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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2001)
Clinton bids farewell President challenges new administration to continue successes WASHINGTON (AP) — President Clinton, in a farewell from the Oval Office, told the nation Thursday night that “America has done well" during his presidency, with record-breaking prosperity and a cleaner environment. He said President-elect Bush will inherit a country “in a great position to meet the chal lenges of the future.” (( As we become more diverse, we must work hard er to unite around our com mon values.” — Bill Clinton President Offering advice to the in coming administration, Clin ton urged that the United States stay on the course of fiscal discipline and continue to pay down the national debt. It seemed to be a pointed al ternative to Bush's proposal for sweeping tax cuts. Clinton turns over the pres idency to George W. Bush at iloon Saturday. In the speech, Clinton said that America must continue to lead in foreign affairs “and must not disentangle itself from the world.” He said that at home, the nation “must treat all our people with fairness and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, gender or sexu al orientation and regardless of when they arrived in this country.” It was Clinton’s 15th Oval Office address over the course of his presidency, a turbulent eight years that brought un precedented economic pros perity along with a humiliat ing sex scandal and bitter impeachment battle. While Clinton boasted of economic good times, he made no mention of the Mon ica Lewinsky sex-and-lies scandal that roiled his presi dency or the impeachment battle that followed. The president, speaking for seven minutes in a prime time, televised speech, said he leaves office “more ideal istic, more full of hope than the day I arrived and more confident than ever that America's best days lie ahead.” He said there is no higher position than presi dent but that “there is no title I will wear more proudly than that of citizen.” Two days before Bush’s in auguration, the imminent change of command was ap parent at the White House. Clinton's aides stripped his photos from the walls and packed personal papers into boxes. Computer drives were being archived and cleared for the incoming administration. Clinton's staff was to lose e- mail capability at the end of the day. Refer to related column on page 7. Emphasizing that the Unit ed States must remain a world leader, Clinton said, “We must remember that America can not lead in-the world unless here at home we weave the threads of our coat of many colors into the fabric of one America.” “As we become more di verse,” Clinton said, “we must work harder to unite around our common values — and our common humanity.” Clinton said he was proud ly grateful to Americans for the chance to serve two terms — the first Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to be twice elected. “This has been a time of dramatic transformation, and you have risen to every new challenge,” the president said. “You have made our passage into the global information age an era of great American renewal.” He said he had been guid ed by the values of opportu nity and responsibility for all and had tried to give Ameri ca “a new kind of govern ment — smaller, more mod ern, more effective, full of new ideas and policies ap propriate to this new time. Working together, America has done well.” As he has many times, Clinton boasted that America is enjoying its longest eco nomic expansion in history, with more than 22 million new jobs and the lowest un employment in 30 years. Still, the incoming Bush ad ministration said it is worried about signs of an economic slowdown. Clinton said his adminis tration had achieved progress across the board, fighting crime, reducing welfare rolls and expanding college op portunities. SC hosts ipen house (Over 700 campus organizations to ittend on Sunday 3y Courney S telzel The Battalion With more than 700 campus orga- lizations to choose from, students may [hink finding a niche in the “other ed ucation” can be daunting. The 2001 bring Open House will give them the Opportunity to learn about some of the Extracurricular activities available at Texas A&M. Open House, to be held Sunday from |-6 p.m., will allow students to browse Informational tables in the Memorial Student Center (MSC) and Rudder Ex hibit Hall. Representatives from the or ganizations will be on hand to discuss [heir groups with interested students. James Glueck, executive director of ISC Marketing, which sponsors the mual event, said changes have been lade to ease overcrowding and help Ihe Open House run more smoothly. “We have removed some tables irom the center of the Flagroom in or- [ler to open up more space and provide better atmosphere for students,” ilueck said. Tables will also be placed in the Judder Exhibit Hall to free up space in ie MSC. This year’s Open House will feature lore than 250 tables, an increase from |>ast spring events, Glueck said. An added attraction to the Open louse will be entertainment featuring [tudent organizations and individuals, icluding the Aggie Wranglers and the ^&M Dance Team. MSC Marketing estimates that Ibout 15,000 students attended last lairs Open House and expects about 12,000 students to attend Sunday. Big Event, an annual community jervice project that will take place on larch 31, will be represented at the )pen House. “Students go out and help the com- innity members by pulling weeds, rimming shrubs, painting houses and fther such activities,” said Marcie sandford. Big Event director and a se- kior finance major. “The citizens of Jryan-College Station really love to Salk to college students and really ap preciate their efforts.” Students can pick