Media Hype Obama's H.S. Commencement Speech -- But Ignore That Students Had to Show Papers

June 9th, 2010 9:31 AM

In the middle of a typical Full House rerun on Teen Nick this morning, the network ran a 90-second promo for their website Get Schooled.com promoting Barack Obama, and how students at Kalamazoo Central High School were overjoyed and amazed to meet him. Students hugged and yelled and held their hands out like they'd never touch anything again after meeting Obama. [embedded Vimeo video at right via Get Schooled]

Greg Pollowitz at NRO's Media Blog reported there was an overlooked, inconvenient fact in the hoopla over Kalamazoo Central students meeting the president. The Secret Service required each student’s citizenship status:

KALAMAZOO — The White House appears to be laying the groundwork for President Barack Obama to shake the hand of each senior at Kalamazoo Central High School’s commencement ceremony next month.

Seniors are being asked to provide their birthdates, Social Security numbers and citizen status to the Secret Service so background checks could be performed. Such a check is required for anyone who gets within an arm’s length of the president, students were told at their senior breakfast Friday.

Pollowitz asked: "What’s good enough for President Obama should be good enough for Arizona, no?"