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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1982)
opinion Slouch By Jim Earle “It’s really not that long until next Christmas, can’t we just leave them up?” Cautious speeches at the White House by Dean Reynolds United Press International WASHINGTON — “Oh Lord,” said Larry Speakes, “teach me to utter words that are gentle and sweet. For tomorrow, I may have to eat them.” So goes what Speakes says is the “Press Secretary’s Prayer.” It is one that Speakes, as deputy press secretary and principal White House spokesman, un doubtedly knows by heart. The art of jousting with White House reporters on a daily basis is still being refined in the second year of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Speakes is the main conduit for infor mation the administration wants out. It is he who must cjeal with a sometimes angry group of reporters hungry for informa tion. And when the top story for 15 months has been the battle of the budget, repor ters can get pretty quarrelsome. Still, Speakes believes the relationship between the president and the press is good. “Not great, but it’s good.” Speakes, who worked in the Ford White House and was also a press secret ary to Sen. James Eastland, D-Miss., says the current White House press corps is “probably the best I’ve dealt with. They’re generally fair, but they are al ways tough.” But the president is making Speakes job even more difficult. Reagan’s propensity to answer ques tions on the run or with information at variance with the facts has forced Speakes and other top White House aides to spend a lot of time thinking ab out how to get their message across to the public. The president, well known for his amiability, has long felt that it just “looks bad” to walk away from a reporter who has asked him a question. Other politi cians have mastered the dodge, but Reagan has always been a little too straightforward for his own good. So the White House, in a series of deci sions designed to show the president in the best possible light, has reduced access to him while appearing to increase it. Spontaneity is on the critical list at the White House. Gone are the days when reporters could ask Reagan a question during an Oval Office picture-taking session with some visitor. Often those exchanges eli cited meaningful news that reflected Reagan’s true beliefs. Now there exist what are amusingly referred to as “impromptu” press availa bilities, wherein reporters are given short notice that the pi esident will be available to take their questions. These are to occur once a week. They are not full-blown press confer ences. And the reporters are the only ones given short notice. Reagan gets plenty of notice. In at least two of the three he has held, the presi dent has begun by reading a prepared statement. In one, he precluded ques tions on two major topics, but then went ahead and commented on the subjects anyway. And with coaching from his aides, the president now often says one subject or another is too sensitive, or too hypothe tical, or too tentative on which to com ment. “We like to set our communications agenda,” Speakes acknowledges. And with the president’s popularity on the wane, it is more important than ever to see that news is properly packaged. Speakes readily admits, “We got away with a lot last year.” One legislative vic tory after another gave Reagan the image of a political juggernaut. But 1982 is different. “This year legislative victories are not necessarily big news,” Speakes says. “But legislative defeats, should they occur, will be big news.” The White House will continue to bank on Reagan’s ability to communicate to the public through prepared speeches, Speakes says. That way the miracle of television and radio can largely bypass the reporters, bringing Reagan right into the homes of the public. “We think there’s an adequate flow of information between the president and the press,” Speakes contends. The public can be the judge. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Angelique Copeland City Editor Denise Richter Assistant City Editor Diana Sultenfuss Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Assistant Focus Editor Nancy Floeck News Editors Gary Barker, Phyllis Henderson, Mary Jo Rummel, Nancy Weatherley Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Cyndy Davis, Gaye Denley, Sandra Gary, Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer, Hope E. Paasch Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise Sechelski, John Wagner, Laura Williams, Rebeca Zimmermann Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal, David Fisher, Eileen Manton, Eric Mitchell, Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Colin Valentine Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Battalion/Page21 April 22, Support your right to arm bea For several years now, I’ve had a pet peeve named Spot. Spot is a gun control dog. He’s a 6-foot-tall German shepherd who eats National Rifle Association offi cials for breakfast. Two days ago Spot was barking at me loudly. He was mad. “Ruff, Ruff!” Spot said. “Yes, I saw it,” I replied. “Ruff, Ruff, Ruff!” Spot said. “Yes, it’s a real tragedy,” I said. Spot was angry about an article he read in The Houston Ghronicle on Tues day. The story was about a man who shot another man with a pistol in an argument over a pool game in a bar. The killer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime. The murder was one of over 400 that are committed in Houston each year — many with handguns. “So, what should we do, Spot?” I asked. Spot told me he wondered how many more senseless killings would occur be fore some sort of sensible, national gun control legislation would be enacted in this country. “What about the NRA?” I asked. Spot replied that they could have their rifles, provided they are strictly regis tered. He said there is nothing wrong with hunting game for sport if that’s what you like to do. But, he said, a handgun is a weapon designed to kill people — it’s in effective for anything else. Some persons like to use them for target practice, but asking them to give up this sport is a small price to pay for human life. Spot said. Spot told me there were 413 murders in Houston (population approx. 