Barack Obama Students

The GOP's desperate attempts to demonize President Obama reached new heights this week. Leading the charge was Sen. James Inhofe who, at a town hall meeting, claimed Obama is "obsessed with turning terrorists loose in America." That doozy was topped by the conservative firestorm over the president's upcoming speech to America's school kids, in which he plans to urge kids to work hard. Heaven forbid. (The administration's ill-conceived suggestion that kids write a letter "to themselves about what they can do to help the president" gave the crazies all the opening they needed). The last sitting president to address students across the nation was George H.W. Bush. During that speech, he issued a challenge to "revolutionize American education" and conduct "a crusade for excellence." Can you imagine what Glenn Beck would do with "revolutionize" and "crusade" coming out of Obama's mouth?

As an expert on higher education, I can tell you that anyone who teaches a college class is broadly considered a professor, and is typically called a professor by students. Calling Obama a "law professor" is a description of his job category, not his official title.