ASU: Where winning a World Series is a greater achievement than becoming 44th president
ASU: Where winning a World Series is a greater achievement than becoming 44th president
In May 2002, still on a high from the Arizona Diamondbacks winning the World Series, Arizona State University awarded an honorary degree to the team's CEO, Jerry Colangelo.
But the man whose revolutionary campaign elected him the 44th president of the United States and the first African-American to hold the job....not so impressive to ASU:
TEMPE, ARIZONA - Universities typically confer an honorary degree on commencement speakers, particularly those who have reached the pinnacle of their career or achieved the top of their field. Arizona State University (ASU), though, says it will not confer an honorary degree on this year's commencement speaker, President Barack Obama, because "his body of work is yet to come."
ASU Media Relations Director Sharon Keeler says, unlike other universities, the processes for selecting commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients are independent. She says that honorary degrees are given "for an achievement of eminence" and that Obama was not considered for an honorary degree because his body of achievements, at this time, does not fit within that criteria.
Discuss -- it's the weekend open thread!
Comments (133)
I can see that. Have a nice day.— Rokit
Thanks for that bit of insight, Rokit. Everybody here should aspire to your level of intellect. It’s too bad we’re all “retrded”.— Hamlet- Just a reminder that arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics...Even if you win, you're still retrded. And maybe if you all shut up for a minute, you'd see the wisdom in Jimmy Madison's post.— Rokit
- Since when do we care what ASU does... McCain is from AZ.. as we discuss both sides of the issue at hand we will come to the conclusion that it would be better off on the edge than heads or tails.— BBAX
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Fitting place for Harry to pass. Where else but in the broadcast booth and that it happened in D.C. where Harry's favorite player of all-time, Mickey Vernon, starred for the Senators. Pray for Harry, he's just now hearing about every mistake he's made in the past 12 years from his good friend Whitey.— bird11- Comment removed.
- The great Harry Kalas just died. The best broadcaster I ever heard joins Whitey in Baseball's heaven Hall of Fame— James TL
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- Harry Kalas H.O.F. - says it all.— bird11
- Say hi to Whitey for us, Harry. Best. Announcer. Ever.— legatus
- Amen, ride home is gonna be weird— RG
- HK rest in peace!!!— bird11
- Next time your found, with your chin on the ground There a lot to be learned, so look around Just what makes that little old ant Think hell move that rubber tree plant Anyone knows an ant, cant Move a rubber tree plant But hes got high hopes, hes got high hopes Hes got high apple pie, in the sky hopes So any time your gettin low stead of lettin go Just remember that ant Oops there goes another rubber tree plant When troubles call, and your backs to the wall There a lot to be learned, that wall could fall Once there was a silly old ram Thought hed punch a hole in a dam No one could make that ram, scram He kept buttin that dam cause he had high hopes, he had high hopes He had high apple pie, in the sky hopes So any time your feelin bad stead of feelin sad Just remember that ram Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam All problems just a toy balloon Theyll be bursted soon Theyre just bound to go pop Oops there goes another problem kerplop— bird11
- no it doesn't RG— bird11
- doesn't sound good, bird— RG
- Harry Kalas in serious condition after collapsing in press box. God bless Harry, his family, and the Phillies family.— bird11
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- Hamlet, I'll give you that some liberals - in philly and elsewhere - simply support Cook because they oppose the death penalty (Bunch I believe is in that group) but as long as they use a cop killer as the face for their movement they are IMHO going to be confused with and lumped into the Cook is an innocent political prisoner crowd.— bird11
- What about the "teach in" lesson in Oakland, CA where Cook was referred to as a political prisoner - not a cop killer? What about the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passing a resolution naming a day in Abu-Jamal's honor?? What about Not in Our Name (an anti-Iraq war group) touting Cook's support for their group??? Would you call Chuck D and Rage Against the Machine - liberal or conservative?? Hamlet, do you need me to go on??? Please find me ONE conservative voice or organization that supports Cook??— bird11
