Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Thursday
December 4, 1980
Slouch
By Jim Earle I The Great Computer waits
ill
“Although I can appreciate your fondness for taxidermy, don’t you feel
that we might give it a lower priority?”
Upset of Clinton was
one of most notable
By DAVID S. BRODER
LITTLE ROCK — A lot of great old Demo
cratic names were erased from the roster of
elected officials in the 1980 election, but there
was one particularly notable defeat among the
ypunger Democrats. Arkansas Gov. Bill Clin-
tori, 34, lost his bid for a second two-year term
to savings and loan president Frank White, a
political newcomer who had reregistered as a
Republican just in time to make this race.
By a margin of37,000 votes, White derailed a
career that had seemed one of the most promis
ing in American politics. A graduate of George
town Univeristy and Yale law school, Clinton
came home to teach law, lost the House race in
1974, was elected attorney general in 1976 and
two years later became the nation’s youngest
governor.
Before his first term was over, he was chosen
by the other Democratic governors as their
chairman for the coming year. And he played an
important role as a mediator between the Car
ter and Kennedy camps at the Democratic con
vention.
Then, On Nov. 4, to the surprise of most
Arkansas observers, Clinton came up on the
short end of a 52-to-48 percent upset. As one of
many reporters who had been impressed by the
rapid ascent of this articulate young South
erner, I was naturally curious to learn on a visit
here what lay behind his defeat.
The answers were not different, whether
they came from Clinton himself, from other
Democrats, from leaders of the White cam
paign, or from journalists around the state.
What emerged is a picture of political misfor
tune, misjudgment and neglect, blending with
a mood of public frustration, to produce an
electoral explosion of perhaps unintended
dimensions — a kind of parable of what hap
pened to the Democrats nationally.
In 1978, when Clinton was elected governor,
his pollster, Peter D. Hart, told him that Arkan
sas attitudes were among the most optimistic in
the nation. But in the last two years, things
turned sour in Arkansas. Drought hit the farms,
inflation and high interest rates choked off the
housing and auto-assembly industries.
Outside forces seemingly took perverse plea
sure in targeting Arkansas for punishment.
When a Titan missile blew up, it was in Arkan
sas. When Cuban refugees rioted, it was in
Arkansas.
Clinton plowed ahead — as Democrats did
everywhere — doing what he thought he had
been elected to do: Spread the benefits of gov
ernment across the landscape. He challenged
the medical profession by pushing a rural health
program, took on the phone company and the
Warped
to foul up our graduations
Tm a graduating senior. I don’t apologize for
the fact, either. I worked quite a few years and I
deserve it. (The ring says ’79, but don’t let that
fool you. I just didn’t realize it was going to be
this hard.)
It started at the beginning of this semester. I
thought the Great Computer in the Sky re
viewed my transcript every semester and when
I got enough hours, it would bless me with a
wave of Its magic wand and I would have a
degree.
But no.
They expected me to go beg them for a de
gree. They call it a “formal degree application,”
but I know what it really is. Begging.
And then there was the $11 fee associated
with making this application. It didn’t seem like
much money at the time, but it was just the
start.
Armed with my checkbook, I sallied forth
earlier this week to clear my name and insure
my graduation. First stop, the University
Police.
I expected some bad news, but this was ridi-
Just desserts
By Scott Haring
lier, I might have come up with econj
alternatives. Appeal the tickets. Wi
graduation announcements. Robal
But with two weeks (even less now]
before stage-crossing time, there is not
tive. I have to pay them.
And they know it.
Even now, a persistent nightman
culous. They wanted $40 in parking tickets. I
had forgotten about these two-year-old tickets
long ago, but the Great Computer hadn’t.
There was a loan to pay back. And graduation
announcements to buy. And a cap and gown to
pay for. Every time I took out my checkbook
and spent a little more money, one thought
kept going through my mind, an inescapable
conclusion.
