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Northwestern To Wright: No Honorary Degree For You

Controversy Leads University To Withdraw Invitation For Honorary Degree For Former Obama Pastor

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) ― Citing the recent controversy surrounding his remarks, Northwestern University has withdrawn an invitation for Rev. Jeremiah Wright to receive an honorary degree.

Acting on faculty committee recommendations, Northwestern invited Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor to receive the degree at the university commencement in June.

But the university said Thursday the offer had been withdrawn because: "Commencement at Northwestern is a time of celebration of the accomplishments of Northwestern's graduating students and their families. In light of the controversy around Dr. Wright and to ensure that the celebratory character of Commencement not be affected, the University has withdrawn its invitation to Dr. Wright."

The university said a claim that Northwestern President Henry Bienen had questioned Wright's patriotism was not true.

They said Wright was quoted as saying Bienen had withdrawn the honorary degree invitation because Wright "wasn't patriotic enough."

"In his conversation and correspondence with Dr. Wright in March, President Bienen never characterized Dr. Wright's views or made a judgment about them," Northwestern spokeswoman Mary Jane Twohey said in a news release. "The letter said, 'In light of the controversy surrounding statements made by you that have recently been publicized, the celebratory character of Northwestern's commencement would be affected by our conferring of this honorary degree. Thus I am withdrawing the offer of an honorary degree previously extended to you."

Wright has received notoriety in recent months, first for remarks he made on the pulpit that included, "God damn America," and a claim that, "The government lied about inventing the HIV virus to do away with people of color," Obama made a speech saying he disagreed with Wright's statements But he also said he could "no more disown him than I can disown the black community."

In the past week, after weeks of staying out of the public eye while critics lambasted his sermons, Wright made three public appearances in four days to defend himself.

"This is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright," Wright told the Washington media Monday. "It has nothing to do with Senator Obama. It is an attack on the black church launched by people who know nothing about the African-American religious tradition."

Obama has publicly called Wright's comments "appalling" and said he was "outraged" by the remarks.

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