PHOENIX — In the ongoing soap opera surrounding President Obama‘s plans to speak at the Arizona State University graduation commencement next month, the university’s top spokeswoman now says “we blew it.”
In an email to a concerned out-of-state citizen, Terri Shafer, ASU’s associate vice president of marketing and strategic communications, makes what might be the most blunt concession yet by the university.
If you remember, ASU first said it would not award Obama an honorary degree. After controversy erupted, ASU President Michael Crow announced plans to create an Obama scholarship. But Crow said ASU always intended on honoring Obama.
Shafer says in the email, forwarded to the Star, that ASU “blew it” and “learned a big lesson.”
“We could have—and probably would have—awarded an honorary degree to the president before this controversy erupted,” she writes. “But after it started, we determined it would not be appropriate to offer a degree to President Obama under circumstances in which the offer might not be considered to be genuine or positive.
Here’s the money quote from Shafer: “You are right. We blew it. We have learned a big lesson, and we are taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.”
The rest of Shafer’s the email:
“We invited President Obama to speak at our commencement because we are committed to leadership, excellence and diversity. He is the best example we could imagine, as an extraordinarily talented and accomplished individual committed to public service. Although we were hoping to announce the President Barack Obama Scholars program when he comes here on May 13, we are pleased to do so now because it will open the door to college for more than 1,500 students this fall who would not otherwise be able to attend.”
Don’t take this “soap opera” too lightly. Out here, in Oregon, most folks can’t distinguish between UA and ASU, so when MSNBC posted a crawl that read “Arizona University” refuses Obama honorary degree, it sounds to the less sophisticated reader as if UA may have been the foolish institution. ASU has given the entire State a bad name due to its ill-considered “refusal”. Most Dems are wondering whether some wealthy, right-wing donors may be behind this.
It wouldn’t have been a big deal, it’s just the words that the first spokeswoman chose, that his (the President’s) “body of work is yet to come” and implying he’s not accomplished yet — that’s what caused the great uproar.
The decision was okay, it’s the spokeswoman’s words that were so messed up and soured the whole ordeal.
I personally agree with the decision President Michael Crow made. Despite the controversy, the policy in place that says Honorary Degrees are not to be awarded to sitting politicians, and has been rightfully respected. The fact that Obama will have a scholarship named after him will be a huge honor. Students will be able to benefit from the scholarship and it will be seen as a legacy as opposed to an award solely given to Obama. It’s unfortunate that the controversy arose, but ASU handled it well and stood by its decisions and policies.
Why would you give an honorary degree to somebody whoze bin pallin around with terrorists? If you need a substitute just lemme know dontcha know by golly!
This is delightful fun. Something to announce that Spring has arrived. President Crow crows about all of his accomplishments, especially to the state legislature. Nice to see a little human error.
I think the scholarship is far more appropriate. ASU should have announced that at the same time as not awarding the honorary degree, and it would have played better.
I have enjoyed all the famous and infamous bloggers here.
You’re right, we hate hearing from that Crow guy. We don’t even know what an Honorary degree is, seeing as how many of us, and our friend Jan Brewer, have never received college degrees at all. Oh well, time to get back to running the state into the ground and cutting all funding for education.
Trivial beyond belief. Only an imbecile would consider this news.
— morgan stanley 04/14/2009 02:49 PM #
I would have to agree
Dean Witter
— Dean Witter 04/14/2009 03:06 PM #
I agree, too. But nobody listens to my opinion anymore.
— E. F. Hutton 04/14/2009 03:14 PM #
Morgan, Dean and E.F. — then why did you read it?
— CatFanInFlag 04/14/2009 03:56 PM #
To give him a degree at this point would be a bailout, something I never deserved either.
— Lehman Brothers 04/14/2009 03:57 PM #
Don’t take this “soap opera” too lightly. Out here, in Oregon, most folks can’t distinguish between UA and ASU, so when MSNBC posted a crawl that read “Arizona University” refuses Obama honorary degree, it sounds to the less sophisticated reader as if UA may have been the foolish institution. ASU has given the entire State a bad name due to its ill-considered “refusal”. Most Dems are wondering whether some wealthy, right-wing donors may be behind this.
