree on some beautiful spring morning in 2009"

I beg to differ, I think people will remember as well they should, as they should remember the way the president gracefully handled the "snub" for ASU, and potentially Notre Dame as well.

This is about fundraising and politics period, conservatives have fostered the notion that this president supposedly being the most liberal ever is out of step with the mainstream public (even though he won the election ironically)

Their strategy to regain power is based solely on attacking the integrity, intellegence, and intentions of this president at every opportunity, the financially elite fear a president who see's through trickle down economics, this president's agenda threatens the profit margins of the captains of industry, and those captains of industry to a large degree fund these prestigious institutions, so when the RNC spin machines strokes the flames of "socialism fears" and contributors speak out to school leaders demanding action, in most cases that's what they get, and the university feels its in their best interest to insult the POTUS and the majority of Americans who voted for him to appease the cash cows who reject this Administration's agenda out of hand.

[KevinRiley]

"Racism?" WFF? Isn't it a little early to be playing that card? Sheesh!

[GayIthacan]

Considering which universities Obama already has REAL degrees from, what makes anyone think an 'honorary' degree from either ASU or Notre Dame would mean very much?

I would have them framed and perhaps hung in the bathroom - while my actual degrees would adorn the all of my study.

[DannyDanson]

What jusitfication could any American institution legitimately give for not taking the opportuity to give a sitting President an honourary degree?

Of course it doesn't mean much to President Obama, his home is full of degrees, from better schools that's not the point, the issue is the snub by this university and the contributors who demanded that they withdraw the invitation.

Now that's a list that I wish was leaked to the public, it would be so telling, I would love to see what other institutions these contributors support. (Anti- Roe vs Wade, Anti-tax Tea Parties, Anti-unions, Anti-cap and trade, Anti-stimulus, Norm Coleman, Chamber of Commerce etc get my drift.)

[larry278]

The way things are going for Pres Obama, he is making his own reputation as a wise, powerful, but modest POTUS. CPT Phillips has been freed from the captivity of 4 pirates by US Navy Seals who were authorized to use force to subdue the pirates. The Seals were trained snipers who quickly killed 3 of the pirates who held CPT Phillips. The Seals used minimal force to kill the 3 pirates. CPT Philips wasn't injured despite the use of fire arms by 3 well, trained, snipers & Seals to kill the pirates in an instant. No drama Obama is in his element. He does things quickly & quietly.
If he can rebuild the USA's economy & do the same for the world, he has no need for honorary degrees. He will be known as the man.

[silvertongue]

I'm taking the liberty of offering advice to President Obama; here goes. In the words of Sarah Paliln, tell ASU "thanks but no thanks" on their offer to name a scholarship in his honor. Why? Tell them that if you're not qualified to receive a worthless piece of paper (i.e., an honorary degree) from them, then you're surely not qualified to have something much more worthwhile - a scholarship - established in your name.

[retromega]

Nutter, you and ASU are correct that we do not have a complete Curriculum vitae yet. President Obama may yet restructure the country's healthcare nightmare, end our wars, rebuilt our economy, or stop global warming. ASU should not throw caution to the wind.

On March 5, 1946 at a smaller school, Westminster college, in Fulton, Missouri, a speech was delivered by a private citizen who had just lost an election. He had some record of achievement but was viewed by many, including the British voters, as a washed up old war horse if not a war monger. After this speech, Winston Churchill went on to contribute the European Union, and NATO, structuring the Cold War to preserve a precarious peace. Churchill was honored with a degree by Westminster College and introduced by the American President.

Now, ASU has diminished itself as an institution of higher learning and exposed its mastery of petty hackery. Where is it considered good form to extend an invitation to your ceremony and, when you are honored with an acceptance, to then diminish the acceptance? Good manners suggests that when your College is honored by the President's acceptance you would honor him in similar fashion. This is as simple as "Thank you" and "Your Welcome." Most people know this before Kindergarten and do not learn it in college.

Further, ASU's criteria precludes ever having a live commencement address. ASU would know a speaker had met their lofty standards only when that speaker were safely dead!

[AlexNYC]

For a Harvard graduate with a Juris Doctorate degree and president of the Harvard Law review to receive an honorary degree from Arizona State University, would be akin to a world acclaimed chef receiving an honorary degree from a Burger Barn College.

Would you like some fries with that?

[JoeSausage]

Bingo!

[KevinRiley]

I can't really argue with that one. But Notre Dame is in a different class from ASU.

[cyclobenzaprine9]

I don't think the President is the least bit upset over this. He has a J.D. from Harvard, which he actually earned. I'm sure the President is grateful for the opportunity to address this year's graduating class at ASU, just as many of its students are grateful for the President taking time out of his busy schedule to speak at their commencement ceremony. Whether or not there's a current competition amongst former American Presidents and politicians over who gets the most honorary degrees from schools they speak at, President Obama does not care and definitely "doesn't need the honor of any university­."

[BatedBreath]

The mccains are probably big ASU donors.

[EmeraldWorld]

Yes, ASU can insult the POTUS all it wants, but at the end of the day it'll always be a third-rate school (is that being too generous?)
It was indeed a calculated insult, as one earlier commenter noted, and there are quite a few different ways you can read into that insult.

[denlong]

come on ... it is a first rate PARTY school.

[Rmath]

ASU is a party school for the 'C' student.

I imagine they wouldn't object to issuing an honory degree to the inventor of beer pong.

[KevinRiley]

A drunken Nolan Bushnell, perhaps?

For the record, there's a silent "h" in "bhong."

[camper65]

Maybe HE doesn't, but, rest assured, his EGO does!!

[nicole473]

How utterly silly you are.

[nicole473]

Honestly, while you are entitled to your opinion, I am disgusting with Huffpost for giving said opinion a readership.

It was never about the degree, which anyone with a modicum of sensitivity could have figured out. It was about racism, respect for the office and the man.

ASU was wrong, and they will very likely continue to pay for it. As to your article. Pffft.....­...another banal look at a situation you clearly do not grasp.