- Bird, I find it hard to believe that Will supports Abu Jamal. And the liberals of the US are not responsible for what some foreign government does. Again, I find the accusation that the liberals of Philadelphia support Jamal offensive.— Hamlet
- Hamlet - do you consider Bunch a liberal or a conservative??? He for one doesn't want justice for P/O Faulkner's death - and since justice is such a murky term let me say the only justice IMHO would have been Cook's execution more than 2 decades ago. Liberals all over the world have worked for Cook to not only allow him to live but have made him an "honorary citizen" - take a look at the governments that have conferred that "honorary citizen" label on Cook and tell me if you consider them "liberal" or "conservative".— bird11
- Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard! (Batty's off his meds)— Hamlet
- (Why are my comments on ASU blocked – last one done last week - but I can call Genius "@$$ face"?) ASU is just pandering to its Phoenix-based, right-wing alumni. It’s pathetic, really, and not worth much attention.— Hamlet
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- "Who backs a Cop Killer? Liberal Democrats or Republicans?..Liberals of course" Stick to what you know, @$$ face - whatever that is. MOVE was a militant revolutionary group. To call them liberal is like calling Aryan Nations conservative. Philadelphians, liberals and conservatives alike, want justice for the murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner.— Hamlet
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- All of you Obama haters we truly welcome your PUTRID VITRIOL and we will see you as we will once again rejoice again in VICTORY in 2012......HA HA HA PERIOD!!!!!!!— Mister C
- Perhaps ASU feels that being knee deep in drool from the MSM's fawning over the celebrident is quite enough, thank you. Hey, Bunch, you can use me for a reference when the paper folds. Paper folds, wow, that's pretty funny. If a paper folds in Japan, would they call it Origami?— JingoGuy
- According to all the macho O'Bama critics the way to handle the world is to BOMB 'EM ALL. Hell we're the US and if they don't like it, the hell with 'em...we'll control the universe alone!!! Now, you guys go get em....I'll be back here waiting fo ya. Sounds familiar eh? Remember that brave military man GW Bush, a true verbal patriot. Now we're talking spending money.......and making friends around the world. Yep, I'll bet he's sharpening his sword right now in his suburban tract home. Whatever happened to the John Wayne ranch and the tumbleweed?????— stoneman
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ch, Easter is named after the pagan goddess of spring who made rabbits produce colored eggs. Anyone who thinks they're eating a Cadbury egg in Jesus' honor better repent now, they're breaking the very first commandment.- The neococonuts mock Jesus Christ on Easter and wonder why moderates and Independents are leaving their party in droves.— chasing history
- Will, I also hear that your Messiah is releasing Reagan's White House papers. Planning a revised copy of your mythology tome?
- Will, take a hint from the Genius, will ya? This is how the DN should look in order to survive: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/
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- Mr Bunch, is it more important to you and the rest of the left that President Obama be described as the 44th US President or the 1st African-American President? And was he elected for what he had not accomplished yet or was it because he is African-American.— steimel
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- --snip-- I also don't think there is too much debate about the eventuality of a collapse of economic and social order in this country. All signs seem to point to a once great nation in the midst its last gasp, suffocating under the weight [of] fiscal irresponsibility. Poisoned by design by the moral decadence... --snip-- Hmmmmmm. Batboy, or Richard Paplowski? You make the call.— Talking point sleuth
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- "...struck fear into the hearts of terrorists everywhere." . . . . Only if they'd been reading "My Pet Goat".
