Obama, the NRA, and Alice Cooper

TEMPE, ARIZONA - President Barack Obama will share the city with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the stage with Alice Cooper Wednesday when he delivers the commencement address at Arizona State University (ASU).

Obama will be delivering his address to ASU's graduating class just 11 miles from the Phoenix Convention Center, where more than 10,000 supporters of the National Rifle Association (NRA) will be checking into their hotels for the NRA Annual Meeting that begins the following morning. The juxtaposition of the two events highlight the political battleground that Arizona will surely become in 2010 and 2012 (and possibly the reason that each chose to come to Arizona for such high profile events).

Alice Cooper will be opening for Barack Obama before the ceremony begins. Cooper will warm up the crowd of nearly 65,000 graduates and guests by performing "School's Out" with his son Dash. "Of all the people I've ever shared a stage with, Obama is the biggest rock star," says Cooper, adding wryly, "and I'd like to thank him, in advance, for changing the national anthem to 'School's Out'."

The ASU commencement ceremony will be the largest commencement in the history of ASU and the largest crowd Obama has addressed since his inauguration in January. More than 8,000 students are graduating, and the university expects graduates, students, staff, faculty, and guests to reach nearly 65,000.

Graduating seniors are ecstatic that the President of the United States (who was widely supported on campus throughout campaign season) will be addressing their class, but the road from announcement to event was not a smooth ride for ASU administrators.

ASU administrators have been working to combat the black market that sprung up for commencement tickets. It is, after all, a significant security risk for the president when tickets meant for people connected to the graduation are sold to complete strangers over the Internet. When tickets show up for sale on eBay, Craig's List, and other venues, ASU staff makes phone calls to the students or listing service and gets the listing removed. Stopping all ticket sales, though, is an impossible task.

Obama will only be in Arizona for about 3 hours Wednesday and yet ASU officials have been working around the clock since last week to comply with the strict security plan laid out by the U.S. Secret Service and the White House advance team.

Due to tight security, a large number of attendees, and temperatures that may reach triple digits, some graduates' relatives are choosing to skip the ceremony. Graduates must arrive at the outdoor arena by 2:00 PM, and guests must arrive by 5:00 PM (ASU calls it a "pre-event celebration"). Everyone will be required to go through airport-like security procedures.

Driving into the arena area will be difficult after 2:00 PM. That is when security forces plan to begin closing surrounding roads (including Veterans Way, the road that runs in front of the stadium). Although parking will be free, officials say parking will also be "extremely limited" (parking on the ASU campus is a nightmare on a slow day). Because of these and other logistical issues, the university is suggesting that people park at a Metro (light rail) station and ride to the University/Rural or Veterans Way/College stops. Bus shuttles will transport ticketed passengers from the Metro stop to the arena entrance.

Perhaps the biggest headache, though, for ASU administrators was the brouhaha after ASU officials told one of their student reporters that ASU would not confer the customary honorary degree on Obama when he delivers the commencement address. When it became the story du jour on cable news and the network news shows, ASU President Michael Crow insisted that he had instituted a policy in 2003, shortly after arriving at ASU, that the school would no longer confer honorary degrees on sitting politicians. That policy, however, was neither written down nor communicated to members of the committee that determines who receives honorary degrees at ASU. Crow may have thought up the policy in 2003, but it seems he did not enact it until 2009.

In the wake of the honorary degree debacle, many alumni distanced themselves from their Alma Matter and donors withheld money from an already recession-battered ASU. With the largest per capita state budget shortfall in the nation, legislators cut state funding to ASU by about a third this spring.

Some have speculated that Obama chose ASU because of the severe budget cuts by the state legislature. To help raise money for students who are suffering due to those cuts, ASU has has renamed and expanded the ASU Advantage program. The new President Barack Obama Scholars program was prematurely announced in the midst of the honorary degree scandal. The new Obama Scholars program includes a work-study component and covers tuition, fees, books, room, and board without repayment requirements for qualifying low-income students (less than $60,000 annual family income).

Comments

[Thirdpower]

"Alice Cooper, NRA, and Obama. Love it! I'm glad more people will see Obama than there will be attending the NRA convention."

The numbers were actually about the same. Why Ms Teo limited the number to 'over 10,000' when it's been over 50;000 for decades one can only surmise.

[SmallFarm]

I'm glad that he is going to be in AZ. The students will give him something just like UNC. He will give them a great speech and maybe even hire some of them.

[86masters]

Alice Cooper will have to give Obama a golf lesson afterwards.

[Lee Andrew]

At the "Biltmore" or "Phoenician" (Wealthy, filthy rich) or for the common touch (Upper middle class - AF and retired mostly) "Litchfield Park" located near Luke AFB my former stomping grounds I have played them all including "Glen Lakes" near my family home. Greetings from Europe my fellow Sun Devils.

