Obama's ASU legacy
Editor's note: Mark Preston is the political editor for CNN.
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By Mark Preston
CNN
Keep the honorary degree - I'd take the scholarship program.
Arizona State University's refusal last week to present an honorary degree to President Obama cast an unnecessary dark cloud over the school and forced officials to do something they apparently were trying to avoid: recognize the president for his accomplishments.
Instead of giving him a piece of paper, the school now has named its "most important scholarship program" after him - and the controversy still hasn't gone away.
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Filed under: President Barack Obama |
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I think Obamah has such a heavy agenda that he does not care about a piece of paper. He appears to be the type of person that speaking at the commencement would mean alot to him because he is a giving person. People who work diligently for good causes do not look for a return but feel satisfied when they accomplish things. Some of US must work twice as hard to be rewarded or acknoledged on a equal level. I read that in Booker T. Washington's autobiography and I has stuck with me. Michelle
Hi AC360:
Almighty God did not create man and man or woman and woman to marry. America must be careful it doesn't become Soddom qnd Gomorrah with same sex marriage
I'm an ASU Alumni and I agree with all the comments already made in the blog, but have to wonder why no questions ever came up when other Universities & Colleges have given other Presidents & Dignitaries honoree degrees. I can't remember what University that gave GW Bush one, but let's face it if he got one then there is no reason that ASU can't give one to Obama!
Well if they don't want him at their universities...which is all fine and well... they should rescind the invitation....Notre Dame should do the same. No big deal.
I think Obama would be more than happy to have a scholarship program named after himself. I hope this issue isn't a racial one. Obama is president and there is no changing that. Yes, he haven't accomplished much , but he should be recognized for his attempts. I think ASU choice was a good one.
The scholarship is nice, and I'm sure Obama will be happy, but it doesn't do anything to cover up that they refused to give him a degree in the first place. Their excuse that he didn't have enough experience was just flimsy, when you look at others who have gotten degrees.
Why did they invite him in the first place, one wonders..
Personally, as a person who legitimately earned her post-doc work, PhD, master's, and bachelor's, I think honorary degrees are a piece of garbage anyway. It's an insult to the academic world and those of us who really earned the degree. It would be akin to giving an honorary MD to a candy striper or a law degree to a ticket writer. Kudos to ASU for realizing Obama needs to do something other than have a title to earn the distinction (no matter how fake it is anyway).
I think if given the choice Obama would rather have the scholarship program named after him than receive a useless honorary degree. The scholarship program at least helps others get some higher education so they will be competitive in the job market – a tenet Obama has stressed repeatedly. I like ASU's solution and I hope they stick with it.