Slouch
by Jim Earle
3/£.£>/r°
“I just don't think we’re ready for a motorized umbrella opener.”
Opinion
Campaigning is full-time job
Must we be forced to choose only among (presidential)
candidates who can devote as much as two years of their lives
to running for president? What kind of recommendation is
that for the job?
In 1968, there were 17 presidential primaries. This year
there are 34. There will be more four years hence.
Besides spare time, the primary system puts a premium
on image and glibness because candidates, after all, are
appealing to voters who usually are not knowledgable about
the issues. Having the right stuff early can give one
momentum. '
To maintain momentum, however, means you have to
keep winning, and that takes money and press. Party insid
ers — the people we used to call bosses — no longer are
much of a counterbalance, and they play an increasingly
smaller role in the nomination process.
All of these factors together lead to what threatens now:
early lockup of the nominations. This hardly seems like
democracy.
Limiting choices is not what the party reformers had in
mind when they sought to open the nomination process.
Unfortunately, this appears to have happened despite their
good intentions.
Shreveport, La., Journal
the small society
by Brickman
TAX&Z -
WHIZES
Y&DIZ N^xr
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FIZ^M If?
Washington Star Syndicate, Inc
The Battalion
U S P s 045 360
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MEMBER
Texas Press Association
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Editor Roy Bragg
Associate Editor Keith Taylor
News Editor Rusty Cawley
Asst. News Editor Karen Cornelison
Copy Editor Dillard Stone
Sports Editor Mike Burrichter
Focus Editor Rhonda Watters
City Editor Louie Arthur
Campus Editor Diane Blake
Staff Writers Nancy Andersen,
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Photographers Lee Roy Leschper,
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Opinions expressed in The Battalion are
those of the editor or of the writer of the
article and are not necessarily those of the
University administration or the Board of
Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-
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Editorial policy is determined hy the editor.
Viewpoint
Ect
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Wednesday
March 26, 1980
(Continu
consequences
, achieve goo
Good
Political alliances mean little
in recent presidential primaries
By STEVE GERSTEL
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Like ardent young
suitors, Jimmy Carter and Edward Ken
nedy courted the fair maid, Jane Byrne of
Chicago.
down a victory in Illinois — the first of the
northern industrial states to hold a
to
The fickle Jane first gave her heart
Jimmy — he thought he had her won —
but, as is the wont of a woman, she changed
her mind and pledged her troth to Edward.
Alas, it was not a match made in heaven.
Jane gave all the promise of being the finest
catch of the season but her relationship
with Edward never bore fruit.
The mayor of Chicago just could not de
liver.
primary.
As it turned out, the Byrne endorsement
proved less than worthless, although Ken
nedy gallantly thanked the lady mayor for
her efforts after Carter trashed him in Illi-
When Kennedy snatched Mayor Byrne
from Carter’s clutches, it was considered a
political coup of the first magnitude.
With Kennedy already riding high in Illi
nois at that time, the endorsement by Mrs.
Byrne was seen as the edge that would nail
There were extenuating circumstances,
to be sure. Kennedy’s own popularity had
virtually evaporated and Mrs. Byrne was
plagued by misfortunes which descended
on Chicago and sent her personal stock
plummeting.
But there was no denying that Mrs.
Byrne — despite her valiant efforts —just
could not help Kennedy. He picked up
only 14 of the 49 delegates in Chicago.
The painful lesson presumably learned
by Kennedy is that — in this day and age —
endorsements by noted political figures
have little, if any value. And in some cases,
they can hurt.
Although the Kennedy-Byrne alliance is
the most glaring example, the contests for
the presidential nominations have already
produced numerous cases to prove that the
folly of endorsements.
John Connally, the former candidate,
gambled his $11 million campaign on the
South Carolina primary. To win it, he en
listed the aide of Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Now Thurmond, the 77-year-old pat
riarch of South Carolina politics, is — in no
way — another Jane Byrne.
Thurmond is a living legend in South
Carolina, a politician with tremendous
popularity and prestige.
And Thurmond didn’t just endorse Con
nally. He campaigned for the candidate day
and night, in the rural areas and the cities,
traveling by plane and bus.
All of that time and energy went to
waste. Thurmond was unable to transfer his
popularity to Connally.
by bad means
Then Erie
want to dwel
wanted to gel
talked about
education ins
A&M.
“No other
imposes burd
people for tin
upperincorm
ing of higher
said.
He said th£
those who pa
to school is v
jerage income
family that se
He asked the
on equity gr
iPi
m
Big John finished a badly beaten
in South Carolina and could not even
Thurmond’s home precinct. Theneili
Connally withdrew.
Senate GOP leader Howard Baker;
presidential dropout, was the victim
same syndrome.
Baker announced his candidacytai
before Maine Republicans held their
vention, the highlight of which*
"straw" vote.
I laving entrusted the Maine operafc
Sen. William Cohen and his “matte
Baker packed a large chartered jet'
national reporters to duly record the
triumph of his campaign.
Baker was so confident of winniij
spent the morning of the vote toil
around in Vermont and returned
give his speech and wait the count I ,. , ,,
But Cohen could not deliver. cl often r chall f er
Bush beat Baker and Baker’s am|J sl ^ m ican *
never got off the ground.