up applications See MSC on Page 4. • Bush concerned about dancing at inaugural gala WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Bush has said the most nerve-racking moment of his 1995 inauguration as Texas governor was not when he took his oath of office. “It was dancing with Laura at the last gala,” Bush said at the time. No dancer, he well face the challenge again Saturday night, when all eyes will be on the first couple. Until his 1995 inau gural, Bush had not danced since his 1977 wedding. But under me dia pressure and egging on from supporters, he faced down the chal lenge of having two left feet. On a stage before a cheering crowd, Bush took his wife, Laura, in his arms, attempted a cou ple of awkward steps and finished by giving her a twirl. Then he did the same with Jan Bullock, wife of the late Texas Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. He put the dreaded dance number behind him, only to face it again after his 1999 re- election. Bush joked then that after running a focus group and a poll, his de cision on whether to dance was “a matter of the heart.” See Dance on Page 4. • Bush begins inaugural activities WASHINGTON (AP) — Festivities leading up to George W. Bush’s inauguration began Thursday with a star-studded show at the Lincoln Memorial. Before laying claim to the presidency this weekend. Bush attend ed the celebratory show with his wife, Laura, as well as Vice President elect Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne. A smil ing Bush saluted the audience before taking his seat off to the side of the stage. . Organizers had an ticipated that 75,000 people would attend, but the cold and inter mittently rainy weather apparently kept many away. Bush and other members of the incom ing administration sat under a canopy that protected them from the elements. Bush was not taking center stage until late in the program, leaving Latin singer Ricky Mar tin as the headliner for much of the show set on a stage built on the memorial’s steps. The,2 1/2-hour program fea tured CNN talk show host Larry King as mas ter of ceremonies. Later in the evening, Bush and Cheney were appearing at three can dlelight dinners for Re publican supporters who could afford the $2,500 per ticket price. A table cost $25,000. On Friday, Laura Bush was to make her Washington debut at a celebration for Ameri ca’s authors. The former librarian was to fete best-selling writers See Bush on Page 4. • Planners faced with Bevo problems 1.900 pound BCvo at Rock Creek Park, a 1,754 WASHINGTON (AP) — Planners of Texas in auguration events are faced with a problem: where in the nation’s capital do you house a Longhorn steer? Bevo, the University of Texas — Austin mas cot, is a star attraction for the Texas State Society’s Black Tie & Boots ball on Friday and Saturday’s inaugural parade. The steer left Texas Tuesday in a custom- made trailer — big enough to completely house his 5 112 foot-long horns — for the trek to the na tion’s capital. Most ranches and farms in the area were too far from Washington, D.C., said Mark Franz, vice chancellor for federal relations. But Franz eventually found a stable for the acre National Park Service forest that is five miles from the White House. Members of the UT Silver Spurs, students who care for Bevo, accompanied their mascot to what is believed to be the steer’s first appearance in an inaugural parade. Bevo is the 13th Longhorn to serve as the uni versity’s mascot and has held the job since 1988. The mascot got its name in 1916, when pranksters branded the unnamed steer with “ 13-0” the final score of UT’s annual football matchup with rival Texas A&M. Students altered the “13” See Bevo on Page 4. January 19 Last day to-drop CUSSES without ecord RUBEN DELUNA/The Battalion Band to march in Washington By Bryan Blanton The Battalion The red, white and blue that will blanket the nation’s capital during the in augural festivities this weekend will be sprinkled with a touch of maroon. The Aggie Band and the Ross Volun teer Company departed Thursday morn- ing for Washington, D.C., where they will march Saturday in the inaugural pa rade at 2:30 p.m. following the swear ing-in of George W. Bush as president. “It just hasn’t sunk in yet that we have actually been invited by the next presi dent of the United States to attend his in auguration,” said Brett Eubank, a Ross Volunteer and a senior civil engineering major. “It’s a big deal, and we’re going to try and represent Texas A&M to the best of our ability.” The Ross Volunteers will also per form saber arches for President Bush and his family. " * “Its been an honor to be the honor guard for President Bush when he was See Band on Page 4^- Osprey commander relieved of duty Staff &Wire WASHINGTON — A Marine Corps officer was re lieved of duty as commander of the only V-22 Osprey training squadron Thursday after being accused anony mously of ordering the falsi fication of the aircraft’s main tenance records. In announcing the allega tions and the action against Lt. Col. Odin Fred Leber- man, the Marine Corps said “at this point” it believes there is no connection be tween the alleged falsifica tion of records and the caus es of two Osprey crashes last year that killed 23 Marines. “There is nothing in these allegations, even if substanti ated, that would have affect ed the safety of the aircraft,” said Maj. Patrick Gibbons, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters in the Pentagon. Gibbons said he could not be more specific because he had not been informed of the exact allegations. “In a general way, they (falsifications) were made to put the aircraft in a better light,” Gibbons said. Leberman, 45, had com manded the training squadron at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., since June 1999.