Comments on: Obama not worthy of honorary degree…from ASU? http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu Write to know yourself better. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:22:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: andrewkfromaz http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-340 andrewkfromaz Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:00:57 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-340 I think most ASU people got blindsided by the fact that he's coming to ASU, particularly the honorary degree committee. Who would have anticipated that he would elect to come here? The statement that Obama may have not even been nominated for an honorary degree (yet) simply tells me that no one felt particularly motivated to offer him the degree this year. He'll be the first Black President for at least four years, and he certainly has a lot of potential to have a big impact in that time (or, for that matter, after his Presidency ends! See: Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, for example). I think most ASU people got blindsided by the fact that he’s coming to ASU, particularly the honorary degree committee. Who would have anticipated that he would elect to come here? The statement that Obama may have not even been nominated for an honorary degree (yet) simply tells me that no one felt particularly motivated to offer him the degree this year. He’ll be the first Black President for at least four years, and he certainly has a lot of potential to have a big impact in that time (or, for that matter, after his Presidency ends! See: Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize, for example).

]]> By: andrewkfromaz http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-2622 andrewkfromaz Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:00:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-2622 I think most ASU people got blindsided by the fact that he's coming to ASU, particularly the honorary degree committee. Who would have anticipated that he would elect to come here? The statement that Obama may have not even been nominated for an honorary degree (yet) simply tells me that no one felt particularly motivated to offer him the degree this year. He'll be the first Black President for at least four years, and he certainly has a lot of potential to have a big impact in that time (or, for that matter, after his Presidency ends! See: Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, for example). I think most ASU people got blindsided by the fact that he’s coming to ASU, particularly the honorary degree committee. Who would have anticipated that he would elect to come here? The statement that Obama may have not even been nominated for an honorary degree (yet) simply tells me that no one felt particularly motivated to offer him the degree this year. He’ll be the first Black President for at least four years, and he certainly has a lot of potential to have a big impact in that time (or, for that matter, after his Presidency ends! See: Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize, for example).

]]> By: Bubba http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-339 Bubba Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:57:29 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-339 Disclaimers: I didn't vote for him. I support him when I can, but already disagree with some of his actions. That being said, I do not see what the big deal is one way or another. Whether I agree with him or not, the accomplishment of becoming the first African American President of the United States is HUGE. If ASU says they are waiting for "his greatest work...yet to come": why? Becoming President is not a sufficient accomplishment? Sheesh. On the other hand, we all acknowledge that an honorary degree is purely PR, otherwise meaningless. Why does anyone care? BTW, great discussion topic, Tyler. Disclaimers: I didn’t vote for him. I support him when I can, but already disagree with some of his actions.

That being said, I do not see what the big deal is one way or another. Whether I agree with him or not, the accomplishment of becoming the first African American President of the United States is HUGE. If ASU says they are waiting for “his greatest work…yet to come”: why? Becoming President is not a sufficient accomplishment? Sheesh.

On the other hand, we all acknowledge that an honorary degree is purely PR, otherwise meaningless. Why does anyone care?

BTW, great discussion topic, Tyler.

]]> By: Bubba http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-2621 Bubba Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:57:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-2621 Disclaimers: I didn't vote for him. I support him when I can, but already disagree with some of his actions. That being said, I do not see what the big deal is one way or another. Whether I agree with him or not, the accomplishment of becoming the first African American President of the United States is HUGE. If ASU says they are waiting for "his greatest work...yet to come": why? Becoming President is not a sufficient accomplishment? Sheesh. On the other hand, we all acknowledge that an honorary degree is purely PR, otherwise meaningless. Why does anyone care? BTW, great discussion topic, Tyler. Disclaimers: I didn’t vote for him. I support him when I can, but already disagree with some of his actions.

That being said, I do not see what the big deal is one way or another. Whether I agree with him or not, the accomplishment of becoming the first African American President of the United States is HUGE. If ASU says they are waiting for “his greatest work…yet to come”: why? Becoming President is not a sufficient accomplishment? Sheesh.

