One of the top academic schools in the nation weighed in on the Clinton campaign’s accusations that Barack Obama misspoke when he referred to himself as a professor. The University of Chicago, where Barack Obama taught law school from 1992-2004, issued the following statement today:

“The Law School has received many media requests about Barack Obama, especially about his status as ‘Senior Lecturer.’

From 1992 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Barack Obama served as a professor in the Law School. He was a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996. He was a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004, during which time he taught three courses per year. Senior Lecturers are considered to be members of the Law School faculty and are regarded as professors, although not full-time or tenure-track. The title of Senior Lecturer is distinct from the title of Lecturer, which signifies adjunct status. Like Obama, each of the Law School’s Senior Lecturers have high-demand careers in politics or public service, which prevent full-time teaching. Several times during his 12 years as a professor in the Law School, Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time tenure-track position, but he declined.”

Oh snap!

Camp Hillary hasn’t spun the statement—yet—but Op-Edna has a few ideas:

Hillary Spin: Call attention to the fact that the University of Chicago did not make the NCAA Tournament.
Obama Reply: They made the Division III NCAA Tournament.

Hillary Spin: Say with conviction, “The University of Chicago’s definition of ‘professor’ differs from the definition in the dictionary I have here in my hands.”
Obama Reply: Groan, shake head.

Hillary Spin: Universities shouldn’t be endorsing a candidate.
Obama Reply: This from a woman who touts an endorsement from a middleweight boxing champion. (PS - Not that the University of Chicago endorsed anything other than the fact that Barack Obama was a professor)
Hillary Redirect: You got endorsed by Hulk Hogan!
Obama Response: Indeed I did. Interestingly enough, I was also endorsed by Sinbad. So remind me, did they hand out bulletproof vests before your welcome ceremony at the Bosnia airport?

-Fin-