[theubermensch]

Ah, the NRA now there is a group of men with an inferiority complex, along with small well you know.

[djkrlsn]

If guns were penile substitutes, why are pocket pistols so common?

[American50]

more people will attend the NRA convention and believe me Copper isnt an Obama supporter by any means. AZ Red state!!!!!!!!

[Lee Andrew]

I am from Arizona and I disagree, perhaps purple but definitely no longer red. You looked around lately? Lots of Mexican-Americans at least 40% then there's blacks about 6% really isn't much room for classification of "red" if you also toss in the liberals specifically the enclaves of souther Arizona in Tuscon and Northern Arizona around Sedona and Flagstaff areas. Alternately, most Republicans in the state are LIBERTARIANS like me.

We love our freedom, horse and guns and we are not BIBLE THUMPIN' extremist.

RED... State? Not.

[djkrlsn]

On guns, I will take Repulitarian over RINO--at least I don't have to worry about an R leaning libertarian trying to pull a Helmke

[Rogan]

I know Alice Cooper. Alice Cooper is a friend of mine. You, sir, do not speak for Alice Cooper.

[American50]

YEA "WRIGHT"

[shel3364]

Now THAT'S a commencement I'd like to see.

Alice Cooper is cool; the president is cool-er (who ever thought I'd be saying that and meaning it?)

[LWilkinson315]

Oh its a good thing I read the comments before I posted. At first I glance i thought Alice Cooper would be performing at Notre Dame LOL

[Snow97]

Agree with previous posters that the President is exhibiting a profound amount of grace in appearing to help ASU despite the pettiness of its partisan administrators. Way to slap your invited guests in the face, ASU. But for those innocent students who had nothing to do with your bizarre vendetta, I really hope that Karma finds ASU.

[JAEMPRESS]

I never doubted that the President would be above the pettiness and he is going to make it so worthwhile for the graduates and their family. This is how a President behaves !

[Kiku]

Dawn, always love your posts, that give us a deeper insight than we usually see.

Alice Cooper, NRA, and Obama. Love it! I'm glad more people will see Obama than there will be attending the NRA convention.

What's up with the honorary degree? Are they really going to go through with not doing it? I won't believe it until after the graduation. If they don't do it, ASU and Arizona will take a big hit in my opinion. Stunning.

[Dawn Teo - Huffpost Blogger]

They are not giving him an honorary degree. At least that's the public line they are giving, and I don't expect that to change in the next 24 hours.

[American50]

doesnt matter, the tax payer already paid once for his education

[Hank10303]

Our President is a real Classy man. I have to admit if it were me and being fully aware I would draw crowds that could bring 10's of thousands of dollars to the event I may have cancelled. To have awarded honory degrees to less accomplished individuals who could never have raised the funds that ASU will receive as a direct result of President Obama's involvement is shamful. ASU will suffer from this in the long run and I doubt that our President will be back again - ever.

[SotallyTober]

President Obama will be back. He won't let an 'unhonored' degree scandal keep him from it. It's not in his character.

[albanianmomforobama]

Did NRA schedule the convention after ASU announced that President Obama will be delivering his address to the graduating class? Just asking!! (If yes, that they are up to something)

[roald]

Don't know, but have no reason to suspect this is true. Those meetings are scheduled many months, if not years, in advance.

[Dawn Teo - Huffpost Blogger]

The NRA convention was scheduled here long, long, long before the Obama commencement speech.

[American50]

and it will also have a better turn out... AZ still a Red state

[rain33]

giving him an honorary degree isn't bad but secret service better watch him! i don't trust NRA folks at all.why they had to do the same function while president obama has to speak at asu?..i mean they better watch him!

[swan1]

ASU refuses the POTUS an honorary. This man EARNED a law degree from HARVARD. This would be funny if not so pathetic.

[christopherflynn]

but ASSU is an accredited university... :)

[greatlardini]

"Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form on the left and right
I'm in the middle
The middle of life
I'm getting old and I know what I am
I'm liberal
I'm not confused every day
I'm liberal
And I know what I say
I'm liberal and I LIKE IT!
LOVE IT!!
LIKE IT!!
LOVE IT!!
I'm liberal and I like it!!!

Thanks, Brother Alice!!!

[harriscrl3]

If I lived in a state where the NRA was getting ready to hold a meeting. I'd LEAVE TOWN until they left. Hopefully Prez Obama will have EXTRA Secret Service. Thats not a bad joke or even an attempt at one I'm SERIOUS he needs to make sure that he has a many Secret Service Agents as possible.

Carol