NATION
THE BATTALION
Thursday, September
London
Paris
Madrid
Rome
Prague
n j
[rp J
$294
Athens
$499
$347
Tel Aviv
$686
$405
Tokyo
$692
$432
Seoul
$703
$491
Clark enters crowded presidential raa
Retired general lacks elective experience, puts security fm
Restrictions apply. Taxes not included.
Fares are based on round-trip and subject to change.
Railpasses and Budget Tours also available now!
Call for details.
By Ron Fournier
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
■b TRAVEL CUTS
See the world your way
Toll Free
1-800-592-CUTS (2887)
usareservations@travelcuts.com
www.travelcuts.com
Want your group
in the 2004
Aggieland yearbook?
Follow these easy steps:
1. Download a contract from httpS/aggieland.tamu.edu
or pick one up in room 004 Reed McDonald.
2. Fill out your contract and return it with payment to
room 01 5 Reed McDonald no later than 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Contracts received after Sept. 30 will be charged a $25
late fee. After Sept. 30, contracts will placed on a waiting
list and your organization's picture will be included in
the 2004 Aggieland only if space is available.
Payment (student finance check, personal check, cash,
credit card or Aggie Bucks) must accompany completed
contracts. Make checks payable to TAMU Student
Media.
Questions? Call 845-2681.
Aggieland 2004
Texas A&M University Yearbook 1
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. —
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark
enters a wide-open presiden
tial race with no experience
in elective office and no his
tory on domestic policy. But
he offers Democrats one
thing they crave: New hope
of undercutting President
George W. Bush’s wartime
popularity.
“The most important issue
in America today is our secu
rity at home and abroad. And
that’s what Americans seek,”
Clark said as he prepared to
announce his _
candidacy at a
boys and girls
club here
Wednesday.
“I’m the best
among any of
the prospective
candidates in
terms of being
able to work
for America’s
security.”
Clark, 58,
will become the
10th candidate in
The most impor
tant issue in Ameri
ca today is our secu
rity at home and
abroad.
a Democratic race that is up for
grabs. Former Vermont Gov.
Howard Dean is the front-runner,
but a solid majority of voters
remain undecided and some
party leaders believe the current
field has underperformed.
With polls showing Bush
vulnerable because of a weak
economy and violence in Iraq,
Clark’s late entry offers
Democrats a four-star answer
to Bush’s potential advantage
on national security. Clark’s
resume is made to order — a
Rhodes scholar, first in his
1966 class at West Point,
White House fellow and head
of the U.S. Southern Command
and NATO commander during
the 1999 campaign in Kosovo.
But the retired general has
never held political office —
not even a student council
election to his credit — and
he has never been pressed to
produce a domestic agenda.
Just four months before the
first votes are
cast, he has no
formal organiza
tion in key states,
little money and
a patchwork staff
culled from the
political organi
zations of former
President Clinton
and former Vice
President A1
Gore.
Wednesday’s
address gives
Clark a chance
to highlight his support of
abortion rights, affirmative
PROFILE
Clark joins race for White House
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, 58, entered a crowded
presidential race Wednesday.
Education Bachelor’s degree, West Point, N.Y.,
1966; Oxford University, Rhodes scholar, 1966-68:
Master's degree in military science, Army Command
and General Staff College, 1975
Key experience
► Joint Chiefs: Director for Strategic Plans and Policy from 1994 to 1996
led military negotiations at Bosnian Peace Accords in Dayton, Ohio.
► Southern Command; Served as Commander-in-Chief of the U.S
Southern Command in Panama from 1996 to 1997.
► NATO and European Command: Served as Supreme Allied
Commander of NATO and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. European
Command from 1997 to 2000.
► Gulf War: Commanded the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Call
SOURCE: Associated Press
— Wesley Clark
Presidential candidate
action, better health care and
tax cuts for the middle class.
The latter position may put
him at odds with Dean and
Rep. Dick Gephardt of
Missouri, rivals who want to
repeal Bush’s tax cuts includ
ing provisions that favor mid
dle class taxpayers.
