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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1981)
Viewpoint The Battalion Friday Texas A&M University March 6, 1981 Slouch By Jim Earle “It appears that your midsemester grades will arrive at your parents" about the time you get home for spring break, and I m sorry. ” Denis change name of their last president By DAVID S BRODER WASHINGTON — Some time in the last 30 days, the name of the 39th President of the United States has been changed from Jimmy Carter to Difficult Circumstances. That fact became apparent when Walter F. Mondale appeared at the reorganization meeting of the Democratic National Com mittee. He managed, in the course of his remarks, to omit uttering the name of the President for whom he and all his listeners had campaigned, oh so recently. When it came time for him to praise retiring DNC chairman, John C. White, Mondale said only that his old friend and ally Ivad been, chairman under ‘Difficult Circumstances. ” How difficult the circumstances were for the Democratic Party under Carter was starkly displayed in an independent finan cial audit that pro-Kennedy members of the Party’s executive committee insisted on having made after the election. It showed, among other things, that the Democratic National committee received almost $1 million less in small direct-mail contributions in 1980 than it had in 1976, when Jerry Ford was in the White House. It showed the party spent about $800,000 more in 1980 than in 1976 in direct support of the presidential campaign, but only half as much on voter registration. It also showed the Democratic National Commit tee paid out more money for Patrick Cad- dell’s polls for the presidential campaign than it contributed to all the other Demo crats running for office in 1980. It is that sort of pattern that explains Sen ate Minority Leader Robert C. Byrd’s (D- W. Va.) caustic comment to the DNC meet ing that “never again must the DNC be come the adjunct of the Committee to Re elect the President.” The implicit comparison to Richard Nix on’s “Creep” did not escape anyone — and that is about as cruel a jibe as any Democrat can take at another. But Byrd is not alone in his belief that Carter was largely to blame for last Novem ber’s Democratic debacle. Many others in the states and in Congress blame Carter, not only for the weakness of his own candi dacy but for his pre-emption of party re sources for his own doonafi,d^ ailse - An effort has been made to soften the criticism. Les Francis, an able former Na tional Education Assn, organizer who served in 1980 as executive director of the DNC, put together a lengthy memo to White, attempting to refute the “negative criticisms” of the committee’s work. The memo concedes at the outset that the DNC has been hobbled by the “horrendous debt” still carried over from the 1968 cam paign. Actually, that debt was cut by two- thirds to about $800,000 during the past four years. It observes that “for a variety of reasons, neither the Democratic administration nor the Democratic Congress paid sufficient attention to the DNC in recent years.” It notes that the prolonged nomination fight between Carter and Ted Kennedy sap ped the party’s energy and its fund-raising ability. But then, Francis argues, that under the circumstances, the DNC really did quite well. His evidence is curious. The political targeting program under Chris Brown, he says, “unfortunately performed flawlessly.” Carter carried exactly as few states as Brown had predicted he would. He notes that many basic organizational programs, with long lead-times for effective payoff, were begun only in May or June of last year. He noted that the heads of major committee staff functions found themselves in the closing weeks of the campaing work ing for Carter in Santa Clara County, Calif., in Rochester, or in South Carolina. But he does not make a point of the most telling single fact of all about the relation ship between the Democratic National Committee and Jimmy Carter. It is simply that the man who was making this defense of the DNC, Executive Direc tor Francis, was himsilf pulled out of his party job to fill in at the Carter campaign committee when Field Director Tim Kraft was sidelined by the investigation of his alleged drug use. The freedom that Carter felt to take what ever or whoever he needed from the Demo cratic Party —- and not put much back in — is why his name in party circles is “Difficult Circumstances. ” Warped Crossover primary: Gone at las By CLAY F. RICHARDS United Press International WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional the cros sover primary — that political boondoggle that contributed to keeping Edmund Mus- kie, Morris Udall and Sen. Edward Ken nedy out of the White House. The crossover or “open” primary allowed any registered voter — Republican, Demo crat or independent — to vote in any prim ary he choses, regardless of party affiliation. It was not widely used, but often wound up playing a significant role in Michigan, Wis consin and California. William Saffire, in his “Political Diction ary,” describes the crossover primary this way: “The crossover theory holds that the crossover voter is fickle, or mischievous, or only interested in voting in the more hotly contested primary, and intends to come ‘home’ to the party in which he is registered later in the general election.” Probably the biggest beneficiary of the crossover primary was George Wallace in 1972. He won the Michigan Democratic primary overwhelmingly, establishing him self as more than a Southern candidate. Polls later showed thousands of Republi cans crossed over to vote for Wallace. The Wallace victory further weakened the candidacies of Sens. Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie — thus clearing the way for the nomination of Sen. George McGovern, probably the weakest Demo crat in the field. In 1976, President Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan battled neck and neck for the nomination and California Republicans worked under the unit rule, meaning the entire state delegation would go to the Initially, it did not seem surprising that Reagan, running in his home state, beat Ford overwhelmingly. But a subsequent New York Times poll showed Reagan and Ford dead even among Republicans who voted and that conservatives — indepen dent and Democrat — crossed overtoj ||| Reagan the victory. Also in 1976, Rep. Morris Udall nan lost both the Michigan and Wisconsin^ ary to Jimmy Carter. The crossoverp ably worked both ways, but there iss indication conservatives voted afl Udall. If Udall had won either primaryiti have been the first step toward stoppii| Carter steamroller in April and early| As it was. Carter didn’t begin to I maries until late May and that wastooij In 1980, Wisconsin continued tol Democratic Party rules and heldthe|jj ary that led to the Supreme Court da It turned out to be a wild freeforalj only because of the Democratic! tween Carter and Kennedy, but be that time John Anderson was still ballot in the Republican contest. But the crossover did not workaso vatives and liberals in both parties s home to decide the tight races in t party- It s your turn Senate gets laughs for Traditions 101 Editor: Congratulations student senate! Out of all the Aggie jokes I have ever suffered through, the one told at Wednesday night’s meeting was tops! ... Traditions 101, ha-ha! This is a joke isn’t it? But hey, why stop there? Why not: Beginning Quading 201 Introductory Yells 103 or Bryan-College Station History 104 Any of these courses, combined with Tra ditions 101, will surely encourage hoards of National Merit Scholars and maybe a few Rhodes Scholars as well. Congratulations again senate for spending precious time and money on such a noble and nationally cru cial issue. Danny Evatt ’81 Maybe A&M is getting too big and some students don’t know about “Howdy.” Please — What can you do about it? “Howdy” is as traditional as the “Twelfth Man.” Betty Dean tion between Student Government and- Placement Center, we hope to pro'-^ Aggies with the best possible service Students interested in summer* should check these areas: 1. The “Summer Jobs” binder Placement Center’s library. 2. The “Pink Sheets’ in the Place® $1 bi Summer jobs Where's "Howdy'? Editor: What has happened to “Howdy“? This morning I walked from my home, just a block off campus, to the Rudder build ing. It was just before 9 a.m. I met many students, including some in the Corps. I said “Howdy” to each and every one. Some seemed not to hear. And those that did said “Hi.” It has been six to eight months since I’ve walked on campus. At that lime there were “Howdy” responses. I sure did miss it — and I sure do hope that this is not to be a trend. Editor: I would like to correct an error that appeared in Friday’s Battalion article about the Student Government “Summer Jobs Program.” It was stated that the campus Placement Center is not very active in find ing summer work for students. This is not true. An estimated 500 students found sum mer work through the center last year. Dur ing the past semester alone, over 200 com panies were interested in interviewing prospective summer employees. Student Government wishes to comple ment this Placement Center’s service by attracting jobs in companies that normally do not conduct interviews here (i.e. the firms of former students.) Through coopera- Center (for regular employers who* need summer help.) 3. The “Summer Jobs Program” the Student Government office April 13. Roger McConnel he S ! r °g' the I Liio this.’ W] nse r ac Two Rays Editor’s note: The presence of twofj pie with the same names in the areacai some unintentional and undue haras: for one of those people Thursday. Kenny Ray, a junior in Company E-lj not the same Kenny Ray who submits lettter criticizing yell leaders in Thursi! Battalion. The Kenny Ray who submit# the letter lives off campus. By Scott McCullar AN appeal: TO THE people WHO GREW UP WATCHING WALT DISNEY ON TV. AS PART OF THE COLLEGE TV MARKET YOURS IS AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN KEEP I NG A QUALITY entertainment program ON THE AIR FOR AN IMPORTANT reason OF the future: THE CHU-DRE/V. HELP MAKE THIS STRIP USEFUL FOR A CHANGE; CUT OUT THE LAST a PANELS ANP PUT THEM IN AN ENVELOPE, (DO NOT MEN TION PISNEY ON THE OUTSIDE, these get Tossed or FILED away; ANP send to: XNC- CDS NETWORK PROGRAM MING DH?- SI W- «. St. N.v. , N-Y toon TO THE ces NETWORK PROGRAMMING PlRECTORS*. AS A STUDENT AT TEYAS A£M UNIVERSITY J SUPPORT YDUR pEUS/ON TO AIR "THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF Disney/' and request it be shown on a WEEKLY BASIS IN A SUITABLE TIME SLOT. I BELIEVE THAT TELEVISION IS CAPABLE OF QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT AT TIMES AND CONSIDER THE WALT DISNEY PROGRAM A FINE EXAMPLE OF ENTOY ABLE, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING,^ THE BENEFIT OF PRESENT FAMILIES ANP FUTURE CHILDREN. THANK YOU, The Battalion ISPS 045 560 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Dillard Stone Managing Editor Angelique Copeland Asst. Managing Editor Todd Woodard City Editor Debbie Nelson Asst. City Editor Marcy Boyce News Editors . Venita McCellon, Scot K. Meyer Sports Editor Richard Oliver Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Asst. Focus Editor . ... Susan Hopkins Staff Writers Carolyn Barnes, Jane G. Brust, Terry Duran, Bernie Fette, Cindy Gee, Kathleen McElroy, Belinda McCoy, Marjorie McLaughlin, Kathy O’Connell, Ritchie Priddy, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor Greg Gammon Photographers Chuck Chapman Brian Tate The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper! students in reporting, editing and photography cl®! within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial I#* should be directed to the editor. LETTERS POUCY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 350 wont length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer, i! editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style! length, but will make every effort to maintain theaul intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the at and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, m not subject to the same length constraints as lei Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, ll Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Unwed! College Station, TX 77843. . EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community, service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions ofTexas A&M Universi ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M and spring semesters, except for holiday and examiniSj periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising if furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonaldBd ITitt ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX United Press International is entitled exclusively tof use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited*# Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein resend Second class postage paid at College Station, TX