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- Sorry - I meant aspersions.— Talking point sleuth
- As for your question - I have no idea why Obama hasn't released his grades. However, the claims that he has a "low IQ" seem highly illogical given that he apparently performed in the top 10% at one of the most academically challenging institutions in the world. Have any of his classmates stepped forward to cast dispersions on his intelligence or academic performance? How about any of his professors? How about colleagues at the U of Chicago? How about the hiring committee that hired him to teach at Chicago? Do you think that they might have weighed his credentials against other possible applicants for a teaching position? Why would he be elected to be president of the Harvard Law review if he is so obviously lacking in intelligence? If you're interested in his grades, knock yourself out. Personally, because I work in an academic institution, I've come to see that grades, per se, aren't all that indicative of anything particularly important. However, I do think that the opinions of colleagues, peers, and academic professionals who are tasked with evaluating other academic professionals is generally a fairly reasonable barometer. Oh yeah, and I trust that although it is always possible that the American people might elect a "dope" who has a "low IQ," once, or even twice in a row (as they did with Bush), I have waaaay to much respect for Amerians to think that they would do so three times in a row. Lol!— Talking point sleuth
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- Wow, quite the sticker, eh bryanc? Whatever. A couple of posters derisively commented on Obama's performance since he's been in office, and I pointed out that a vast number of Americans view his performance much more favorably than they do his predecessor - whom those same posters voted for twice. I just thought that they should know that when they ridicule Obama, they're displaying a pronounced disrespect for the reasoning skills of a significant number of Americans. I apologize if my pointing that out doesn't quite fit into your elaborate chronological analysis of the logic of my posts based on their topic and sequence. So I'm not always perfectly logical. So shoot me.— Talking point sleuth
- ---}}} (("The point about the polling was relatively simple, bryanc. I'm surprised you didn't understand it.")) TPS, I LOVE it when you start off a response with an insult (implying a lack of intelligence on my part) when we constantly have to read you bemoaning about posters who do nothing but insult {{{--- A tad sensitive, eh bryanc? Perhaps I meant that given how incredibly intelligent you are (as proven by your brilliant posts), I was surprised that something so simple could have gotten by you. Now why would you possibly read my meaning to be that you lacked the sophistication to understand something, even though it was so simple? Boy, you try to pay a fella a compliment, and all you get is whining.— Talking point sleuth
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Oh, oh, that would be the new left wing hate radio show hosted by Ed Schultz.— ocjones- I see newsbusters.org has reported that Randi Rhodes has claimed that the new left wing hate radio show was started up with money from US Senate Democrats. I thoughts liberals always claimed that Rush was in the pocket of the Republican party. Beware of those lying lefties for they do exacly what they accuse others of. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2009/04/07/randi-rhodes-ed-schultz-received-startup-money-senate-democrats— ocjones
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- Actually, now that I think about it, the attributes "Republican toady," and "Idiot" are redundant anyway.— Talking point sleuth
- Non-issue.— JC Denton
- ---}}} Secondly respond directly to this please........" {{{--- I guess this was too complicated for you to figure out from what I posted, but although the selection process was not based on grades, being as part of a group of 85-90 students among a pool of 1000 Harvard Law students strongly suggests that the quality of Obama's work exceeded that of over 90% of the best students in the country. Now, you might assume that just because affirmative action might have been one component of a selection criteria, someone who was black was selected even though he had a "very low IQ." But I don't make such prejudiced assumptions about black people. I think that many black people who are selected for positions - where part of the selection - criteria might have been designed to advance the achievement of blacks - are actually highly gifted in their own right. I also assume that not everyone of those involved in making the selections would ignore valid selective processes. I would suggest that Obama's election as president of the Law Review would substantiate the selection criteria used to select editors. But yes, I suppose it is possible that the only reason he was voted to be president of the Law Review was because they were less aware of his abilities than you, a Fox News watcher/Drudge reader. Indeed, you certainly are entitled to believe in unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, based on prejudicial judgments regarding people whom you don't know anything about. It is a free country. Lol!— Talking point sleuth
- ---}}} can you post Obama's grades for me?........ {{{--- No, idiot, I can't. But I can tell you that he was in the top 10% of the class of one of the most prestigious law schools in the country - and that law schools, in particular, are in the top echelon of academic institutions. By definition, being in the top 10% of your class at Harvard Law School implies a high-level of academic achievement. I would argue that academic achievement is not directly correlated to intelligence, but it does seem particularly hard to believe that someone who made the academic achievements that Obama made could even remotely be considered to be as "someone with a very low IQ." That is, unless you are a Republican toady or an Idiot. Or both. LOL!— Talking point sleuth
- Oh, and btw, bryanc. I've posted things that are critical of Obama and I am not a supporter of Bush - so obviously I understand that not everyone who is critical of Obama is a Republican toady.— Talking point sleuth
- ---}}} Tps, why do you ALWAYS assume someone that posts something critical of Obama is a Bush supporter/vote {{{--- Bryanc, please check at who my comments were directed towards and then get back to me. My comments were directed at Republican toadies. If you aren't in such a category, feel free to understand that the comment wasn't directed towards you.— Talking point sleuth
- ---}}} Governing through polling is a dangerous act, and if we've learned anything the last 16 years, it's that. {{{--- The point about the polling was relatively simple, bryanc. I'm surprised you didn't understand it. Most Americans view Obama as having made significant achievements in his life; otherwise, they wouldn't have voted for him (or at least considered voting for him) to be president. The reason why that is relevant is that a number of commenters came on to say that Obama has never achieved anything of significance. Clearly, such haters are in a minority. So please explain how your argument about governing by polls, which no one even came close to advocating in any way - is even remotely relevant? Why did you direct your comment about governing by polling to me?— Talking point sleuth
- "If we governed by polling, we'd all probably be British citizens." . . . . . . . . Yet the point remains. Americans dig Obama.
