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Obama at ASU, Notre Dame | 05/13/2009 9:15 am

Obama to Speak at Sweltering-Hot ASU Graduation Today; Notre Dame Protests Planned

Temperatures will be in the triple digits in Arizona today, where grads will have to wait hours for Obama amid tight security.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© AP

President Obama will be giving the commencement address at Arizona State University today amid triple-digit temperatures — and the security involved with the event likely will make students even hotter under the collar.

The school made news earlier this year when it was reported it wouldn’t give Obama an honorary degree, like it does all its other commencement speakers. Well, Obama obviously doesn’t mind too much — he’s still going. Approximately 71,000 people are expected at the outdoor event, which will be concluded with rocker Alice Cooper and a fireworks display. Because of tight security, students have to stay outside as long as six hours waiting to get into Sun Devil Stadium, and wait inside for Obama to speak, reports The Arizona Daily Star. And no water bottles will be allowed in the stadium — after all, they could be used as projectiles. 

The University of Notre Dame is next on Obama’s list for graduation stops. He speaks there Sunday, and there will be protests aplenty from Catholics opposing Obama’s pro-choice stance on abortion. Notre Dame will allow a group of seniors to hold a prayer demonstration, organized by ND Response, on the grounds that day.

"In defense of the unborn, we wish to express our deepest opposition to Reverend John I. Jenkins, CSC’s invitation of President Barack Obama to be the University of Notre Dame’s principal commencement speaker and the recipient of an honorary degree," the group states on its website.

Even though anti-abortion groups like Operation Rescue have tried to whip Notre Dame into a frenzy, the White House says that’s not representative of how most on campus feel about the president.

School President Father John Jenkins wrote a letter to the 2009 graduating class, commending most for being respectful of Obama, reports PoliticsDaily. Jenkins says in the letter that the invitation to Obama was not "a political statement or an endorsement of policy."

57 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Maggie W
Yep, three digit temps in Arizona are clearly the President’s fault.  On the Sarah Palin Book thread, someone brought up David Axlerod and James Carvel’s hair… I kid you not. 
By Maggie W on 05/13/2009 3:40 pm
deber B
And those "left wingers" think everything is George Bush’s fault!!!  LOL
By deber B on 05/14/2009 6:00 am
Mary Quite-Contrary
Finding fault? How about being reasonable…that’s its not about the President…maybe given the profound heat, security issues (6 hour wait??? With NO bottled water!!!) that “cooler” heads would prevail…and maybe he does the speech “remotely” and its shown on a jumbo screen (still get to hear his message; people can have water! and no six hour SS screanings). I think I am thinking rationally about a potential unhealthy situation.
By Mary Quite-Contrary on 05/13/2009 3:10 pm
JJ GB
Sounds like ASU made some poor judgement calls in planning for this.  Don’t they know about air-conditioning?  Having it in the cooler hours of a HOT state at this  time of year especially and having it in a hall or stadium.  Security has to be a given precaution, but everyone is going to be miserable.  Even in cooler states than AZ, that are known for hot weather, water stands and first aid stations are part of the planning.
By JJ GB on 05/13/2009 8:45 pm
Barbara B
Right on Lady Libra.  Gee interesting how some people know what a baby is feeling in the womb.  Oh let me guess research has proven that killing a baby does not hurt.  Tolerance goes both ways
By Barbara B on 05/13/2009 3:02 pm
DeBúrca obj
Apparently you and Lady Libra think YOU know. But you don’t. You only have your opinions, which are your right to express, but remember your opinions are only opinions. Not fact. The rest of us feel just as strongly about our opinions.
By DeBúrca obj on 05/13/2009 3:06 pm
starry Nite
Deb,  Amen.  Libra Lady, Debers and a few others are authorities on everything from the economy to medicine.  They are very opinionated and rely on information from equally opininionated sources that masquarade as facts. 
By starry Nite on 05/13/2009 7:08 pm
deber B
starry, are you actually suggesting that the liberals on this site are "not" opinionated?    LOL
By deber B on 05/14/2009 6:01 am
starry Nite

Deber,

Liberals are opinionated but when "facts" are presented we can accept them.  We don’t believe in all these idiotic conspiracy theories when we can see that they are not true that you circulate about President Obama.   You accuse liberals of not being patriotic or having personal responsibility and at the same time you attack your government.

