Lack of interest in what you might be asking... lack of interest in having the President speak at a high school commencement:
The White House is ramping up an effort to promote a nationwide competition to decide which high school wins a commencement speech by President Obama.
An internal White House memo indicates that the White House is facing a shortage of applications less than a week before the deadline.
The competition was extended from the February 25 deadline until Friday, March 11 after few schools met the original application deadline. CBS News has learned a White House Communications Office internal memo dated February 22 noted "a major issue with the Commencement Challenge."
"As of yesterday we had received 14 applications and the deadline is Friday," the memo said. The memo also urged recipients to, "please keep the application number close hold."
A follow-up memo on February 28 reported receipt of 68 applications. Noting the competition among more than 1,000 schools last year, the memo said, "Something isn't working." It called on staffers to ask "friendly congressional, gubernatorial and mayoral offices" to encourage schools to apply.
"We should also make sure the Cabinet is pushing the competition out to their lists," the memo said. The note reiterated, "We do not want the actual application number out there (we didn't release the number of applications we received last year until after the submission period)-so folks should not use it in their pitches."
On Monday, officials declined to cite the number of applications received so far.
The president will travel to the school that is judged to best prepare students for college and careers. The competition is part of Mr. Obama's ultimate goal of making the U.S. the country with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.
Officials were unable to explain the reason for the apparent lack of interest, beyond pointing to possible procrastination by school systems.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan told CBS Radio News, "It's a huge opportunity for high schools to tell their story." Asked about the lagging application numbers, Duncan said, "Folks are working hard." He called on schools to "put their best foot forward and join the competition."
Education Department press aide Elizabeth Utrup said the deadline was extended "to provide an ample amount of time to reach out to schools from across the country."
You wonder how well this might be going if Obama wasn't so beloved and cherished by Education establishment.
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Barack Obama, Education
Comments (15)
Could be that folks have fi... (Below threshold)1. Posted by JLawson | March 8, 2011 6:49 AM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Could be that folks have figured out that just having a teleprompter with a well-dressed mannequin up on the podium is a lot cheaper and less disruptive than it'd be to have Obama come on down.
Obama - the 'no value added' President...
1. Posted by JLawson | March 8, 2011 6:49 AM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 06:49
2. Posted by 914 | March 8, 2011 6:49 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Schools want Barry to speak just like Libya wants Getoffi to dictate.
He is a world class joke and black pariah. Who needs the guff?
2. Posted by 914 | March 8, 2011 6:49 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 06:49
3. Posted by DaveD | March 8, 2011 8:01 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buP4ZjXjOgA
3. Posted by DaveD | March 8, 2011 8:01 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 08:01
4. Posted by jim m | March 8, 2011 8:36 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Face it Barry. We're just not that in to you.
4. Posted by jim m | March 8, 2011 8:36 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 08:36
5. Posted by Olsoljer | March 8, 2011 8:43 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Hard to submit requests from WI, when you are out in the street "sick". Why would anyone want to hear words of wisdom from a proven loser?
5. Posted by Olsoljer | March 8, 2011 8:43 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 08:43
6. Posted by Hank | March 8, 2011 8:44 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Who'd want to have a Commencement speaker who's only going to read/talk about themselves?
And the WTF theme may not play well with young people who are graduating and may need jobs now.
Final thought....what's he really going to tell them? How much debt he'll be leaving them to deal with?
6. Posted by Hank | March 8, 2011 8:44 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 08:44
7. Posted by 914 | March 8, 2011 8:49 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Hes coming to save the day
ummm ummm ummm
He wont be turned away
ummm ummm ummm
Barry Hussein Soetoro
ummm ummm ummm
7. Posted by 914 | March 8, 2011 8:49 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 08:49
8. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | March 8, 2011 9:23 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Obama who?
8. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | March 8, 2011 9:23 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 09:23
9. Posted by Marie | March 8, 2011 9:29 AM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
The company I work for ofter hires college seniors to do marketing intern work. It's a part time, minimum wage job that does not have a full time job offer at the end. The business owner just likes to give college kids a little real world business experience. Yesterday I was talking with one of them and I asked how he was enjoying his last few weeks in college. His reply was telling. He said "I am panicked. No one I know is getting job offers." I felt really bad for him because I remember my last few months in school and they were amoung the most happy and optimistic times of my life. Then I realized that he probably voted for Mr. Hope and Change.
9. Posted by Marie | March 8, 2011 9:29 AM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 09:29
10. Posted by McGehee
| March 8, 2011 10:23 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
It's all about the 0.
10. Posted by McGehee
| March 8, 2011 10:23 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 10:23
11. Posted by twoplanker | March 8, 2011 10:46 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
"the school that is judged to best prepare students for college and careers"
So, the "best" schools in the country, in preparing students for college/careers, need a deadline extension? They aren't prepared? The winning school may still be a loser.
11. Posted by twoplanker | March 8, 2011 10:46 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 10:46
12. Posted by Upset Old Guy | March 8, 2011 1:16 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
"Officials were unable to explain the reason for the apparent lack of interest"
Who cares! (Gee, maybe I just stumbled into something there. Who cares? That could be it.)
12. Posted by Upset Old Guy | March 8, 2011 1:16 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 13:16
13. Posted by Rich Fader | March 8, 2011 2:45 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
People figured out second prize was two speeches. Third prize was three speeches. And so on, and so on. And schools that had gotten caught trying to cheat the contest would have had to patch an iPod of his speeches into the PA system and play it on permanent shuffle.
13. Posted by Rich Fader | March 8, 2011 2:45 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 14:45
14. Posted by DJ Drummond | March 8, 2011 3:26 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
"Mr. President, we ran the numbers again."
"And?"
"I'm sorry, sir. EVERY school that is reasonably preparing students for college and work ... is located in a 'Red" state."
"@#$%!"
"It's worse than that, sir."
"How could it get worse?!?!"
"The best schools were asking if former President Bush might be available, instead of ... well, instead of you, sir."
"@#$%! F&**i#% %*^%$#*&^#Q*&*&!!!!!!!!!!"
14. Posted by DJ Drummond | March 8, 2011 3:26 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 15:26
15. Posted by Jeff | March 8, 2011 5:15 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
It's Bush's fault...
15. Posted by Jeff | March 8, 2011 5:15 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2011 17:15