...or could it still be?  Time is running out, but just imagine the following press conference.  Just imagine what it would do for the Church, our country, and for the millions of innocent children being brutally murdered.  Just imagine if ND President Father Jenkins were joined by former President Father Hesburgh, the legend, as they met with the media to announce the following...

Jenkins:
Thank you for being here today.  We are here to correct a grave mistake.  We formally announce the cancellation of President Barack Obama's Commencement Address and Honorary Degree from the University of Notre Dame.  I have spoken to the President this morning, and he has graciously accepted this decision. 

When we extended this invitation to the President, our main concern involved the appearance that our critical stance, as an institution, on the sanctity of human life, would somehow be undermined.  We initially concluded that we could honor the office of the President and his accomplishment of becoming the first African-American President without weakening our position as a Catholic University and beacon of truth regarding the horrific reality of abortion.  That balancing act now seems impossible. 

While we of course admire the President for his accomplishments, we have determined that his radical position and policies surrounding abortion are so aggressive, so remorseless, and so relentless, that we simply cannot turn a blind eye.  If these heinous policies do not disqualify him from a Catholic Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree, what does?

What is particularly both troubling and ironic about Mr. Obama's policies is his unbridled support for organizations such as Planned Parenthood.  This is an organization founded by a self-professed eugenicist.  Margaret Sanger believed in preventing certain races, classes or groups from procreating in order to "improve" the genetic stock of a society.  Her mission was to control the population of blacks and other minorities.  She was even an invited guest speaker of the Ku Klux Klan.

To this day, Planned Parenthood targets their so-called "services" disproportionately to minority populations.  While African-Americans make up 13% of the population, 37% of women in the U.S. having an abortion are black.  In fact, more blacks are killed at Planned Parenthood facilities in three days than were lynched by the Ku Klux Klan in their entire history.  Additionally, it was discovered in 2008 that the organization gladly accepts donations from a eugenicist restricting his funds to abortions for black women.  These truths are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the hidden horrors of the abortion industry, and the University of Notre Dame will play no part in the cover-up scheme.

We are grateful to the hundreds of thousands of faithful Christians, the thousands of priests, dozens of bishops, and Vatican officials for voicing their concern and holding the University of Notre Dame to such a high standard.  Let it be known once and for all, the University of Notre Dame stands firm and unwavering in its opposition to abortion and in its support of every American's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - in that order.

I now turn it over to Father Ted:

As I approach 92 years of age and my eyes fail me, it's funny how I've come to see many things more clearly.  I am here in support of Fr. John and this decision to boldly proclaim the University of Our Lady's defense of the most vulnerable human beings on the planet.  This institution has had a checkered past when it comes to the defense of life.  One of the biggest regrets of my life is my decision to provide Mario Cuomo a platform in 1984.  As you know, this monumental speech gave birth to the so-called "personally opposed but pro-choice" stance by politicians and gave Catholics in the voting booth the license to ignore the advocacy for murder.  I can see clearly now the confusion and chaos left in the wake of this watershed moment in American Catholicism.  But I am glad to be around to see a new watershed moment take place, and the University of Notre Dame, this time, is on the right side of history. 

President Obama's election indeed gives us much to celebrate in light of our nation's racial history.  After so many years working with Dr. Martin Luther King and as Chairman of the Civil Rights Commission, I honestly never thought I'd live to see this day.  However, as Father Jenkins mentioned, Obama's radical agenda to dehumanize an entire class of the population is quite ironic.  Today's scientific methods have obviously ended the debate about when life begins, so continued support for this atrocity is beyond me.  It defies logic, reason, and the American value system.

Now I know some will say, well, you invited President Bush or this person or that...  but Mother Church has been crystal clear on the moral priority of abortion.  War and the death penalty are simply not the intrinsic evil that abortion is.  And, my goodness, look at the numbers:  something like 30 times more Americans have died via abortion than in all American wars combined.  As for the death penalty, yes it's another heinous crime against humanity, but to put it on par with abortion is just irrational.  More people are executed in the womb in 20 minutes than by capital punishment in a year.

This ordeal has been painful for all involved.  And now that we've righted the ship, there is still much work to be done.  I think this whole thing could turn out to be a good thing.  It woke up this wonderful University.  Now let it wake up the entire Church in America.  President Obama's assault on humanity is unacceptable.  If we let this continue on our watch, God help us all.

Reporter:  Have you invited a new Commencement speaker?

Jenkins:  Yes we have.  Mrs. Janet Museveni has accepted an invitation to give this year's Commencement Address.  She will also receive an Honorary Degree in Humanities.  The First Lady of Uganda has worked tirelessly to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in her country.  In the face of harsh opposition from international organizations promoting condom use, her successful plan has encouraged the use of sexual abstinence before marriage and fidelity during.  While the worldwide media inexplicably ignores the hard facts and statistics and lashes out at the Holy Father for his recent remarks about condoms exacerbating the problem of AIDS, Uganda has been the only African country to be successful in the fight against the disease.  In fact, since unveiling Museveni's abstinence program, transmission rates have dropped as much as 75% in some regions of the country.  We are inspired by Mrs. Museveni's fortitude despite immense pressure to, in her words, "take shortcuts and compromise lives in order to facilitate desires to go against God's clear plan."  We are honored to have the First Lady grace us with her presence.

Reporter:  And how about Ambassador Glendon?

Jenkins:  We are thrilled that the most powerful voice in American Catholicism, Mary Ann Glendon, has re-accepted the Laetare Medal.  That's all for now.  Thank you.

Cue the band!...Cheer, Cheer for old...wake up the echoes...onward to vic-tor-y!

Oh what could have been.