Obama to Sub for Kennedy at Wesleyan Commencement

Updated 4:59 p.m.
By Shailagh Murray
Sen. Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address Sunday at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, filling in for his ailing friend Ted Kennedy.

Kennedy, who was diagnosed this week with brain cancer, asked Obama to stand in for him. "Considering what he's done for me and for our country, there's nothing I wouldn't do," said Obama in a statement.

The Democratic front-runner had previously planned to take the day off.

"Throughout the last week, Senator Obama has offered his support to Senator Kennedy including stepping in to deliver the commencement address at Wesleyan University," Kennedy's office said in a statement. "Senator Kennedy accepted knowing it would be an historic opportunity for the school and all those attending, including his daughter Caroline Raclin who is graduating and his son Ted Jr. who is attending his reunion. He's enormously grateful to Senator Obama and the support he's received from all of his colleagues this last week."