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- "revolutionary campaign" . . . . . . As if beating the Repugs last year was anything special?
TPS-What are you talking about? My comment was about push polling. Oh, I forgot...change the subject. Brilliant.— georgel
I just want all the previous commenters to know that ASU changed its mind in the face of massive public opinion and will award President Obama an honorary degree.- Comment removed.
- It was stupid when Harvard wouldn't give one to Reagan and it's even dumber that a safety school like ASU wouldn't give Obama (Yale, Harvard) one.— Scholes
- Idiot - what part of the following do you have trouble understanding? Obama graduated Magna C*m Laude, which is awarded to the top 10% of Harvard Law School students. Accepted as one of 85-90 Editors of the Harvard Law Review, out of an estimated 1,000 students who were eligible. Elected president of the Harvard Law Review.— Talking point sleuth
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- Hey James, my comment had NOTHING to do with anything that Imus said. The fact is that Beschloss made a fool of himself. He just happened to do it on the Imus radio show.— ocjones
- Sorry george - does that mean that you can or can't actually describe any progress made re: Korea during Bush's administration?— Talking point sleuth
- Talking point sleuth: I can get a 99% negative or positive on Santa Claus if I ask the question correctly. Construction of the question can preordain the answer, and the press is so in the tank for this fraud Obama, they won't let him look bad.— georgel
- Edgley - are you aware of the significant development North Korea made in its nuclear program during Bush's eight years in office? Can you point to one iota of progress made during his term in the situation with North Korea?— Talking point sleuth
- OCJONES; Who cares what Imus says? He a racist and an idiot. I don't care what talk show entertainers have to say at all. Obama headed the Harvard law review. He's an intelligent man. Get over it.— James TL
- Obama graduated Magna C*m Laude, which is awarded to the top 10% of Harvard Law School students. Accepted as one of 85-90 Editors of the Harvard Law Review, out of an estimated 1,000 students who were eligible. Elected president of the Harvard Law Review. Clearly, Obama couldn't carry Bush's pencil case.— Talking point sleuth
- Another left wingnut making a fool of himself over Obama's supposed superior intellect....Obama's IQ is discussed on the Don Imus Show. Don Imus talking to the historian Michael Beschloss about the election and Barack Obama. ... Beschloss goes on in the interview and claims Obama's IQ is "off the chart", only to be challeged by Imus.....www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCV9ZoV--BY— ocjones
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- Why am I talking to someone who *OWNS* a pet rock?— Hamlet
- If you can't admit that Genius you are beyond reasoning with. You really should consider changing back to Idiot. George Bush finished within the bottom 10 of his class while Obama was the head of Harvard Law. If all you have is teleprompters you should just give up (I know you won't, you seem to think your mission is to de-rail Obama's efforts).— James TL
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- My toaster oven is smarter that George Bush.— Hamlet
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- I trust Obama knows what he's doing. He's a lot smarter than George Bush was which is refreshing. Our problems seem to be resolving slowly which is all you can ask considering the sheer magnitude of them. To some people all a politician has to have is a "D" besides their name for them to hate them. I feel sorry for people like that. Sure, the Democrats aren't perfect (far from it) but right now they are in power and rightly so. If Obama doesn't do his job then he will be voted out in 4 years. Until then, he runs this country. Hoping he fails is stupid and those that want him to are also stupid.— James TL
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- Too bad Xi brings nothing to the table except his crocodile tears. Oh, and his love for Ted Haggard and Larry Craig.— chasing history
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- "edgley...how dare you bring fact and reason into this discussion." This is a discussion?— Hamlet
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- Xi is crying like Glenn Beck. Perhaps it's that time of the month! lolz......— chasing history
- Let me just say this: ASU knows how to party and the girls are second to none.— Nico Lange
