Posted on 03/07/2011 9:48:33 PM PST by doug from upland
White House memo notes shortage of applicants for contest to have Obama to speak at high school graduation
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." Utrup added, "Like last year, we anticipate the overwhelming majority will be submitted near the close of the Challenge."
The White House has posted on-line video appeals from President Obama and a student from last year's winning school, Kalamazoo (Michigan) Central High. Entertainers John Legend and Nick Jonas recorded their own videos for the challenge when they were in Washington for a recent "In Performance at the White House" event.
The exact deadline for schools to apply is 11:59P.M., Eastern Time, March 11. More on the application process is posted here.
NERO has suddenly feeling pangs of loneliness as the masses begins to avoid him in droves.
Obama is suddenly thinking "Gee so this is what it feels like to be a god without dutiful worshipers!"
No CHIT Sherlock!!!
Maybe the teachers’ unions are sending a warning to the Obozo to try harder to keep their unions alive. Maybe another porkulus package with all of the funds, rather than just 95%, going to unions.
And in other news, vampires prefer anyone else but Obama for their nightly feeding ritual..
"Just shoot me!" beg the children!
This story is really a hoot! Just brought a big ole grin to this old fella’s face.
He’s as popular as the Plage..the 0bamic plague..
Nobody is interested in having the White House Commie reading the TOTUS even high school tadpoles...
“We want Biteme, send us Biteme!”
Where is the application from MauMau High in Kenya?
Whoever made up that crap about him really needs to be publicly TARRED & FEATHERED!!
Its scenes like these that forcefully makes the point that Obummer is a PUPPET and not a President.
List of places named after Barack Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_Elementary_School#Schools
Why, then, would sensible people want to be put through the added aggravation of having all the extra security to deal with? Not to mention how having POTUS speak is likely to throw the timing off, and in some towns, multiple schools utilize the same facilities on the same day; timing has to be done carefully or you have a huge mess. In other towns, the venues for graduation are limited and not really large enough and they are jamming people in with a shoehorn to accommodate families; why add to the headaches?
That's besides the fact that a lot of people don't wish to hear him nor see him. Some may also not wish to see their or their childrens' special day turned into a three-ring circus.
If you cannot get the kids to respect you, how will you ever get world leaders to respect. I imagine his remaining time in office is going to be difficult. Even MSM is not going to be able to cover for this imbecile
Because the last time he spoke, he brought his teleprompter? This idiot sucks.
Interest is down by more than 93%?
I guess the Yoots didn't like the Change they got.
Realistically, would you want the POTUS, any POTUS, at your kid’s graduation? The whole security thing along would take from the event, then the POTUS would be the center of attention, not the grads.
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