LETER TOTHDIO
4lader votes
are good for
Bush
To THE DAILY:
In regard to Micah
Holmquist's July 24th letter
to the Daily supporting the
#didacy of Ralph Nader, I
must disagree.
Clearly, Gore is a middle
of the road candidate who
must attract middle of the
road voters. So is Bush. But
as human beings, Gore and
Bush are anything but mid-
dle of the road. There are
clear and distinct differences
between the Democratic
Party and the Republican
rty, and their candidates.
The Republican Party is
the party that gives S1.3 tril-
lion dollar "death tax" cuts
to the 400 wealthiest fami-
lies in the United States
while there are Americans
languishing in poverty. The
Republican Party is the
party that represents busi-
ss interests over that of
rkers. Bush, the
Republican Party's c
date for President of
United States is staunch
favor of the death penal
a "deterrent." compare
Gore's at-most lukes
support. Most import
perhaps, are the two to
Supreme Court justices
Bush will appoint, if elf
President. that will
ahortiot illegal and fo
change the legal lands
of the country.
A vote for Nadert
away from Gore migl
well be a vote for Bush
are not making a state
by voting Green Party,
are only casting a vo
destroy our country. P
recognize the enori
party that your vote
Nader, unfortunately,
not get elected no m
what we do. It is an unf
nate reality. But it wou
far more unfortunate to
George V. Bush as our
President.
MICHAEL S
LSA SOPHON
Monday, July 31, 2000 - The Michigan Daily - 5
* For Gore, its time to stop being safe andformulaic
andi- 7he Republican National gets little positive press cover- pletely unexciting candidates sailable character and relatively
f the Convention being held in age and is relentlessly attacked who are probably useless out- conservative (for a Democrat)
tly in Philadelphia this week and the by Republicans for a variety of side their own states. record would make him nearly
Ity as Democratic Convention a week reasons, but most frequently for So far this is shaping up to be impossible to attack and could
td to later, mark the official kickoff being a nega- yet another completely white help position Gore as a centrist,
warm of the 2000 presidential cam- tive cam- bread election. But Gore could in contrast to Bush and his arch-
antly, paign. Too bad it may be over paigner and change all that. Picking a candi- conservative running mate.
three before it even begins. This just a person- date who brakes the traditional Another good choice would
s that year's Democratic convention- ally mean presidential-WASP mold could be Massachusetts Senator John
ected eers may feel a lot like the individua garner him new attention from Kerry, who is a Vietnam combat
'ake Republicans who nominated while no one the public and probably a lot of veteran - unlike Bush, who
Bob Dole four years ago, fright- seems to positive media coverage. may or may not have been in the
ree ened and confused. notice the Women prominent enough to Alabama National Guard - a
scape What happened to Al Gore irony. be good vice presidential candi- Catholic and a proven cam-
anyway? He's an obviously And aren't dates are few and far between. paigner. Of course he is from
taken intelligent and experienced p o t - he ads PETER There's only one Democratic Massachusetts, which southern-
ht as public servant who takes gener- supposed to CUNNIFFE woman governor and she's from ers and westerners look on like
. You ally popular positions, but the be more lik- a small state - New Hampshire northerners look on Mississippi
ment public just doesn't seem to like able than Y.: - and busy running for reelec- - backward and full of wackos.
, you him. coke-heads? tion. The six democratic woman But perhaps the best choice
te to And why all the love for But maybe Gore can still turn senators all have drawbacks, would be Gore's defeated rival,
'lease George W. Bush? He's the gov- it around; he has a chance to from being too liberal, to being Bill Bradley. While he doesn't
mous ernor of one of the most pollut- steal the spotlight for a couple too inexperienced and change the WASP factor, he has
has. ed states in the country, has a weeks with the selection of his unknown, to having husbands the highly unusual ability to
will disturbingly blasi attitude about running mate and the with shady business dealings. appeal to men and liberals at the
tatter the horrifyingly inept Texas Democratic National One of the more interesting same time.