— David 04/14/2009 03:59 PM #
You’re right, most people in Oregon (and Flagstaff) aren’t very sophisticated,or even alert to having their chain jerked.
— Goldie Sachs 04/14/2009 04:08 PM #
Certainly worth researching for the long term.
— Robert Schwab 04/14/2009 04:17 PM #
Roger that!
— Scott Trade 04/14/2009 04:20 PM #
ASwho?
— Bo 04/14/2009 04:23 PM #
Bo joins the turkeys!
— Edward Jones 04/14/2009 04:30 PM #
Amazing insight.
— Mellon Bank 04/14/2009 04:38 PM #
As Morgan Stanley said, only an imbecile would consider this news….. but it may be marketable as a comedy piece.
— Van Guard 04/14/2009 05:20 PM #
It wouldn’t have been a big deal, it’s just the words that the first spokeswoman chose, that his (the President’s) “body of work is yet to come” and implying he’s not accomplished yet — that’s what caused the great uproar.
The decision was okay, it’s the spokeswoman’s words that were so messed up and soured the whole ordeal.
— Xtra 04/14/2009 05:45 PM #
Xtra takes the bait. Psstt…read the blog.
— J.P Morgan 04/14/2009 06:06 PM #
I haven’t seen anything that Obama has done that is Honorary. A degree is something an individual should WORK for, not have it handed to him.
— Carol 04/14/2009 06:32 PM #
Carol bites. Another blind reader. Good comment though. This is getting ridiculous, but most people are oblivious.
Bank on it!
Bank on it!— Wells Fargo 04/14/2009 08:13 PM #
Morgan Stanley hear
ASU bites whoppers and macs! Oh snaps, Stanley Jr. went there!!!!
— Morgan Stanley 04/14/2009 11:23 PM #
Us backwards republicans of the state will not like this.
— Ben Teabagged 04/14/2009 11:49 PM #
It’s good ASU stuck to its decision. Standing firm is standing tall.
— Larry Croft 04/15/2009 12:37 AM #
Larry can’t read either. This is a great study of oblivion. Stand tall, Larry. Now read the names of bloggers.
— Ben Dover 04/15/2009 07:41 AM #
Another credibility default for ASU that we’d be happy to guarantee.
— AIG Financial Products Division 04/15/2009 12:10 PM #
I personally agree with the decision President Michael Crow made. Despite the controversy, the policy in place that says Honorary Degrees are not to be awarded to sitting politicians, and has been rightfully respected. The fact that Obama will have a scholarship named after him will be a huge honor. Students will be able to benefit from the scholarship and it will be seen as a legacy as opposed to an award solely given to Obama. It’s unfortunate that the controversy arose, but ASU handled it well and stood by its decisions and policies.
— Tracey Corenman 04/15/2009 07:09 PM #
Why would you give an honorary degree to somebody whoze bin pallin around with terrorists? If you need a substitute just lemme know dontcha know by golly!
— Sarah Palin 04/15/2009 10:23 PM #
#23 Tracey: Tell your story to Notre Dame’s president.
— Knute Rockne 04/16/2009 09:56 AM #
This is delightful fun. Something to announce that Spring has arrived. President Crow crows about all of his accomplishments, especially to the state legislature. Nice to see a little human error.
— zookeepeer 04/16/2009 12:22 PM #
I think the scholarship is far more appropriate. ASU should have announced that at the same time as not awarding the honorary degree, and it would have played better.
I have enjoyed all the famous and infamous bloggers here.
— Hadde Nough 04/18/2009 06:15 AM #
This blog has been a riot.
— Watts P.D. 04/19/2009 10:44 AM #
@zookeepeer
You’re right, we hate hearing from that Crow guy. We don’t even know what an Honorary degree is, seeing as how many of us, and our friend Jan Brewer, have never received college degrees at all. Oh well, time to get back to running the state into the ground and cutting all funding for education.
— Arizona State Legislature 05/13/2009 11:53 AM #