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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1992)
The Battalion Vol. 92 No. 48 (10 pages) “Serving Texas A&M Since 1893” Wednesday, November 4, 1992 Clinton wins presidential race THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Bill Clinton was elected the na tion's 42nd president on Tuesday in a Democratic landslide that swept George Bush from office and ended 12 years of divided government in Washington. Bush conceded defeat and wished the Arkansas governor well in the White House. Bush vowed to ensure a "smooth transition of power" to the new president. He said he had telephoned his congratulations to Clinton, and added, "I wish him well in the White House. Regard less of our differences, all Ameri cans share the same purpose," he said. The president spoke before sup porters with First Lady Barbara Bush at his side. He thanked Vice President Dan Quayle and James A. Baker III, his closest confidante in three decades of politics. Bush looked ahead to his retire ment to the grandparent business, and said to his wife, simply, "It's over." Independent Ross Perot said "the people have spoken," and of fered his congratulations to Clin ton. Clinton, who campaigned as a "different kind of Democrat" and pledged to rebuild the economy, ran strongly in all regions of the country. He won customary De mocratic battlegrounds, captured key battlegrounds in Illinois and Missouri and put Vermont and Kentucky in the Democratic col umn for the first time in many years. Clinton will become the na tion's third-youngest president when he takes office on Jan. 20. He savored his triumph in Little Rock, where thousands of sup porters gathered to cheer him. Perot, the man who electrified the campaign and ran a re spectable third, had conceded ear lier. The television networks de clared Clinton the winner about 10 minutes before the polls closed in the far west. The Associated Press tally showed Clinton had won 323 elec toral votes and led for 57 more — far more than the 270 needed to win the election. Bush had 58 elec toral votes, a far cry from the 426 he compiled in 1988. Clinton said he felt "wonder ful” as he wrapped up a cam paign in which he cast himself as the candidate of new economic opportunity and appealed for vot ers find the "courage to change." Aggie Democrats cheer campaign victory By REAGON CLAMON Reporter of THE BATTALION The Plaza Club, high atop the New First City bank in Bryan, shook with the cheers of Democrats attending an election party last night, as results came in declaring Democrat after Democrat the winner in local and national elections. The crowd was by far the most excited when CBS News declared Bill Clinton the winner of the presidential election. Supporters jumped for joy yelling " A1 Gore 2000." Mike Brannon, a junior economics major and member of Aggie Democrats, was part of the cele brating crowd. "It's a great feeling," Brannon said. "We stuck with Clinton. We believed him all the way. He'll take this country where it should be." "There's new hope for America," he said. "It's a great day." The crowd was more subdued, but still cheered as results came in for local races late into the night. In the hotly contested race for Brazos County Sheriff, Bobby Riggs stayed neck and neck with in cumbent Ronnie Miller all night until Riggs finally pulled out a win. See Aggie/Page 6 RICHARD S. JAMES/The Battalion Susie Velasco, front, and Richard Gonjori celebrate Bill Clinton’s win over President George Bush and Ross Perot. The celebration was held at the Brazos Valley Democratic Party headquarters. Election concerns College Republicans By ROBIN GOODPASTER Reporter of THE BATTALION When Gov. Bill Clinton captured Ohio's 21 electoral votes last night, pushing him beyond the 270 votes he needed to capture the presi dency, there were only quiet murmurs among members of Texas A&M's College Republi cans. Kory Brown, a member of the College Re publicans, said that he doesn't think that Clin ton will do what he's promised. "He never carried out the things he said he'd do in Arkansas," Brown said, "He won't carry them out now. "I am definitely against his economic pro posals — like taxes," Brown said. ' Earlier when Bush was shown to be leading in Texas the popular yote, there were whoops and cheers from everyone in the bar where the student Republicans watched the election re turns Tuesday night. David Love, a fourth year finance major, said he supported Bush because of his stance on moral issues in contrast to Clinton who does not have one. "I think Clinton's effect on the country will definitely be negative," Love said. "He may get a lot done, but not the right things." Brandi Smith, the vice president of public relations for the College Republicans, said that she supports Bush because he's a lot like her. "He believes in a lot of the same things that I do," Smith said. "The Republican candidates have true platforms, and the change that everyone has been talking about the Republi cans have been trying to implement for years." As for Clinton's effect. Smith said, "You have to consider that Clinton cannot keep his word." "I'm scared," Smith said. "The higher taxes, the spending programs - to me - that is scary," Smith said. Clinton will have a negative effect on the United States, said Timothy Ehlen, a