I am bribing these people to let me out.
That’s what it boils down to. You do your
time, and they still get you in the end.
Oh, but they’re so sneaky about it.
If these things had been thrown at me ear-
I’m sitting in G. Rollie White Colise
tening to the speeches. My family:
friends all sit in the stands, waiting pm
see me receive my degree. Myfathenet
most relieved.
Then we’re all standing in line toe
stage, and the guy with the list who c
make sure everyone’s in the right ordetJ
across my name and mysteriously st|
away.
He comes back and points meouttoi|
man with a very large hook.
I knew I should have returned thallj
book.
The Great Comouter never forgets
James
their <
studen
Texas
up the
wallpa
timber companies on consumer and environ
mental issues.
To finance the road improvement program
he had promised in his first campaign, Clinton
pushed through a $17 increase in the annual
auto license fee. ‘T thought that would be better
for rural people who had to drive long distances
than adding several cents to the gas tax,” Clin
ton said, “but I was wrong. In a time of infla
tion, people would rather pay a little bit more
each week over a long period of time than a lot
extra up-front. ”
That was not the only sign Clinton was out of
touch. Just as Jimmy Carter neglected his poli
tical homework, political allies say Clinton let
his supporters’ list get jumbled and out-of-date,
and old workers slip away from him.
The troubles at home did not diminish the
favorable national publicity. His thoughtful,
effective speech to the Democratic convention
led many reporters — me among them — to
mention Clinton as a potential presidential can
didate in future years.
It went down badly at home. “When things
were going well for them,” Clinton now says,
“my constituents were pleased at the idea I
could speak for them, to a growing audience, for
long years ahead. But when they were hurt —
and they’ve been hurt bad by the economy and
everything this year — they said, ‘Why should
he have it so good?’ They wanted to bring me
down a peg or two. ”
Hart warned the governor that “if you go into
the last week with a narrow lead, you are in
trouble, because 60 percent of the people want
you to win by just one vote.”
The polls showed Clinton holding a comfort
able lead, however, and not until the final
weekend did he recognize he was in trouble.
Now, like dozens of other Democrats, he
finds the wounds of defeat too fresh to be en
tirely detached in his reflections on what hap
pened. Local reporters say they encounter a
good many voters who say they only want to
humble Clinton, not defeat him. Believing this,
some Clinton supporters hope he keeps his
political base intact for a possible comeback in
two or four years, by staying with his
announced intention of practicing law in Little
Rock.
His name, however, is discussed in Washing
ton as a possible new Democratic national
chairman, and Clinton has at least one qualifica
tion for the job. Four years after his first victory
— while still in his 30s — he has learned a
lesson other Democrats did not learn until they
had been in power for decades: Voters have
little tolerance for politicians who lose touch. It
is a lesson Clinton has time to absorb — and
perhaps to help his party understand.
I James S.
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It's your turn
Bonfire building, burning is wasteful
Editor:
As a new arrival in College Station from over
seas, I have watched the building of the tradi
tional Aggie bonfire with some amazement. I
am impressed with the size of the structure, and
the care lavished upon it. I have goggled at its
flaming portrait in the Student’s Center, and
tried to fathom the depth of the attachment at
the traditional burning. I have noted with a
condescending smile that “girls” are actually
allowed to help with its erection — (by serving
cookies?). Good Lord, how progressive! Unfor
tunately, I have realized along with many other
people, what a waste it really is.
It might be well for the bonfire fans to consid
er for a moment the volume of wood that goes
into that pyre in terms of how many pots of
maize meal it would cook. Imagine what the
attitude of people in the Third World who often
have to scour the country for miles around to
find a scrap of wood to cook or keep warm would
be to that venerable tradition? Who cares, you
may ask? You won’t be hearing from them. Not
for now at least.
It seems to me that the bonfire is American
wastefulness made into a tradition and glor
ified. Isn’t it time that the tradition and the
attitude it embodies were thrown on the fire?
