It used to be said that you know you are having a bad day when the switchboard advises that Mike Wallace from 60 minutes is holding for you.
In today’s world, that power has shifted to SNL. Ask Sarah Palin. Or ask Michael Crow.
Saturday Night Live’s take-no-prisoners shot at ASU for not conferring an honorary degree on President Barack Obama is becoming viral.
I saw it on Greta Susteren’s show on Fox News while at the gym Monday night. Fox is not in the habit of plugging an NBC program; so this was out of the ordinary.
And there are now several places online where the SNL segment has been posted followed by a legion of scathing comments aimed at ASU’s decision.
Initially, I thought this would all blow over, but I’m now convinced the damage to ASU’s reputation runs deep and that ASU President Crow knows it.
I watched last week’s graduation ceremonies on ASU-TV on Cox cable and got more looks at Crow than commercial TV gave him. Through all of it, Crow looked like a man in pain. There was no heart in his remarks. The self-confidence and commanding presence that he once brought to so many meetings in the newsroom were nowhere to be seen.
When CNN was doing its post-mortem on the speech, David Gergen characterized Obama’s ASU honorary degree references as a rare and welcome display of presidential humor.
Initially, I bought into that point of view. But now it’s clear that this presidential humor bites, and like an Arizona Gila monster doesn’t let go. Witness Obama’s subsequent reference to ASU’s decision in his commencement address at Notre Dame.
I don’t know what can or should be done about this lapse in judgment and public relations disaster, but it has damaged years of work Crow has put into improving ASU’s reputation.
And that’s a shame.
 Piling on ASUMay 18th, 2009, 11:33 pm · 1 Comment · posted by Jim RipleyOne CommentLeave a Reply |
What is most disappointing is that these detractors haven’t taken any time to take a closer look at ASU and what it stands for. A two-minute scan of the ASU website shows that their criticisms are unfounded. The idea that people would believe that ASU wouldn’t appropriately honor the leader of the free world, whom THEY INVITED to Commencement, is preposterous. The world, and especially people here in Arizona, should know better. The real shame here is that this incident demonstrates the lack of genuine pride that Arizonans take in their excellent university when it comes to anything outside of athletics. Where are the proud Sun Devils defending their school? Good, bad or indifferent, you wouldn’t see Tucson slamming the U of A this way.