The former general, a regu
lar on cable news shows, has
been critical of the Iraq war
and Bush’s postwar efforts —
positions that would put him
alongside announced candi
dates Dean, Sen. Bob Graham
of Florida and Rep. Dennis
Kucinich of Ohio as the most
vocal anti-war candidates.
Clark has assembled a small
but potent team of political veter
ans who could open doors for a
political novice seeking a mes
sage, money and an organization.
The advisers said they were
developing an unconventional
strategy that would attempt to
capitalize on the Internet and
Clark’s affinity for television
to build momentum nano:
wide. He has not decided he
hard to campaign in tradition)
early battlegrounds sucti t
low'a, aides said, but ik
quickly concluded that he car
catch up to his competik-
through traditional means;
rest of the field has been
Iowa and New Hamsphire
months.
Democrats in New Hampsfe
Iowa and other early voting stti
did not close the door onaClri
presidency, but said the cot
pressed primary schedule tat
late-starting candidates.
“While General Clark k
something to say, it’s goingt(
take boots on the ground:!
Iowa to make a difference,
said Iowa activist Joe
Shannahan.
Let's Co
Out To Eat
Thursdays in The Battalion
GET LUCKY AT
OZONA GRILL & BAR
FATBURGER
Delivers
846-4234
Fajitas
(Beef or Chicken)
$ 6.89 + tax
I/2 lb. Meat, Sauteed Onion & Bell
Pepper, 4 Flour Tortillas, Shredded
Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Salsa,
Guacamole, Jalapenos, Sour Cream
Bevo Burger
Special
*6.89 + tax
lib. Burger (ground longhorn), Fries and
Large Drink. Whoop!
Housing construction
declines in August
By Jeannine Aversa
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ENJOY 25% OFF
ANY ENTREE
520 HARVEY RD 694-4618
I " MON-SUN 1 ISM-ISM BRUNCH S&S 8AM-2PM
HAPPY HOUR SUN-FRI 4PM-7PM
# *When you present this ad. Limit 2 entrees. Dine in only.
Delivery only (minimum order required)
7S<f. delivery change.
College Station location only. Expires 12/31 /03
Delivery only (minimum order required)
7S<f. delivery charge.
College Station location only. Expires 12/31/03
Ag owned & operated
222 n. main in historic downtown brvan
979.822.2675
« mmmm »
PEPE’S MEXICAN CAFE
3312 S. College Ave., Bryan
FREE
STEAK FAJITA WRAP
FATBURGER
Delivers
846-4234
with purchase of Steak Wrap & large soft drink
Present coupon when ordering. Expires 10/08/03
Fatburger
Special
Serving B/CS for over 33 years
779-2457
$ 5.00 + tax
1/3 lb. Burger, Fries and Large Drink
1/4 lb.
Ag Special
(dine-in only)
$ 3.39 + tax
1/4 lb. Burger (ground longhorn),
Fries and Large Drink. Whoop!
One coupon per person, per visit. Not valid with any other offer^MH
Minimum delivery required.
75{ delivery charge.
College Station location only. Expires 12/31/03
No Limit
College Station location only. Expires 12/31/03
■■I
WASHINGTON — Housing
construction declined by 3.8
percent in August as higher
mortgage rates made builders a
bit cautious about breaking
ground on new projects. The
level of building activity was
still considered fairly robust.
The Commerce Department
reported Wednesday that builders
broke ground on 1.82 million
housing units at a seasonally
adjusted annual rate last month.
The level of housing construction
in August was lower than the 1.84
million unit pace that analysts
were predicting.
Housing construction in July
clocked in at a red-hot rate of
1.89 million units, according to
revised figures. That was even
stronger than previously report
ed and marked the highest level
of housing construction seen in
17 years.
Amid signs that the economy
is improving, the Federal
Reserve on Tuesday decided to
keep a main short-term interest
rate at a 45-year low of 1 percent
and hinted it could stay there for
some time. Near rock-bottom
short-term rates might motivate
consumers and businesses to
spend and invest more, lifting
economic growth.
