DONN FRESARD: STEP UP AND
RAISE TAXES, GOVERNOR
OPINION, PAGE4
BACK IN ACTION WHY BARBIE SHOULD KEEP
HER BUST SIZE
A PREVIEW OFTHE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE ICERS SPORTS, PAGE9 ARTS, PAGE 8
IP 1idfigan 8814A
Ann Arbor, Michig
www.michigandaily.com
Tuesday, January 9,2007
FLORIDA 41, OHIO STATE 14
Branch
goes out on
NFL limb
'M' tackle will
skip senior year,
enter draft
By SCOTT BELL
Daily Sports Editor
After weeks of speculation,
junior Alan Branch officially
announced his intention to
enter this year's NFL Draft,
forgoing his final year of eligi-
bility at Michigan.
The All-American defen-
sive tackle met with Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr yesterday
to share his decision before
declaring himself eligible
during a teleconference later
in the afternoon.
Branch is projected to be a
first-round draft pick.
"It's always been a child-
hood dream for me," Branch
said. "Coach
Carr, his
reaction
was kind
of surpris-
ing to me. It
seemed like
BRANCH he kind of
knew what
was coming. He was really
supportive and didn't try to
change my mind or anything.
He listened to me tell him and
wished me all the luck."
Questions about Branch's
See BRANCH, page 7
'U' launches
MLK events
Wayne State dean
kicks off annual
symposium
By AMANDA MARKOWITZ
Daily StaffReporter
Staged affirmative action
debates are a mistake, said
Frank Wu, dean of the Wayne
State University Law School
last night.
In his speech opening the
University's 2007 Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Symposium,
Wu said that because debates
don't provide solutions, they
are more about entertainment
than negotiation. Instead,
debates are decided by who is
funnier and best dressed.
Wu said dialogues, though,
lead to progress.
About 40 people attended
the speech in the Pendleton
Room of the Michigan Union.
Gena Flynn, the sympo-
sium's coordinator, said she
chose Wu to open the sym-
posium because of his past
affiliation with the University
as a visiting professor and his
See WU, page7
Florida quarterback Chris Leak celebrates with the Championship Trophy after defeating Ohio State 41-14 at the BCS National Championship Game in Glen-
dale, Ariz. last night. Before its blowout loss to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, many fans thought Michigan, which lost to OSU in November, deserved a shot in
the game. FOR MORE, SEE SPORTS, PAGE 9.
Woodward assails
Bush administration
At seminar, representatives, spoke to a
crowd of hundreds about the
journalists extent to which the govern-
ment should be allowed to
decry secrecy in withhold information from
the public.
government Woodward made his most
groundbreaking statement
By CHRIS HERRING near the end of his speech,
Daily StaffReporter implying that it might be time
for a change in the White
It was only fitting that the House - even before 2008.
maintenance crew opened "I have to remind people
the curtains in the dimly lit that when Richard Nixon
Michigan League ballroom stood his last election in 1972,
right before famed journalist he was supposed to be in office
Bob Woodward spoke there until 1977," Woodward said.
yesterday. "But he was held account-
Just as the sunlight illu- able for what happened with
minated the once dark room, Watergate. You can't always
Woodward shed light on what wait until the next election."
many consider to be the great- Much of the discussion
est political scandal in Ameri- focused on the federal gov-
can history: Watergate, which ernment's restrictions on pub-
eventually led to the resig- lic access to information since
nation of President Richard the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Nixon in 1974. "The only way we're going
Woodward and 11 others, to keep ourselves safe in a post
including journalists, former 9-11 society is by becoming a
government officials and legal more open society - not less,"
said Greta Van Susteren, who
hosts "On the Record" on Fox
News.
Woodward, an assis-
tant managing editor at The
Washington Post, has long
been praised for his ability to
get information from top gov-
ernment officials. During his
speech, he said the current
administration suffers from
"reality avoidance."
"There is no strategy for
the war in Iraq," he said.
"I quote (Secretary of
Defense Donald) Rumsfeld
when I say the process is so
screwed up 'competence is
next to impossible,' " Wood-
ward said. "This is not a Dem-
ocrat, this is not a Republican,
this is not a critic of the war.
It's the Secretary of Defense."
By uncovering the Water-
gate scandal, Woodward
played a key role in Gerald
Ford's ascension to the presi-
dency after Nixon's resigna-
tion in 1974. Ford's decision
See WOODWARD, page 7
ABOUT THE MLK SYMPOSIUM
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual sym-
posium, which is devoted to commemorating the work and
legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme of this year's
symposium is "Building the Beloved Community." Gena
Flynn, the 2007 Symposium coordinator, said that one of her
goals for this year's symposium is to reach the students of
the campus community - the program is designed specifi-
cally for students. Former congressman and former NAACP
Chair Kweisi Mfume will give the event's keynote speech on
Jan.15, 2007 at Hill Auditorium at 10 a.m.
U.S. strikes
target al-Qaida
in Somalia
No details Kenya and Tanzania.
The same operatives are
on success of also believed responsible for
a 2002 attack on Israeli tour-
reported raid ists in Kenya and an attempt
to shoot down an Israeli air-
WASHINGTON (AP) - The craft the same day, NBC News
U.S. military launched a strike reported.
against several suspected The 1998 bombings of the
members of al-Qaida in Soma- U.S. embassies in Kenya and
lia, a government official said Tanzania killed more than
last night. 250 people. The 2002 attack
The official, who spoke on an Israeli-owned hotel in
on condition of anonym- Kenya killed 15.
ity because of the operation's The White House last night
sensitivity, said at least one would not confirm the inci-
AC-130 gunship was used in dent. Air Force Lt. Col. Todd
the attack. Vician, a Defense Department
CNN, NBC and CBS first spokesman, said he could
reported the military action. neither confirm nor deny the
Citing Pentagon officials, CBS reports of an airstrike.
said the targets included the There was no confirmation
senior al-Qaida leader in East that the Air Force had killed
Africa and an al-Qaida opera- either of the al-Qaida targets.
tive wanted for his involve- Air Force AC-130 gun-
ment in the 1998 bombings ships are heavily armed
of the American embassies in See SOMALIA, page 7
Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward and Fox News host Greta
Van Susteren discuss press freedom at a seminar yesterday.
TODAY'S HI:31
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Vol.000 INo.72 SD K.
N2007 The Michigan Daily
michigandaily.com OPINION.
.2 CLASSIFIEDS...................6
.3 A R T S .................... ............... 8
..4 SPO RTS ................................9
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