The Michigan Daily-Thursday, August 14, 1980-Page 3
- em ma Convention Reports
NEARLY 600 MARCH THROUGH HARLEM
Anti-registration groups protest
By ELAINE RIDEOUT
and LEE FLEMING
Special to The Daily
NEW YORK-Nearly 600 anti-draft
registration protesters marched to
Madison Square Garden yesterday
bearing the head of "Jimmy the Bap-
tist" on a platter.
The protesters, accompanied by
"Rock Against Racism" performers
aboard a flatbed truck, marched from
Harlem to the site of the 1980
Democratic National Convention where
some crowd members middle-fingered
Democratic officials, blew their noses
on them, and later burned an American
flag.
Michigan
delegates.
to support
Carter's
campaign
NEW YORK (UPI)-Michigan dele-
gates pledged to Sen. Edward Kennedy
embraced President Carter as the
Democratic nominee last night, con-
vinced he would support programs they
consider vital to their state's economy.
'I think it's a good statement, par-
ticularly on economic issues," Kennedy
floor leader Morley Winograd said of
the 12-page response Carter diled to the
platform adopted Tuesday night. "I
think it's going to help a great deal."
THE SUDDEN movement of liberals
into the Carter camp contrasted with a
reluctance by Kennedy delegates in
other delegations to accept Carter's
pledge to "proudly run on the platform
of the Democratic Party."
Most Michigan delegates who
withheld their support from Carter on
the nomination vote said they did so to
represent the interests of Democrats
who elected them and fully intended to
back Carter as the nominee.
"I feel obligated to vote for Senator
Kennedy," said Elena Sanchez of
Saginaw. "But after President Carter
receives the nomination, I will support
the majority opinion of my party."
LABOR DELEGATES and liberal ac-
tivists who had fought for a tougher
economic plank to address the needs of
Michigan's unemployed and
economically disadvantaged said the
party would be undermined if Carter
filed formal objections to the platform.
The fight for the nomination and the
platform behind them, leaders of both
political camps predicted the
delegation would return to Michigan
solidified.
"We said before we left Michigan and
after we arrived in New York that we
were all fully committed to leaving this
convention a unified party," said Ken-
nedy floor leader Morley Winograd.
"Nothing's changed. We've fought our
fights. We've won a few and lost a few."
THE MARCH AND rally, held on the
third night of the convention, was part
of the Coalition for Direct Action's plan
for an alternative (or "unconvention")
for people to get together to voice their
social concerns.
And as a brass band, folk quintet,
bagpipes, and rock band added-to the
din, various interest groups vied for the
attention of the media and Democratic
delegates.
A pro-IRA faction called for Britain
to get out of Ireland; Cyprus supporters
demanded that the U.S. stop sending
arms to Turkey; "Moonies" advertised
the "true story" behind their leaders;
Jewish protesters asked Carter to
establish an American embassy in
Jerusalem; . and Libertarians handed
out leaflets.
A POLICE SPOKESWOMAN said the
at one point in the march four people
were arrested for disorderly conduct
but were later released.
But according to Monica Shinkus, a
self-described "victim of pig
paranoia," seven demonstrators were
forced from the street and onto the
sidewalk by police nightsticks.
Shinkus said demonstrators had only
become confused about which direc-
tion to take and had not provoked the
violence.
SHINKUS AND ANOTHER demon-
strator, Howie Cohen, displayed welts
and bruises on their heads and upper
bodies they said were caused by police
blows.
"We try to plan a peaceful demon-
stration and we get hit with night-
sticks," Shinkus said. "I'm going to
change my name and Social Security
number, drop out of the system, and
blow the fucking thing up."
At the convention site, words but no
blows were exchanged between anti-
registration demonstrators and
picketing religious advocates.
S"HELL NO, wewon't go," draft
demonstrators shouted.
See DRAFT. Page I
JOAN KENNEDY HAS a quiet moment with her husband, Sen. Edward Kennedy, in New York's Madison Square Garden
Tuesday night after he addressed the delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
MEDIA EXPERTS DISCUSS CONVENTION COVERAGE:
U.S.public'overkilied'?
By LORENZO BENET
speicalto'The Daily
NEW YORK-The three major television networks spent
an estimated $50 million on coverage of both national conven-
tions and employed about 1,800 people to cover every aspect
of each. At best, only half of the nation's TV viewers watch
their efforts.
"Ratings are not the important factor here," noted New
York Times television critic and University alumnus Tony
Schwartz. "The major TV networks are extremely com-
petitive-the fight here is for prestige."
THIS BATTLE FOR prestige, he continued, causes a con-
vention overkill that leaves the viewer switching channels
from banner waving delegates to baseball games and movies
delivered by cable television.
As might be expected, network personnel don't all agree.
that the television media spend too much time covering the
two political conventions.
"The convention comes only once every four years," said
CBS Convention News Director Jack Smith. "The question as
to whom shall govern and lead our country is being decided
here. If that doesn't warrant extensive coverage, I don't
know what does."
AN ABC SPOKESMAN who preferred not to be named
said a reason many viewers are bored with convention
coverage is that the primary season is now longer than ever.
"People simply get sick of it," he said. "They probably think
inflation and unemployment will continue regardles of who is
in the White House."
Most major daily newspapers carry as many as four front
page stories on the convention every day, noted CBS
spokeswoman Geraldine Newton. "Television networks
don't overlull the convention coverage any more than the
print media," she said.
Boston Globe television correspondent and recent Pulitzer
prize winner William Henry accused the networks of using
their airtime poorly.
"THE NETWORK COMMENTATORS drag out inter-
views and engage in aimless chitchat with politicians when
the time could be used more effectively discussing the par-
ty's visions of America, world politics, and human nature,"
he said.
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