http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/17/raw-data-transcript-obamas-notre-dame-address/

The President is a very eloquent speaker.  I did not see this live, and it's likely he did it with a teleprompter as he's not that good without it, but it seemed very well-received overall despite the one dissenting opinion at the beginning. 

My labmate who was a Notre Dame alumnus sent me this link for the transcript.  It has all the regular cliches about changing the world, and does emphasize the abortion debate quite a bit.

As an aside, I wonder how much FOX News changed the transcript, but my cursory read of it suggests it is mostly unaltered.  I would have liked to be there.

I was in a cafe and they had it on live.  I didn't stay for the whole thing because it was difficult to hear, but I do know that he got resounding applause for what appeared to be a very welcoming crowd.

College students are usually more receptive, tolerant and open-minded than douchebag protesters who aren't even affiliated with the institution :D

Mind you O'bama certainly has the right to express his opinions.

That said, it was wholly inappropriate for a CATHOLIC institution to grant an honorary degree to a politician (of any party) who so aggressively and enthusiastically supports positions that are clearly and unequivocally contradictory to its most cherished and sacred teachings.

This is a new low in the history of the University of Notre Dame.  It is one thing to invite somebody to speak of an opposing viewpoint, in the spirit of open debate and discussion in a university setting.  But to grant honorary status?  It is either pandering or hypocrisy, I am not sure which.

Had NDU invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak and granted him an honorary degree, there rightfully would have been an outcry against the appearance as well as the conferral of degree.

I do not understand why the Vatican has not put the smack down on this event.

Now... before we hear the comparisons to the George Bush visits to Notre Dame, remember that President O'bama is (a) still lobbing missiles into Pakistan,  (b) reinstating military tribunals at Gitmo (or other military bases), (c) providing a de facto amnesty for the "enhanced technique interrogators",  and (d) defended warrantless wiretapping even more thoroughly than Bush did.  But yes he did not order troops into Iraq... Nevertheless on matters of national security the differences between O'bama and Bush are smaller than most people would have expected.

^ Probably pandering.  He is still an extremely popular President and the press is good for ND, despite the whole "not quite being Catholic" thing.

As an aside, I wonder how much FOX News changed the transcript, but my cursory read of it suggests it is mostly unaltered.  I would have liked to be there.


Well, it looks like Fox Chicago decided to handle their news report on it by conveniently blacking out and "mistakenly" re-running the opening of animation domination.  Good job, Fox!  Way to handle that story!


Mind you O'bama certainly has the right to express his opinions.

That said, it was wholly inappropriate for a CATHOLIC institution to grant an honorary degree to a politician (of any party) who so aggressively and enthusiastically supports positions that are clearly and unequivocally contradictory to its most cherished and sacred teachings.

This is a new low in the history of the University of Notre Dame.  It is one thing to invite somebody to speak of an opposing viewpoint, in the spirit of open debate and discussion in a university setting.  But to grant honorary status?  It is either pandering or hypocrisy, I am not sure which.

Had NDU invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak and granted him an honorary degree, there rightfully would have been an outcry against the appearance as well as the conferral of degree.

I do not understand why the Vatican has not put the smack down on this event.

Now... before we hear the comparisons to the George Bush visits to Notre Dame, remember that President O'bama is (a) still lobbing missiles into Pakistan,  (b) reinstating military tribunals at Gitmo (or other military bases), (c) providing a de facto amnesty for the "enhanced technique interrogators",  and (d) defended warrantless wiretapping even more thoroughly than Bush did.  But yes he did not order troops into Iraq... Nevertheless on matters of national security the differences between O'bama and Bush are smaller than most people would have expected.


It's a private institution, so they can do whatever they want, right?  No matter what the Vatican thinks, it is ultimately up to the University board as to who they hand honorary degrees.  So yes, it's probably pandering.

They're gonna get excommunicatified!  :o

George W. spoke there, but I seem to remember the Gospel of Matthew reporting another speech in which W.'s favorite philosopher says:

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
—Matthew 5:38-4

And I seem to remember "Thou Shalt not Kill" rising to #6 on the big Top 10 and it didn't seem to phase N.D. so much that W. had violated all of this to a pornographic degree. 

I dunno.  It seems Obama would not have said a word about abortion had it not been for the infantile hissy-fits of brain-scrambled man-babies such as Alan Keyes and Bill Donahue, both of who are the result of being wet nursed until their 16th birthdays!

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/14/sad2.gif

Who, exactly, would pass a litmus test to be speaker at Notre Dame?

That said, it was wholly inappropriate for a CATHOLIC institution to grant an honorary degree to a politician (of any party) who so aggressively and enthusiastically supports positions that are clearly and unequivocally contradictory to its most cherished and sacred teachings.


did obama speak out against raping young boys again? that IS awkward.

Who, exactly, would pass a litmus test to be speaker at Notre Dame?


Obama at the Dame was just an opportunity for the right-wingers to stoke up the anti-abortion hysteria.  Cheap tactics like this are all they've got left.  The hard right will throw whatever they've got at Obama at every turn.  It's pathetic. 
::)

did obama speak out against raping young boys again? that IS awkward.


This insult no longer applies since that hot young priest in Florida was caught...err....frolicking with a woman on the beach. An OF AGE woman.  He admitted to the affair.

Why is it that Catholic priests can't get married anyways?  I know back in the day they didn't get married either, but a good majority of them (including some Popes) had families and stuff on the side.

This insult no longer applies since that hot young priest in Florida was caught...err....frolicking with a woman on the beach. An OF AGE woman.  He admitted to the affair.

Why is it that Catholic priests can't get married anyways?  I know back in the day they didn't get married either, but a good majority of them (including some Popes) had families and stuff on the side.


Here is the history of it.


http://atheism.about.com/od/romancatholicism/a/celibacy.htm



Cat

Into the 1100's priests could and did marry.  It was discouraged and gradually banned.  Then codified.

Into the 1100's priests could and did marry.  It was discouraged and gradually banned.  Then codified.


I'm for allowing gay priests to get married!
(seriously)

Then the Catholic League's Bill Donahue would have an apoplectic meltdown and croak, and we wouldn't have to put up with his idiocy anymore!
::)