Again about Mary Ann Glendon and Notre Dame
According to the admittedly partial news from an online group called ReplaceJenkins.com, Notre Dame has lost no less than eight million two hundred thousand dollars in donation over the Obama scandal. Even assuming that a lot of the people who have been in contact with them were only mulling over the matter of a donation - assuming, that is, that ReplaceJenkins.com are not making numbers out of thin air - this still suggests that a few million solid dollars have been diverted from America's no.1 Catholic university at a time of serious economic crisis; and everyone knows that American universities live on the donating affection of their old members. Meanwhile, nearly fifty bishops - a quarter of the whole American Bench of Bishops - have condemned Jenkins in writing. There is a real sense of pressure in the air.
Fr. Jenkins seems to have decided that his only way out of this is to face the storm and hope it dies down. However, he is being just as maladroit in resisting pressure as he has been in causing it (was an honoris causa degree to the President really necessary?). His reply to the announcement of Glendon's gran rifiuto has been remarkably brief and ultimately rather graceless. "We are, of course, disappointed that Professor Glendon has made this decision. It is our intention to award the Laetare Medal to another deserving recipient, and we will make that announcement as soon as possible." Su-u-r-r-re. Like the Catholic world simply swarms with people whose achievement is comparable with that of Mary Ann Glendon, Professor of law at Harvard, Ambassador, Chairwoman of the Vatican Council for the Sciences, etc. etc. etc. And as if, after what has happened, it would be easy to find someone to step into her shoes and take the position of token Catholic in the presence of President Obama. Even allowing that this is the act of an angry and besieged man, this does not show any strategic brilliance or understanding of the situation.
The White House is not in the same kind of trouble, but certainly the waves of the storm have not failed to soak Obama's ankles. And yet if Jenkins had any sense, he would imitate the cool and elegant way in which he met the unwelcome news: Jen Psaki, White House Deputy Press Secretary, said: “President Obama is disappointed by former Ambassador Mary Glendon’s decision, but he looks forward to delivering an inclusive and respectful speech at the Notre Dame graduation, a school with a rich history of fostering the exchange of ideas. While he is honored to have the support of millions of people of all faiths, he does not govern with the expectation that everyone sees eye to eye with him on every position, and the spirit of debate and healthy disagreement on important issues is part of what he loves about this country.”
That will not disarm the Catholic opposition, but, unlike Jenkins' obstinacy in a bad course, it will not add any further fuel to the fire. If Jenkins really intended to face down the anger of the Catholic Church, he would have done much better to do exactly as Obama did. But then, I guess that is why the one is President of the United States, while the other is - in trouble.
Fr. Jenkins seems to have decided that his only way out of this is to face the storm and hope it dies down. However, he is being just as maladroit in resisting pressure as he has been in causing it (was an honoris causa degree to the President really necessary?). His reply to the announcement of Glendon's gran rifiuto has been remarkably brief and ultimately rather graceless. "We are, of course, disappointed that Professor Glendon has made this decision. It is our intention to award the Laetare Medal to another deserving recipient, and we will make that announcement as soon as possible." Su-u-r-r-re. Like the Catholic world simply swarms with people whose achievement is comparable with that of Mary Ann Glendon, Professor of law at Harvard, Ambassador, Chairwoman of the Vatican Council for the Sciences, etc. etc. etc. And as if, after what has happened, it would be easy to find someone to step into her shoes and take the position of token Catholic in the presence of President Obama. Even allowing that this is the act of an angry and besieged man, this does not show any strategic brilliance or understanding of the situation.
The White House is not in the same kind of trouble, but certainly the waves of the storm have not failed to soak Obama's ankles. And yet if Jenkins had any sense, he would imitate the cool and elegant way in which he met the unwelcome news: Jen Psaki, White House Deputy Press Secretary, said: “President Obama is disappointed by former Ambassador Mary Glendon’s decision, but he looks forward to delivering an inclusive and respectful speech at the Notre Dame graduation, a school with a rich history of fostering the exchange of ideas. While he is honored to have the support of millions of people of all faiths, he does not govern with the expectation that everyone sees eye to eye with him on every position, and the spirit of debate and healthy disagreement on important issues is part of what he loves about this country.”
That will not disarm the Catholic opposition, but, unlike Jenkins' obstinacy in a bad course, it will not add any further fuel to the fire. If Jenkins really intended to face down the anger of the Catholic Church, he would have done much better to do exactly as Obama did. But then, I guess that is why the one is President of the United States, while the other is - in trouble.