The housing market also is
staying healthy despite a recent
upswing in longer-term mort
gage rates. In the middle of
June, rates on benchmark 30-
year mortgages slid to 5.21 per
cent, the lowest level in more
than four decades. Shortly after
that, they began a fairly steady
rise. Last week, however, rates
on 30-year mortgages dropped
to 6.16 percent.
Factors contributing to the
recent rise in mortgage rates
include: signs that the economy
is picking up speed and concern
about swelling federal budget
deficits, economists say. Those
factors have pushed bond rates
up, causing long-term mortgage
rates to rise.
Economists expect sales of
both new homes and previously
owned homes to hit record highs
this year, even if higher mort
gage rates slow activity some
what in the coming months.
In August, work on new sin
gle-family homes declined by 4
percent from the previous month
to a rate of 1.48 million units.
Construction of multifamily
Housing starts
Here is a look at the construction
rate of new homes and
apartments.
Seasonally adjusted
1.9 million unite
1.82 million
IIIIIII
1.82 million
.j 2 {One month ago 1.89 million
(One year ago 1.63 million
1.1
I.O-
SONDJFMAMJJA
2002 2003
SOURCE. Department of Commerce AP
housing, including apartment
and condos, also fell by 4 ]
cent last month to a rate
308,000.
Higher mortgage n
nipped home builders safe
prospects a bit for Septemte
but they still expressed
mism about sales over the neS
six months.
“Builders had one of tin
hottest summers ever this years 1
terms of housing demand,
ly because of the incredibl!
favorable interest rates
before mid-year,” said Nations-
Association of Home Builden
President Kent Conine, a
and apartment builder fros 1
Dallas.
After longer-term intereJ
rates went up, “it was to ft
expected we’d adjust ourexpfl
tations accordingly. Even so
there is a strong current of opti
mism throughout our i
industry that today’s ver)
healthy activity is sustainaM
through at least the end of tin 5
year.”
Housing construction
plunged by 23.3 percent in tft
Northeast to a rate of 145,000
In the South, housing com
struction dropped by 2.7 pen
cent to a pace of 851,000 ami
in the West, housing starts
dipped by 1.8 percent to a raft
of 436,000. But in tlft
Midwest, housing construction
increased 1 percent to a rate of
388,000.
Housing permits rose by4 J
percent in August from lift
previous month to a rate of
1.89 million units, the highe* 1
level since December 200-
And, permits for single-famil)
homes rose by 2.9 percent ton
record high monthly rate o>
1.48 million units.
E
M
A n
Since its inc<
Maroon Out T-!
ing a good cau:
earned money
inexplicably dis
know the where
Out T-shirts.
The Texas .
money or T-shi
made such an e
independent inv
funds should be
To its credit
implemented cf
the future. To s
gate an account
incident is a vii
tions do not ass
sary precaution;
the 2002-2003
studies major pi
ken system) unt
MSC studen
when dealing w
efit all Aggies.
Aggies shoul
money — disc
revealed. Sluder
ing was not revt
An indepenc
more mistakes t
pear. The coopei
send a message
rectify glaring e
THE
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
Metro Editor
The Battalion en<
less and include the
reserves the right to i
milted in person at 0
be mailed to: 014 Re-
Station, TX 77843-11
Cartoon s
false ADD
In response
Crazy Jake cart
In Mr. Mout
yesterday “C
Attention Defi
(ADD) was p
being humorou
this not funny b
distasteful and
It portrays son
ADD as stupii
having a short
because he ca
right, doesn’t r
ADD. In fact, n
or people who
ADD are very
just have a hai
one thing for a
of time.
I know someo
who has ADD,
graduated from
high school, but
to graduate
University with
Design degree
treated just lik
dents. She wa
top students in
classes. Even
tough job marl
able to get a
graphics design
MNEfOl) HOT
DENNORStfO
m«\oREcftgt
ETAGGtRATt