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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1977)
Page 2 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1977 Ceteris Paribus Ralph Anderson speaks out By MARK RANKIN The following is an interview with the famous consumer advocate and investigative reporter, Ralph An derson. Conducting the interview is ace reporter. Probing Interviewer. Probing Interviewer: “Mr. Ander son, you are generally considered to be the nation’s top consumer advo cate and investigative reporter. Just exactly what do you do?” Ralph Anderson: “I advocate con sumers and investigate reports.” PI: “I see. Who are these consum ers that you advocate?” RA: “All consumers.” PI: “Even those who are known to be closet producers?” RA: “Only when they are consum ing.” PI: “It is well known that the presi dent of Exxon sometimes consumes: do you represent him?” RA: “No. I will not represent any one associated with the Big Oil Companies.” PI: “Then you only represent some consumers.” RA: “Let’s just say that I represent consumers with incomes under $20,000 a year.” PI: “Would you mind telling us your income?” RA: “Yes.” PI: “Why are you so suspicious of the Big Oil Companies?” RA: “They refuse to supply enough oil and gas.” PI: “I see. Why do you suppose they would do such a thing?” RA: “They are holding back until the price goes up.” PI: “So they would supply more at a higher price.” RA: “That’s what they want us to think.” PI: “You seem to know about con sumers, what would they do if the price of oil and gas were to rise?” RA: “They would boycott it.” PI: “They would demand less of it?” RA: “Of course.” PI: “If the price were allowed to rise, then, producers would supply more and consumers would demand less?” RA: “But the Big Oil Companies would make more profit.” PI: “How do you know?” RA: “If the price goes up they have to make greater profit.” PI: “But they would be selling less.” RA: "Only the price matters.” PI: “We have established that pro ducers will supply more oil at higher prices and that low prices are all that matter from the consumers point of view.” RA: “That’s correct.” PI: “Then the consumer is happiest when the price of oil is zero.” RA: “That is also correct.” PI: “Even if there is no oil supplied at a zero price.” RA: “Let’s move on to another sub ject, my time is valuable.” PI: “I see that your new book, Un safe At Any Atomic Weight, has hit the bookstores. You are rather criti cal of nuclear power. ” RA: “The nuclear physicists are con spiring to blow us up.” PI: “And the Big Oil Companies are conspiring to freeze us to death?” RA: “That’s right.” PI: “Would you like everyone to read your books?” RA: “Everyone should read my books.” PI: “Why don’t you give them away?” RA: “That’s ridiculous.” PI: “I see.” Slouch by Jim Earle I GUESS THAT RUINS OUR CHANCES OF HAVING A GRUMPY STUDENTS ORGANIZATION!” President Carter masters mass media WASHINGTON — In his first two months as President, Jimmy Carter has achieved a triumph of communications in the arena of pub lic opinion. He has not reduced un employment, curbed inflation, simplified government or done most of the other marvelous things he promised in his campaign. But he has transformed himself from the very shaky winner of a bungled campaign into a very popular Presi dent, whose mastery of the mass media has given him real leverage with which to govern. His success in projecting his per sonality on television and radio since he entered the White House has been as conspicuous as was his failure in the same media last fall. And if you ask those most intimately involved in the transformation of Carter-the-communicator what has caused the turnabout, you get some very interesting answers. “He’s in command now,” says Jerry Rafshoon, the Atlanta-based David S. Broder JUNIORS: TOMORROW IS THE LAST Day To Have Your Photograph Made For The Aggieland advertising man who has been Car ter’s television adviser. “He knows he’s running things, and that’s what he likes. He didn’t really enjoy campaigning, going out asking for votes. He’s a lousy supplicant. He really doesn’t like to have to beg people for support. He’s much bet ter when he’s just telling them what he thinks is going to have to be done. “It’s ironic,” Rafshoon concluded, “but when he’s not trying to please people, he pleases them.” Another White House staff member who plays a key role in the Carter communications process, this one preferring anonymity, draws the contrast this way: “Dur ing the (general election) campaign, there was a sense that he was cap tain of a sinking ship. Whatever he did, the polls kept dropping. He got short-tempered and kind of stri dent. So far, everything he’s tried in the White House has worked, so there's a kind of buoyancy.” Carter, as this aide noted, has achieved his communications triumph without any notable skills as an orator. His language lacks any literary grace, and his delivery of his lines is indifferent. Not one really memorable phrase has yet been uttered by the Presi dent, who has instructed his speechwriters that he wants every sentence to be comprehensible to “the average ninth-grader.” What comes through, as this aide sees it, is much more important — a picture of “a very intelligent, sin cere, unartificed man, who doesn’t need to prove himself, and doesn’t seem to be putting a move on you.” Ask the question about Carter’s new communications prowess of Jody Powell, the White House press secretary and chief polisher of the Carter image, and you get a slightly different answer. “He’ getting a different type of coverage now as President than he did as candidate Carter,” Powell said. “It’s the other side of what we were complaining about in the cam paign. The press now focuses on Carter’s policy views, his answers to substantive questions — not the lust that may lie in his heart or the tooth-count of his smile, Powell said. But then Powell, too, like the others, comes back to the change in Carter himself. “He’s a lot looser than he was in the campaign,” he said. “There’s no longer any ques tion he has a sense of humor. He can kid about things that have been dangerous to joke about in the cam paign period, because they would have been so easy to take out of con text. Now that he’s been seen as a President dealing with substantive issues, it’s easier to keep the light touches in context.” What all three of these aides are saying, it seems to me, is that Car ter is communicating better to the public because he is more confident now, more in command of his situa tion and, therefore, more relaxed about himself. It is yet another instanced I've come to think ofastk Principle of Carterology: Wta on top, out front and in cat can be superb. When he's !„ lenged, taken off-guard, isi| or thrown off-balance, can fail him, and his instincts!' him. But there’s also a simplen putting it. Probably what tk cess of Carter’s post-inaugural relations drive shows is what politicians have always know lot easier to campaign wk don’t have an opponent. (c) 1977, The Washington Post Ui NEW ent Get oday to bout h ontract on for a nd mei cholars. The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the uriter of the article and are not neces sarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterjfrise operated by students as a uni versity and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POUCY tetters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address oj the writer and list a telephone number for verification. 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The Battalipn, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to Student Publications Board BobG, fop man, Joe Arredondo, Tom Dawsey, Dr. Dr. John W - Hanna, Dr. Clinton A. Ward. Director of Student Publicaliw 1 Cooper. Has Your Calculator Gone On The Blink? Did Your Charger Go Dead Before That Last Big Exam? We hope not, but if so Loupot’s has Texas Instruments INCORPORATED Chargers Battery Packs Printers Carrying Cases Libraries Thermal Paper Loupot’s has in stock all Tl accessories for your calculator needs. Loupot’s & Texas Instruments make a good combination. LOUPOT’S BOOKSTORE NORTHGATE — ACROSS FROM THE POST OFFICE EVER BEEN CAUGHT WITHOUT YOUR CLOTHES FOR THAT EXTRA orr i Ford, »g offic lubbing olicy a gned a i 1.5 mil Ford ] Wash eturnec ffice 63 His s< rith Pr. linner rith GC OP N Irock, ; But I ulk of SPECIAL DATE? 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