Obama's Honorary Degrees

People associated with Notre Dame are upset that the school honored Barack Obama with an honorary degree because of his views on stem cell research and abortion. Similarly, the Daily Show recently featured a story where Arizona State University students also were upset about conferring an honorary degree to the President.

Aren't honorary degrees sort of a silly formality anyway? It's not like it changes anything about the honoree. Do we call someone "doctor" if they get an honorary doctorate? Ultimately who cares?

Furthermore, aren't there going to be pro-choice students getting actual degrees at Notre Dame this year? Based on this logic, they should be prevented from getting their actual degrees?

Finally, I saw an article where the President was referred to as "the worst baby killer in the nation." Do we really need all the exaggeration? Last I checked, the President does not perform abortions, have the power to make laws about abortion or have the power to overturn abortion legislation.