The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Obama at ND Update

For those who have been following the uproar the University of Notre Dame's decision to honor Pres. Obama by giving him the commencement podium and an honorary degree despite his extreme anti-life record, here's new information. At Off the Record, Phil Lawler (my dad) is passing along a report that he has from a reliable source: ND President Fr. John Jenkins is in Washington, D.C. today for an unannounced meeting at the White House. This is still merely a rumor, but indeed FlightAware shows the ND jet flying to Dulles this morning.

What could they be talking about? We can only speculate. Last weekend Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City joined 42 American bishops who have spoken out against Obama's invitation by claiming "I suspect that, since Notre Dame will need a scapegoat for this debacle, and Fr. Jenkins will probably lose his job, at this point perhaps he ought to determine to lose it for doing something right instead of something wrong. He ought to disinvite the President, who I believe would graciously accept the decision..."

That Fr. Jenkins would rescind the invitation seems unlikely given that on Saturday Fr. Jenkins reaffirmed his invitation to a crowd celebrating black student-athletes at Notre Dame that "shook down the thunder" with applause. But then what could they be talking about? If there is any change in the status of Obama's invitation, it's big news.