Notre Dame and Obama: a hypocritical fiasco

Today, President Obama will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. One of the largest and arguably most prestigious Catholic universities in the country, Notre Dame has been plagued with protests ever since they announced that the president would appear; the protests have thrown the somewhat dormant issue of abortion and a woman's right to choose into the limelight yet again. Former ambassador and Harvard Law professor Mary Ann Glendon even declined a major award from Notre Dame, the Laetere Medal, over the controversy; she is the first honoree in over a century to decline.

I don't have a problem with people expressing dismay over Obama's invitation, nor even the idea of someone choosing to reject an award rather than accept the well-deserved honor from the university. After all, in America we are free to dissent and protest and say our piece no matter what the viewpoint. However, I do find it rather curious that those who insisted we "honor the president" or "honor the office, even if you don't respect the man" during the Bush crime syndicate's reign of malfeasance seem to have changed their tune now.

What happened to respecting the president? Why is it different now that Obama is in the White House rather than Bush? Why is it acceptable now to claim that we have "different" presidents, when it was considered treasonous by many to utter such beliefs during most of this decade?

Wait ... I think I know the answer to those questions ....