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.