I know most Kossacks watched the events at Wesleyan live earlier today and the open thread was on the rec list forever (Al Rogers's diary is on now), but not everyone watched the full ceremony live, and one of the items that has not been in the news much is that Wesleyan also awarded Barack an honorary degree of Doctor of Law. Short diary and links over the fold for those who missed the live streaming and also missed Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth's great speech against the politics of fear and intolerance.
I know the press has covered the news of the speech, but little mention was made of Barack's honorary degree, which was not originally planned by Wesleyan. This would be Barack's third honorary doctorate, the other two having been awarded by Knox College in 2005, and University of Massachussetts in 2006. Senator Ted Kennedy has also been previously so honored by Wesleyan.
Full video coverage of Wesleyan commencement including speeches and investiture (downloadable)
Barack's great speech on youth and the call to public service.
Btw I thought President Roth's speech was such a bold and refreshing rejection of the Bush (and now Clinton and McCain) politics of fear-mongering and divisiveness. Certainly the most decisive such speech that I've heard from a college president any time lately.
So was the props to Barack and his power of inspiration from one of my own favorite and most inspiring writers, Jamaica Kincaid.