1,000's of degrees

The University of Notre Dame hands out thousands of degrees every spring, but there's one they're planning on this May that has landed them in hot water. Barack Obama is the slated commencement speaker this year, and a number of bishops are quite upset. Bishop John D'Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend is skipping the graduation ceremony for the first time in his 25 years as bishop there, based on Obama's support of abortion and stem cell research. Students, on the other hand, seem to be supportive of the choice of the president, arguing, as university officials do, that awarding an honorary degree does not endorse all of his policies.

Notre Dame has a tradition of inviting newly-elected presidents to speak at the first commencement after their inauguration. Most recently, George W. Bush drew protests in 2001, also over life issues. This time for his support of the death penalty.