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 WEATHER LO: 20 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michgandaily.com and let us know. COMING WEDNESDAY It's back, new and improved: the Statement gets an overhaul. MAGAZINE INDEX NEWS...... 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 4A