Secret WH memo: Why aren't any high schools asking Obama to speak at commencement this year?

Is there any sadder testament to the fading magic of Hopenchange than this? Reading it, I actually felt sorry for the guy.

Any high school principals out there in the HA audience have time to throw together an application and reassure The One that kids still love him? And by “love him,” I mean “will happily sit through a speech/photo op in lieu of having to go to class.”

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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.”

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Act now, people. By the time June rolls around, Saudi Arabia might be locked in a civil war. It could be your school’s graduation where he first calls for an “orderly transition” or whatever in Riyadh.

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