Sam McClatchie
around this time of year lamenting the sparse
attendance at Silver Taps or the behavior of
certain individuals there or some other prob
lem related to those who should be observing
this as a solemn occasion. Tonight was our last
Silver Taps, and we have a complaint, but it is
not related to any of the above circumstances.
The impropriety which caught our attention
was the selection of the music played before the
ceremony. “Auld Lang Syne” was very approp
riate for the situation, of course, but the two
pieces which followed it most certainly were
not. We could hardly believe our ears as we
listened to the chimes belt out nothing less than
a lusty rendition of the Aggie War Hymn, fol
lowed by the Spirit. The War Hymn, especially
considering the speed and style with which it
was played, was grossly inappropriate for set
ting the mood for Silver Taps. The Spirit would
not have been so bad had it been played more
slowly, with some dignity, but to have the
strains familiarly associated with football scor
ing (i.e. “Hot Time") applied to our remembr
ance of two departed Ags is inexcusably taste
less. Shall we saw varsity’s horns off and clap
William
lege of Bus
obert H.
of Engine
banksgivi
tional pn
to Rio de J
Muse sa
invitation
leofas Uc
tanding be
tions anc
‘The B
along with “Hot Time” in celebrationoli
untimely deaths? The mere suggestionis
ly revolting. Whoever selected the mi > reat * nter
the occasion appears to have been men 1
cerned with showing off the new chimei ipw
contributing to the meaning of the cereffid I 1 <
is too late to change what happened, bu(i' ^ 1
much to ask for a little more foresiglt
time? After 41/2 years we are at long lasts | Ay*
our leave of A&M, and while we recognis ^
some things are always bound to chaaf * Faculty
would hope that Silver Taps would notbes University
them. Nir grou
Jay Stanii! Friday for
Editor’s note: This letter was accompan*
H. Ray 5
three other signatures.
Correction
A cutline in Wednesday’s Battalion^
rectly credited MSC Outdoor HecreationJ
mittee with bringing the Pepsi-Cola f
team to Texas A&M.
MSC Recreation Committee sponsor^
team’s visit.
The Battalion regrets the error.
The Battalion
l T S P S 045 360
MEMBER
War Hymn inappropriate
Editor:
It is almost traditional for a letter to appear
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congres
Questions or comments concerning any editorial
should be directed to the editor.
Also e
Wint
Steal
Aspc
By Scott McCullar
SPECIAL NEWS REPORT: A
TRAIN PERAILMENT HAS JUST
OCCURRED AL0/V& WELLBORN
R0AP ACROSS FR0/»\ THE
CAMPUS..
MASSIVE CLOUDS OF TOXIC
CHEMICAL VAPORS HAV£
OVERCOME MANV A M
STUDENTS IN THEIR DORMS
NO,
CLASSES AND OTHER
actually I'm kidding,'
THERE HAS BEEN A TRAIN
OERAiLMENT AGAIN, but it
y was ONLY CARRYING 6RAIN
brave
CAMPUS SITES.
OR THANK)
GOD.
V
THIS TIME
Editor Dillard Stone
Managing Editor Rhonda Watters
Asst. Managing Editor Scott Haring
City Editor Becky Swanson
Asst. City Editor Angelique Copeland
Sports Editor Richard Oliver
Asst. Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Scot K. Meyer
Asst. Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
News Editors Lynn Blanco, Todd Woodard
Staff Writers Jennifer Afflerbach, Kurt Allen,
Nancy Andersen, Marcy Boyce, Jane G. Brust
Mike Burrichter, Pat Davidson, Cindy Gee
Jon Heidtke, Uschi Michel-Howell, Debbie Nelson
Liz Newlin, Rick Stolle
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Photo Editor Pat O’Malley
Photographers George Dolan,
Greg Gammon, Jeff Kerber
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Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College StilW
77843.
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