!•••«
Then Erie
sacred cow:
“Lower ii
work at age
18 years old,
middle class
are self-supp
lower incon
more years a
Friedman
Letters Rush ad results in insulting phone calls
Editor:
I am a member of a sorority at A&M, and
I happen to live at the telephone number
that was listed in the ad that the Panhelle-
nic placed in the Battalion promoting the
Rush Forum on April 2. Since I pledged as
a sophomore, I have listened to several
anti-Greek discussions, been called a “SB”
and a “Geek” and basically have taken a lot
of flack for being a part of something I
believe in. I have sat back all this time
because I feel that a lot of it is due to
misinformation, sterotyping, and people
who are not willing to accept any kind of
change. I have never minded friendly kid
ding from people who have given the whole
concept of Greeks a chance and simply
chosen not to be a part. At least these peo
ple could recognize that we were indi
viduals just as it is individuals who make up
the Corps of Cadets.
But like a “Teasip” telling bad Aggie
jokes, those people responsible for calling
my apartment and telling me to “go to
hell,” telling me that I am a “ whore,”
and telling me that all Greeks are “full of
-—,” are taking what I have always called a
cheap shot. These guys with nothing better
to do on a Saturday afternoon than to insult
a person and a group that they have never
met, never given a chance, and worst of all
probably never will, could be the same
guys who, in the 1980s, still consider all
blacks “niggers.” I won’t say what group
these students said they represented be
cause I am certain they are a small part of a
group of great people. What I wanted to say
to them and to anyone else who doesn’t
have the guts to even mention their name
when they verbally attack the Greeks is
that you make me want to laugh. Call back
and maybe one of us 500 “SBs” could meet
you at the MSG SPO, the A&M tennis team
courts, at a Student “Y” Fish Camp meet
ing, an RA meeting, or Young Life.
Perhaps at a class officer meeting, at a stu
dent government meeting. Presidential
campaign rally, the Dixie Chicken, Lake-
view, or even the Military Ball. So if you
want to call back, please do. Think about it
because Aggies are all unified, and A&M is
the biggest “fraternity” in the world.
Sharon M. Kuhn
Campus media biased
Editor:
The public media on campus never
ceases to amaze me. As a leader of a student
organization at Texas A&M, I have had the
opportunity to deal with the campus news
paper and television station. In both situa
tions, I question the objectivity and fair
ness of the reporters, not only to our orga
nization, but also in stories relating to other
student organizations.
It seems to me that to be a journalist on
campus, a reporter must be subjective and
negative, seeking only information sup
porting their views on the problems and
activities within the organization. Journal
ists seek out the graft in hopes of a headline
story. There is usually little concern with
the accomplishments and improvements
that may have occurred during the semes
ter, as is apparent in the coverage given to
our organization. If an organization is doing
well, chances are you will not read or hear
about it, but if the organization is having
problems, turn to page one or watch the
six-thirty news — you will know about it.
My statements stem from my dealings
with The Battalion and KAMU. In the fall, I
talked with Doug Graham ofThe Battalion,
about our organization. I showed him our
improvements, told him of our perform
ances and explained the problems we are
having during the semester. The result: a
predominately negative article dealing
with the problems we had, an occasional
reference to our improvements and no
mention of our performances.
KAMU was the ultimate in journalistic
deficiency. On Friday March 21, we per
formed for their cameras and I was inter
viewed by Norma Ocora. We talked about
our activities, objectives, membership,
and general information. When the story
appeared on the news, it was dominated by
references to a certain lawsuit our organiza
tion is named. There was no mention of the
many performances we have made, no
mention of the improvements within the
organization during the year. It was a
muckraking job about a case that has had no
relevancy to this year’s goals and accom
plishments. It was a poor job ofreportii
failing to get information and makean
jective story.
The point I am trying to make is
everything you see printed ortelevisi
on the level. As I have seen and e
enced, reporters will take parts of si
ments out of context to support the si
they are looking for. The things youem|
size as important are overlooked whil
graft or problems prevail. Journalists
to dwell on the idea that people only
to know about other people’s
after all, look at the front pageofane'
er or watch the evening news.
What right do reporters have in
only part of the information and
their story on it instead of researching
facts and making an objective story? 1
not mean a whitewash job, nor do I m«
sixty minutes type execution. Why
journalists be comprehensive in
search for information and then ohj
and fair in the final product? Onceastj
reaches the viewer or reader, it creates “
impression that is hard to change if!
story is biased or one-sided.
I feel that the campus media has be
unfair in its coverage of our organizat®
only hope that other student organizat*
will not fall into the same traps Ihaveia
dealings with The Battalion and KAMI
PA*
kA
Andrew C. H '
Commanding OHjH
Parson’s Mounted Ca«
Thotz
TyolT^
By Doug Graham
WFNT TO IbE COME AM A& MAJDfc
O? WHY?
Fb° you kAvjfc A
GrlVE ME OME GOOD REASON WHY I SHOULD
let a city-Slicker., 'boPE-HEAD, vould-beJ
Go's Flower CHILD like YOU into the
college of agriculture
BECAUSE AG ENROLL^EMTj
IS SLIPPING DADLY.,
t*LEOMTOCOfeV N0TEZ* THE t»C KfituL E>(M0VWRS
THE CRETACEOUS PERIOD EVOLA/ED AN
EFFECTIVE SE.T OP TEETH FOAsGATiMO
plants, they HAt> -thousands of teeth,
UiHICH ORSW tePLACeMEN-TS A|THE CLb^
ONES VaJORE CDT OR BROKE
- SAQRocoPH^S, CHEES£VuoRTH IS A TRACHODON.
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