Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 05/13/09
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Tonight, we'll take you live to Arizona State University where President Obama will address the graduating class. His visit drawing controversy when the school refused to grant him an honorary degree, saying he basically hadn't accomplished enough. We'll also look at Pres. Obama's controversial speech at Notre Dame this weekend. Some believe a Catholic university should not honor a president whose views on abortion and stem cell research run counter to church. Text us your questions on this topic. Just put the initals A-C, your name, location and question in the text and send it to 94553.
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He's quite inspiring, I'm class of 2007 and I feel bad I'm not doing all these things he's calling the '09 class to do! I feel like a new grad again... he's a catalyst of inspiration!
Here is part of the mission statement at Notre Dame:
The University encourages a way of living consonant with a Christian community and manifest in prayer, liturgy and service.
I do agree Obama should speak there, but it is understandable why the majority of students do not given his views on abortion.
@Brandi – bottom of the boot... he's wearing the ASU robe, kind of strange since he's a Harvard alum
The Prez , Kicking Arizona's butt over their decisions, putting it to them in an ever so dignified way. Let the School Board sit on that.
great speech, very inspiring.
go get a job america, if there are none create one......plain and simple
I wont give President Bush much credit. He did however drop the student loan interest rate down to three percent for a time. That is what Obama should do for these students now.
I this President has a better idea on how the average American lives, unlike the previous,
Obama is certainly an amazing visionary. I see a much better future for the whole world.
Yay for engineering and Yay for going green. 🙂
President just said I'll need more degrees and will have several careers. I just graduated! Not inspiring at all. Sounds like a self-serving political speech.
Obama is amazing with the crowds...He's a one man Rock Band! 😀
President Obama does have a gift!! This speech is kicking!
Anderson, you asked if we would be inspired...I am!
Obama swanky red robe, lol.
@Gayle- i totally agree!
I have absolutely no problem with the President's refusal to release more photos. We are way too relaxed in sharing and publicizing information as it is and it is time we realized that the world is still a world of nations, not global citizens. The key action is to stop the arrogance that led us astray. But to join the chorus of anti-Americanism ourselves is shooting ourselves in the foot, to say the least.
Im a young guy but when i talk to older people about the past im told that high school had finance, home econ, shop class, automotive, classes that would teach skills help make an indepentent person. when i graduated, there were no classes like that, we were taught to score high on the SAT and that was it. Go to college
President Obama is a breath of fresh air, motivated, Intelligent,he doesn't need their Degree, he has enough, that were earned by him, and he will and has changed the course of history, and he is only going higher, and higher
'They didn't get honorary degrees but they changed the course of history.' Amen!
Do you hear that Anderson? : )
great speech, to link americas ups and downs for the american story, he left out us, the troops, oh well lest he cares enough not to show pics of us.
LOL, that was a fantastic comment about the honorary degree. With or without it Obama is and will continue to do great things.
snap – little dig on the honorary degree – nice!
@Bridget, TX... yeah, that's a good point. Someone said it was a "rule" they have not to grant one to an incumbent, so I was just wondering...
Shazaam! Pres. Obama has really turned the tables on ASU. Makes them seem very petty...
Alright President Obama!
He's in the grove now.
I am in love with his forward thinking vision for the USA and the world.A quality of mind and a quality of heart..As I've said before , it's time for us to be our better selves!
With all due respect to the President, I think he speaks as one who has experienced great success in life. I do not think he knows what it's like for those in America who have experienced failure or alienation in life. He says to work harder and keep learning and reach out to help others but all of that doesn't insure success. Many Americans can attest to that today.
I was just reading today about someone who lost his job after working for a company for 19 years. He had no warning whatsoever.
I don't think the President knows what that's like.
It's so refreshing to hear this president speak...no decisivness, just togetherness...Thank you Mr. President!
our POTUS is great at American History! he is awesomeness!!!!
Is that clicking I hear Obama hitting the turn signal to get this country to where it needs to go? I think it is!!!
Lynn,
You are correct, universities should be places where all sides of an issue can be discussed, and that students come out with knowing both sides of an issue. Unfortunately, too many universities are left wing bastions that rarely allow a conservative on campus to speak. All we need do is look at how the few conservative speakers are treated when they do come on campus, and how many conservatives are invited to be commencement speakers. And the few conservative commencement speakers are many times treated with disrespect by both the students, and even worse, by the supposed adult professors.
One question, how is President Obama not sweating at all? it's 90 degrees and I'm about 5 miles from Sundevil Stadium and it's has to be at least 10-15 degrees hotter down on that field
I hope whoever gives my commencement speech Friday is taking notes. Obama is doing an amazing job. I know those students will never forget this.
I am enjoy the President's speech at AZ State. He took what some people viewed as a disrespectful act (not receiving an honorary degree), and putting a positive spin on it–that we all must continually learn and develop new skills throughout our lives.
ok, what do the colors the POTUS is wearing represent? which alma mater?
This man is quite simply brilliant.
I just love this man!
Thank you Obama for highlighting Madoff and greed
I can tell that he's a great Dad!
Another shout out to Abe Lincoln! 😀
He complains about Wall Street, yet he is already planning to give them back the money they pay us back for the loans we've given them. He wants them to invest it again.
@Mike Syracuse, NY....Pro-Choice does not mean Pro-Abortion...Its a personal choice...I personally could never have one...but it is not my place to tell a 15 year old girl who was just raped by her step father and is now pregnant that she has to carry that baby to term...you can be pro-choice without being pro-abortion...
"Shrinking from rather than rising to" – love it
The statement PO makes on materialism and the true measure of success is right on point. Couldn't agree more.
@David, I wish violence in any shape or form could be completely eradicated, but I'm afraid my wish will not come true soon or ever actually.
Amen about the messages that we have absorbed for so long in American society. They are: Kill or be killed in business, buy a bigger car every year no matter what kind of gas mileage it gets, tear down old buildings in cities and replace them just for the sake of passing out more contracts to builders on the backs of taxpayers. Stuff, stuff and more stuff. That's what we have been taught.
But ask many young homebuyers if they even know how to paint a bedroom. They don't. Most of us don't know how to do anything creative with our hands anymore. We have only learned how to shop, shop and shop.
as far as nd goes, yes its a catholic church that may not agree or is suppose to agree with obamas views. but its a school, why cant people leave it at that, prez. obama, like it at not is a very historic person, good or bad. this is a great moment for nd's time, to be a host to such a powerful person its great for the school,
as long as they dont let him play basketball, if you seen him play with duke, all he did was run back and fourth,
Hail to the Chief! How classy to turn a negative (not getting an honorary degree at ASU) into a positive inspiring those students to continue to strive for better things and success.
@mike: being pro-choice yet against abortion is not an oxymoron. I'm against murder, yet pro death-penalty. Is that an oxymoron? Supporting pro choice means that you believe that women should have the choice to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. It doesn't mean that you may agree with her choice.
Jennifer, a list was printed on previous recepients of the honorary degree from ASU and many hadn't accomplished anything close to the presidency of the United States;
@Mike, Syracuse
You can be both against abortion and pro-choice very easily.
I personally would not have an abortion – but I don't judge or push my choice on other people.
Wow, President Obama has just started talking but as usual he handles himself with humility, dignity, and humor. We are SO lucky. I can't remember ever feeling George Bush connect with me as an American or a human being or anything.