On the other hand, we all acknowledge that an honorary degree is purely PR, otherwise meaningless. Why does anyone care?

BTW, great discussion topic, Tyler.

]]> By: andrewkfromaz http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-338 andrewkfromaz Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:06:28 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-338 "Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation." It will be different b/c a popular president is delivering the commencement, not "some scientist" (I dislike your characterization of academics here, and I don't think it's true that they typically deliver these speeches). I think this started out as an oversight and got political. ASU will reverse its position and offer him the degree, neither he nor the students graduating will really care, other than those who care about the political "snub." “Andrew – not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation.”

It will be different b/c a popular president is delivering the commencement, not “some scientist” (I dislike your characterization of academics here, and I don’t think it’s true that they typically deliver these speeches).

I think this started out as an oversight and got political. ASU will reverse its position and offer him the degree, neither he nor the students graduating will really care, other than those who care about the political “snub.”

]]> By: andrewkfromaz http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-2620 andrewkfromaz Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:06:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-2620 "Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation." It will be different b/c a popular president is delivering the commencement, not "some scientist" (I dislike your characterization of academics here, and I don't think it's true that they typically deliver these speeches). I think this started out as an oversight and got political. ASU will reverse its position and offer him the degree, neither he nor the students graduating will really care, other than those who care about the political "snub." “Andrew – not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation.”

It will be different b/c a popular president is delivering the commencement, not “some scientist” (I dislike your characterization of academics here, and I don’t think it’s true that they typically deliver these speeches).

I think this started out as an oversight and got political. ASU will reverse its position and offer him the degree, neither he nor the students graduating will really care, other than those who care about the political “snub.”

]]> By: Nina http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-337 Nina Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:18:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-337 ASU says this "We have tremendous respect for President Obama, and that is why we invited him to speak at our graduation ceremony. We are honored that he accepted our invitation, and that we will be the first university in the nation to host him for a commencement ceremony. In recent years, we have determined not to give honorary degrees to sitting politicians or major donors, but to do so based on an individual's body of work. While President Obama has already achieved remarkable success--including becoming the first African-American president--his greatest work is yet to come. " http://www.twitter.com/asu ASU says this
“We have tremendous respect for President Obama, and that is why we invited him to speak at our graduation ceremony. We are honored that he accepted our invitation, and that we will be the first university in the nation to host him for a commencement ceremony.
In recent years, we have determined not to give honorary degrees to sitting politicians or major donors, but to do so based on an individual’s body of work. While President Obama has already achieved remarkable success–including becoming the first African-American president–his greatest work is yet to come. ”

http://www.twitter.com/asu

]]> By: Nina http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-2619 Nina Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:18:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-2619 ASU says this "We have tremendous respect for President Obama, and that is why we invited him to speak at our graduation ceremony. We are honored that he accepted our invitation, and that we will be the first university in the nation to host him for a commencement ceremony. In recent years, we have determined not to give honorary degrees to sitting politicians or major donors, but to do so based on an individual's body of work. While President Obama has already achieved remarkable success--including becoming the first African-American president--his greatest work is yet to come. " http://www.twitter.com/asu ASU says this
“We have tremendous respect for President Obama, and that is why we invited him to speak at our graduation ceremony. We are honored that he accepted our invitation, and that we will be the first university in the nation to host him for a commencement ceremony.
In recent years, we have determined not to give honorary degrees to sitting politicians or major donors, but to do so based on an individual’s body of work. While President Obama has already achieved remarkable success–including becoming the first African-American president–his greatest work is yet to come. ”

http://www.twitter.com/asu

]]> By: Nina http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-336 Nina Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:53:30 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-336 Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won't think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation. Andrew – not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation.

]]> By: Nina http://tdhurst.com/obama-not-worthy-of-honorary-degreefrom-asu/comment-page-1#comment-2618 Nina Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:53:00 +0000 http://www.tdhurst.com/?p=440#comment-2618 Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won't think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation. Andrew – not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation.

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