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- Actually, North Korea's nuclear proliferation goes even further back than GWB. Clinton's time in office is one of the first times that our intelligence agencies suspected (and proved) that N. Korea was successful in the early development of nuclear armaments. Of course, many of the 'finders' of these facts began their careers under Reagan and Bush I, so you can slant your arguments accordingly. But remember, the harnessing of nuclear power for armament purposes has been studied for decades (century almost?), so to blame a single presendential regime for allowing a dictatorship to seek out nuclear arms is daft. N. Korea has been run by mad-men who will only accept defeat in a blaze of mass destruction. Nuclear power can provide that result. The key is to end the regime and the tyranny, not nuclear energy/arms. That should be Obama's mission in the region.— Edgley
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- Yeah Genius, real dumb. He graduated top of his class at Harvard law. What have you accomplished?— Dr. Martin von Nostrand
- Actually, legatus, my comments were addressing the obsessive negativity of the ARTs that posted comment previously. In my mind, becoming the first African American to receive majority support to be the American president is, indeed, and enormous accomplishment. I never thought I'd see anyone do it in my lifetime. It is inspirational for millions of Americans, and millions and millions of people throughout the globe. Aside from whatever else notable Obama has achieved in his lifetime - such as becoming head of the law review for the most prestigious law school in the country, for example - I'd say that anyone that doesn't recognize the self-evident significance in Obama's achievement of being elected president of the United States is either a partisan toady, hates America, or both. What say you?— Talking point sleuth
- legatus- Did you read CDs comment before mine? He made a point of blaming the North Korea missile launch on Obama. I had to point out that the nuclear proliferation of North Korea had NOTHING to do with Obama and EVERYTHING to do with Bush. I know the righties love to cut talks with despots that DON'T MAKE US MONEY, but when your enemies are perfectly ok with starving or martyring their populous, you can't burry your head in the sand. The days of detente or mutually assured destruction are over.— pagoda
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- "GW did SOOOOOOOOO much....", "the dude you voted for twice did a horrible job..." Let's see...Will posts a blog entry about ASU, Barack Obama and honorary degrees. And to what do the comments from the left wing sycophants concern...why George Bush of course.— legatus
- To be fair, I think Colangelo's honor had less to do with the Diamondbacks' WC and more to do with the half billion dollars he raised for ASU as a member of some fundraising committee. That's the bottom line on most of these honorary degrees these days: fund raising potential. About 15 years ago, some small college in NY gave one to...Kermit the Frog. And people connected with the school spoke proudly of it for years because of all the media attention it generated which in turn led to increased donations. Go figure.— GreyHippie
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- Just curious - does it ever occur to you fellas that some 60% of the American public approve of the job that Obama is doing, while some 75% of the American public says that the dude you voted for twice did a horrible job? Maybe you guys should reserve your whining for the "tea bagging" parties that you're having with each other. Not that there's anything wrong with that. LOL!— Talking point sleuth
- I saw on the news yesterday that Bush winked at the Queen.— lan1122
- Actually, it probably is. You have to actually go out there and play the game to win a World Series, rather than just talk about it. Giving an honorary degree to Obama would be like giving the 610 WIP guys World Series rings. Obama ran a great campaign, yes, but he's not very good at the actual game. But since taking office it's been misstep after misstep. If the adulation of the mainstream press would subside, we'd see that he's a smart guy with a case of foot-in-mouth disease who's generally in way over his head. Your colleague Dick Polman is one of the few who's seen through the smoke and mirrors and called him on it. Shame you can't be as objective.— Echo
- GW did SOOOOOOOOO much to contain North Korea. The amazing thing is Kim was able to build and test and test and research and fuel and continue building, test, saber rattle, saber rattle some more, do more testing, then finally launch this rocket- all since January 2009.— pagoda
- "revolutionary campaign" ??? Cute. Since when does that make you a Great President. Let's crown him King, Will.— CD75
- Let's see, Obama: 1) bowed to the Saudi King, 2) said American should not have dropped the bomb to end WWII, 3) said America does not respest the Europeans "leadership" in the world, 4) has not done a darn thing about North Korea's rocket launch, and 5) let Congressional reps goto Cuba to meet Castro. Quite a resume so far!— CD75
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