commencement speech

Lingerie football, Snooki, Neil Armstrong and tuition

With his landmark speech on race last year in Philadelphia, Obama showed Americans he does not avoid facing controversial issues head on. Obama was put in a similarly difficult position this weekend when he was awarded an honoris causis degree from the University of Notre Dame, a legendary Catholic institution known for its academic excellence and famed football teams. His presence was not without controversy, as some members of the Catholic community questioned the appropriateness of honouring someone whose views on abortion and stem cell research don’t mesh with those of the Church. And just like he did with his speech on race, Obama did not shy away from expressing his views.