2 mil lion) in 1976. He said although England had about 40 times the population of Houston there are only about 150 mur ders per year there. The difference. Spot said, is gun control. “Well, OK,” I said. “But why can’t the local governments enact the legislation instead?” Spot replied that many northeastern communities had been doing that lately. But, in order for gun control tot* tive, he said, it must be enacted nationwide basis or peoplecanbm ^ guns in Dallas and take them to% ton, D.C. We need a complete moraton. handgun production and strictt tion and registration of those alre* isting, he said. “But wouldn’t people find otliei to kill each other?” I asked. Spot told me if I believed that he! used Edsel to sell me. Few pet brave enough or strong enough person with brute force or withah and it’s hard to carry a rifle in et into a bar, Spot said. “Yes, but wouldn’t it be expensii; time-consuming for such a strictp; al — and wouldn’t it putsomegun out of business?” I asked. Spot said around 20,000 penons murdered in the United Stateslasi — many by handguns. He said i control legislation saved 1000 oft people — or even less — it worth it. Spot asked me if 1 waswili put a price on the human life, thought the family of the man the bar would be willing to p extra dollars in taxes tosupporthanc control. “OK, Spot,” I said. “ Down boy, for ( by Lisa Battalior hirty-two teers are ne camp leaders Iffljs at Girl Sc dy. The girl through thes attend the c; west of Bryan June 1. Diana I chairman ot Executive Coi teers must en children an doors. Previo the Boy Scou is also desire ■ Hesa I “If we dc: adult supervi to turn away who have ap || Twovolui to assist each leaders. Vob for a portior sion if they Bie whole nursery will the childrei Elder said. I “Gift of V\ raar this can Don’t touch To all those basically moral, All- American, “Good Ags” who can’t pre register and thus avoid the fall rush be cause they have $195 in traffic tickets collecting dust at the University Police Department — take heart. You’re not alone. Just last week I received a traffic viola tion notice in my P.O. Box threatening me. The notice implied that if I didn’t pay up quick, I’d be scarred for life and they would take my car and my first born as payment ... at the bottom was a small note that said I wouldn’t be able to pre register, either. I could handle them taking my first born and maybe the car, but DEFINITE- LY NOT my pre-registration!!!!! (Keep in mind that the University police wait until two weeks before regis tration to dump tickets. After almost eight months of buying books, paying rent and board and spending $100 a shot on all those formats, who has money to spend on parking tickets?) So I crawled on my knees all the way to the police station Friday prepared to beg and plead for my registration privileges. After waiting for one and one half hours in a line, I finally got to see he-who-can- pardon-souls. I was prepared to beg, equipped with eyes on the verge of tears and a pout. I shuffled in and sat down. I stated my case, and added in a little pleading for good measure. He obviously thought what I said was legitimate, but decided to give me a hard time anyway. “Why did you let all these tickets pile up like this?” the police major asked. I wanted to complain that there we ren’t enough parking spaces to go around and that I didn’t feel like parking in the middle of nowhere and get mug ged by some fanatic late at night. Instead, I said: “Well, I don’t know.” I guess I looked sad enough and poor enough because he cleared the charges. my pre-registration I *♦♦♦♦ So I can keep my baby (if I ever have one). And I can keep my car. And I can keep my PRE REGISTRATION!!!! Phew! What a relief! Some say I wouldn’t have had to go through all this if I would have parked where I was supposed to. BUT — The University Police are so inconsistent in their method of ticket writing that you never know when you can park where and for how long without getting slapped with a ticket. Or three. Or four. the small society Sure, they have colored maps m coincide with colored parking stiu 11 that are supposed to give you someliil|' But when there are not enougli (> spaces to go with red stickers, you ha4 o park SOMEWHERE!!!!!!! ' And most people would rather ii getting a $10 ticket than lose all money and their life walking bad4 l| the Fish Parking Lot. 0 t $ PRO ANA' Or having their car towed t ing somewhere off campus. Maybe the University Police sir have a new parking policy — FREE ALL! It would be first come, first server everyone could park wherever could get a space — faculty and staff eluded. This way, no one would be tempt® grab one of those hundreds of s 5 spaces that sit so enticingly empty"! 1 students have to drive past them toi Fish Lot or somewhere equally renw' : And no one would have to worry al) parking tickets ... or the blocked ref tration they invoke. by Brickman DOSAi $7.50 montl Paras come “Borr^ times order 'hg p