By starry Nite on 05/14/2009 12:03 pm
Barbara B
Your right we don’t know just like many unknown things and yes my opinion.
By Barbara B on 05/13/2009 3:18 pm
Bello Alkammawa
it is timely 4 every good citizen of either developed or undeveloped countries to joined hands with the Last Man Standing Mr. Obama in taking the world 2 greater height. As He pointed in his inauguration speech his presidency belong to every ethnic or religion of the world.
By Bello Alkammawa on 05/13/2009 3:45 pm
Lizzie R.
We Arizonans are a tough bunch, used to the heat, so no big deal other than those who want to make a big deal out of it, and plenty will be made - you can count on that, since it is this president.
By Lizzie R. on 05/13/2009 7:09 pm
JJ GB
As far as Notre Dame, not offering an honorary degree, that’s their loss-good college but that’s like offering a tin cup to someone who has a silver cup.  He doesn’t need it and yet, he has graciously accepted their invitation to speak at the commencement?  I don’t think Obama is so much in favor of abortion, as he is in favor of people having the right to choose what’s best for them, between their families and Dr. and clergy.  I offered to pay for an abortion for a young girl, if she wanted it-she didn’t and I told her I would support what ever her decision was.  She chose to have the child and that child is a joy, but if her mother had decided on an abortion, I would have supported that, too.
By JJ GB on 05/13/2009 8:51 pm
starry Nite

JJ GB,  Good post.   You are right President Obama is not promoting abortion he is about freedom of choice.  He is pro-choice.  He wants to prevent abortion by reducing teenage pregnancies.

College should be about education and that means preparing students to think and make decisions based on the information provided..   The President of the United states is the leader of our country.

I think that anti-abortion groups should join forces with pro-choice and provide comprehensive help for pregnant women. 

Planned parenthood is not performing abortions.  IT is about providing choices.   They also help single mothers who choose to keep babies. They also provide help with womens health issues.

In my town the Pro-life (anti-abortion) groups picket the planned parenthood clinic and often harrass clients.  They want to close the clinics.  They should be providing help to those mothers who do choose to keep their babies while being respectful those who don’t.

By starry Nite on 05/14/2009 12:13 pm
HA BIBI

THE PRESIDENTIAL

RECORD ON LIFE

"Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it’s never been more important to protect a woman’s right to choose….Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have

consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America." -Barack Obama

 

On his second day in office, January 22, 2009, which was the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion on demand, President Obama issued a statement reaffirming his commitment to defend that ruling, which he said protected "reproductive freedom."

On his third day in office, President Obama nullified the pro-life "Mexico City Policy." By this action, President Obama made organizations that perform and promote abortion as a method of family planning eligible for U.S. foreign aid funds.

In March 2009, the Obama Administration released $50 million to the United Nations Population Fund – an agency that had received no U.S. funds under the Bush Administration because of its involvement in China’s population-control program, which relies heavily upon coerced abortions.

In March 2009, President Obama issued an executive order that opened the door to federal funding of research that requires the killing of human embryos, reversing President Bush’s 2001 order that blocked federal funding of embryo-killing research.

In March 2009, the Obama Administration announced that it would rescind (cancel) a conscience-protection regulation issued by the Bush Administration, which prevents the penalization of health-care providers who refuse to participate in providing abortions.

President Obama has named persons with extreme pro-abortion records to senior positions on the White House staff, including Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman with a 100% pro-abortion record; Domestic Policy Adviser Melody Barnes, previously a board member for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund; and Communications Director Ellen Moran, former executive director of the pro-abortion group EMILY’s List.

President Obama has selected persons with extreme pro-abortion records for the top offices overseeing federal health programs, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, former governor of Kansas, and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, former New York City health commissioner.

President Obama has nominated persons with extreme pro-abortion records to senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice, including Deputy Attorney General David Ogden and Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel Dawn Johnsen, the former legal director of the National Abortion Rights Action League.

President Obama has nominated persons with extreme pro-abortion records to senior positions in the U.S. Department of State, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer.

 

By HA BIBI on 05/26/2009 11:51 am