Barack Obama just received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Notre Dame.  There was no disruption in the ceremony.

Also receiving honorary degrees today are former Purdue President Stephen Beering,  NCAA President Myles Brand (in abstensia), and State Supreme Court Justice Randall Shepard.

Leaders in the crowd protesting Barack Obama’s commencement speech at Notre Dame talked about turning their backs to the motorcade when they got word that the President’s motorcade would enter the campus by a different route.

The President is on campus.

Hundreds, but not thousands, of anti-abortion demonstrators are in place across from the entrance to Notre Dame protesting the appearance of Barack Obama that is still 90 minutes or so away.

The have signs, brochures, and vehicles with billboards on the side roam through the neighborhood.  One protester is making a video of the experience.  Other recite Hail Marys.  Neighbors watch from their porches and the media is everywhere.

Barack Obama is in South Bend and Indianapolis today.  I’ll be blogging from South Bend throughout the day.

Barack Obama will be back in Indianapolis next month.

There is word that the President will attend a fundraiser for four Democratic members of Congress from Indiana, Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill, Joe Donnelly, and Andre Carson on May 17th.  It’s a coup for Baron Hill who extended the invitation.

Carson appeared with Obama last year and in 2006 the then-Illinois Senator campaigned here for the other three.

Former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer is the new U.S. Ambassador to India according to a report out of Washington.

Roemer worked hard for President Barack Obama in the Indiana primary and also in the general election campaign.  He was reportedly under consideration for CIA Director.

The President had North Carolina winning on his NCAA bracket.  That helped him place fifth with 123 points on the list of VIP’s at wishtv.com.

Governor Mitch Daniels picked Pittsburgh to win but had Michigan State in the final.  He ends up with 96 points in 11th place on our website.

(BTW, I had UNC on top as well, and finished with 122 points in sixth.)

Here’s an update on NCAA brackets we told you about earlier:

President Barack Obama trails Governor Mitch Daniels in picks posted on wishtv.com.

President Obama has 75 points and ranks 13th on our VIP list.  Daniels has 80 points and ranks 8th.

BTW, I filled out a bracket, too.  I trail the President by a single point.

Both Daniels and I have (the same) two teams alive in the Final Four (one in each bracket) and could win out.

The President has just one team alive, North Carolina.

View President Obama’s Bracket
View Governor Daniels’ Bracket
View My Bracket

What if the 2008 election for governor took place this month?  Would Mitch Daniels survive 9% unemployment and a 10% drop in tax revenues?  Would Jill Long Thompson know how to take advantage of the circumstances?

What if lawmakers acted last year to fix the unemployment insurance system?  Would anyone’s re-election be reversed?  Would the recession be deeper?

What if  we really need the federal stimulus money to balance the state budget after all?

What if Evan Bayh wasn’t on the ballot in 2010?  Would he still be opposing President Barack Obama’s spending proposal?

What if Indianapolis had a downtown casino?  Would it solve the stadium funding issues?  Would it attract more conventions?  Would it put the racinos out of business?

What if Mike Pence gave a speech and no one was there to hear it?  Is that the definition of Congress?

Governor Mitch Daniels is off to Washington, DC this weekend for the winter meetings of the National Governors Association.  His schedule includes two appearances on Sunday morning network shows including “Face the Nation” on WISH-TV.

Daniels will also attend a private meeting with President Barack Obama in the White House.