senior economics major. Ehlen said he believes Clin ton's economic policies are bad. Ehlen said the Social Security Act that Clin ton will try to pass and the taxes that will be imposed are bad ideas. "The whole idea of penalizing someone who did well is bad. People who have fulfilled the American dream will be penalized, while those who don't do well will benefit," Ehlen See College/Page 6 Perot concedes cheerful defeat Candidate cheers Clinton, vows return THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS — A jubilant but los ing Ross Perot ended his unortho dox presidential campaign Tues day night by applauding Bill Clin ton's victory but vowing to "re main a force for good for our country." To the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Crazy," Perot took his wife and then a daughter in his arms as support ers chanted support for the inde pendent presidential candidate. Perot picked up 18 percent of the vote in the three-man race with Clinton and President Bush. His concession speech before supporters at a swanky suburban hotel was the final event in a self- financed campaign conducted al most entirely through television advertising. "Are you more dedicated than ever to putting this country back to work?" Perot asked. The crowd shouted its agreement. "We'll keep on going as long as you want to keep on going," he said. Perot pledged to work with Clinton to rebuild America. But at the same time, he cautioned, "The fact that we will go anywhere anytime to help this new adminis tration does not mean that we will compromise our integrity and our principles." To those disappointed by his defeat, Perot said his group. Unit ed We Stand, can work to influ ence 1994 congressional races. "We will stay together and you will be a force for good for our country and for our children," Perot said. "As long as we are to gether nationwide, you have an enormous voice in our country." As for his own role, Perot told supporters: "I'm available to you any time, any place, anywhere." He was joined by his running mate, Adm. James Stockdale, who declared, "We're overdue to be a three-party country. Let's think of this as an historic night where his tory has changed." The crowd of well-dressed sup porters, who had danced to coun try rock and Dixieland jazz, shout ed '"96, '96, '96, '96." Returning later to the podium, Perot held up a bumper sticker that read: "Perot in '96. "If by 1996, every place I go, the only thing I can find is America- made cars to put on that bumper, well they've cleaned out the bam, right?" Unorthodox to the last, Perot's campaign told only a few photog raphers he was going to the polls — after saying previously that he had voted by absentee ballot. "I thought the vote was sup posed to be private, but I guess nothing is anymore," Perot said after casting his ballot at the Wal nut Hills Recreation Center earlier in the day. Showing may alter course of Independents BY GINA HOWARD Reporter of THE BATTALION Ross Perot was not able to prove the pre-election pollsters wrong, but his third place show ing gave Perot supporters in the Brazos Valley hope for the future of the United States. Jim Raatz, Bryan-College Sta tion coordinator of the Perot cam paign, said even though Perot did not pull through a win, he did change the status of independent candidates not only on the nation al level, but on the state and local level. "I am convinced we (Perot and his supporters) have changed the way this town thinks about poli tics," said Raatz. "I am very proud about what we have done/' Raatz said even though Perot See Perot/Page 6 Student leaders bridge gaps By JULI PHILLIPS Reporter of THE BATTALION An election returns party was the stage for the gathering of stu dent leaders from the Memorial Student Center and Student Gov ernment Tuesday night for a little socializing to attempt to bridge the gap between the two organiza tions. "This is a good opportunity for student leaders from different sides of the political spectrum to get together and share ideas," Greg Brown, chairman of the MSC Political Forum said. "It's important to get Student Government and the MSC leaders together like this since these two groups have always had difficulty working together." Student Government member, Tracey McAllister agreed with Brown in his assessment of the im portance of cooperation between the two groups. "This type of effort is important because it brings the different leaders with their different ideas together," McAllister said. "A lot of times the Student Government and the MSC think of themselves as completely different entities, but it is important that we get these leaders together." McAllister is a freshman sena tor and a fish aide for Student Government. The election party invitation list included all MSC council members, chairs, committee mem bers and advisors as well as Stu dent Government executive mem bers, chairs, committee members, senators and advisors. Very few Student Government members attended the event. The election returns party was sponsored by Political Forum which is an MSC student organi zation that gives political players a stage from which to speak to the Texas A&M community. Election □ Complete list of e □ Williamson defeats □ Local Republican reactions □ Highs and lows of the election □ Expectations for end of gridlock See Pages 4 and 5