Remember the controversy surrounding President Barack Obama being invited to speak at the Arizona State University commencement ceremonies, but NOT being awarded an Honorary Degree as is customary? Well, on Wednesday, the President used his natural charisma and turned the university’s slight into a joke, teaching the lesson to never be satisfied with one’s accomplishments.
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Speaking to the graduating class on Wednesday evening, President Obama said he didn’t want to dispute the suggestion that he hasn’t achieved enough in life. “I come to embrace it, to heartily concur, to affirm that one’s title — even a title like President — says very little about how well one’s life has been led,” he said. “That no matter how much you’ve done, or how successful you’ve been, there’s always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve.” He also called the milestone of graduating from college an important one but urged the graduating students to not rest on their laurels. Taking a page from what university officials said of him in not awarding him an honorary degree, the President told students “Your body of work is yet to come.”
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The President was not the only one to turn the embarrassing flap into a joke. Jon Stewart of THE DAILY SHOW sent a crew to Arizona to get a local take on the decision, and show local life at Arizona State University. WATCH:
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M – Th 11p / 10c | |||
| Arizona State Snubs Obama | ||||
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I watched on CNN the full speech Obama gave the Arizona students. I was really taken by how unaffected he was about the whole thing. Obama basically took the high road when all the news media was waiting for him to do the opposite. He basically let it be known he doesn't need some degree from Arizona and that wasn't the reason he accepted to speak to the graduates. He came out of good will and not expecting anything in return. It was a nice message.