fortu- criminal justice system Convention. Unfortunately, I possibilities is Connecticut While vice presidential candi-
ld be (remember the sleeping public have this terrible feeling that Senator Joseph Lieberman, who dates seldom decide elections,
elect defenders), seems to think exe- Gore is going to totally blow his is probably the Senate's most Gore has the chance to do
next cutions are kind of funny chance by picking somebody prominent moderate Democrat, something really dramatic and
(remember Karla Faye Tucker), like Florida Senator Bob got high morality marks for create a serious and favorable
and just recently was revealed Graham or Indiana Senator being one of the first contrast with the far-right con-
to have seriously underestimat- Evan Bayh. Gore, foolishly try- Democrats to condemn servatism of Dick Cheney. I
4MON ed his state's Medicare spend- ing to win Indiana or Florida, President Clinton in the hope he proves all that talk
MORE ing, leading to a massive budget Republican states, when he's Lewinsky matter and would be about him being smarter than
shortfall. loosing most states that should the first Jewish candidate on a Bush and actually does it.
Gore's message is solid and be Democratic, for some reason major party's national ticket. - Peter Cunniffe can be
he's been campaigning hard, but seems tempted by these two Lieberman isn't exactly an elec- reached via e-mail at
can't seem to catch a break. He bland, white, male and com- trifying speaker, but his unas- pcunnmff@amich.edit.
pnlt
C
t
Chelsea steps out of the shadows to learn the family business
T he first images of the gawky Chelsea dart off with her dad to mother's campaign for the to th
12 year old emerged slowly the Group of Eight economic Senate, it seems Chelsea is lung- icall'
from behind her saxophone tot- meeting in Okinawa, Japan. The ing into the political fire her par- Bu
ing father eight years ago. The well traveled tag along has gone ents tried to protect her from. the
latest show the now 20 year-old from care- While it's yet unclear what role Chel
seated between Secretary of fully shield- Chelsea will play in her mother's hern
State Madeleine Albright and ed to care- campaign for New York's vacant Colu
National Security Adviser Sandy fully wield- Senate seat, it is clear that by Dail
Berger, among others, during ed in the stepping into the political arena news
last week's Mideast peace nego- years since a she stands to learn the family Cali
tiations. 1 9 9 2 business while she shrugs off the head
On his often controversial web S a t u r d a y media immunity that her parents Serv
site, Internet sleuth and new- Night Live fought for. that
media political pundit Matt skit forced But maybe that's not the think- tory
Drudge announced yesterday H i I l a r y ing of Hillary's handlers. scho
that Chelsea Clinton may have Clinton to GEOFF Perhaps the Chelsea that reminds Brat
played a role in the failed peace put a media GAGNON voters of family unity, of inno- UC1
summit last week. Drudge gag order on . cence and strength, is the it on
reported that the redheaded the first Chelsea that the embattled In
Clinton sat in on the meetings child. Senatorial candidate needs now. Whi
and advised her father in a move, But silencing comics and talk Perhaps the thinking in the mag
that if true, only adds credence shosw hosts never meant relegat- Clinton camp is to brandish a exar
to the claim that a new Clinton is ing the curly haired teen to the weapon that nobody can touch, aftei
rearing her head and gaining closet of public consciousness. much less attack. Perhaps The
political savvy . She was always the well-placed Hillary needs Chelsea now more Peon
Drudge's announcement came symbol of youth and innocence than ever. Clin
on the heels of a week that sav in a family often accused of cor- But it hasn't always been this quet
e chagrin of Chelsea's polit-
y active parents.
t not everyone has shared
Stanford paper's regard for
.sea's anonymity - or for
mother's plea for her privacy.
umnist Guy Branum of The
y Californian, the student
spaper at the University of
fornia at 'Berkeley, made
lines and grabbed Secret
'ice attention after a column
identified Clinton's dormi-
at Stanford days before the
cols' football teams played.
num went on to challenge his.
brethren to "show your spir-
Chelsea's bloodied carcass"
a more publicized case, the
te House blasted People
azine after a cover story
mined the youngest Clinton
r her father's impeachment.
public tongue lashing that
ple took at the hands of the
tons came as many began to
stion the need for the matur-
Chelsea to be sheltered from
media. Now it seems clear
Chelsea may be shedding
shelter and jumping head
t into a memorable fall
!rship of sorts - one where
11 see her father fight for a
idential legacy and her
her a Senate seat. And
dge's report coupled with her
decision to stay close to
ne this fall are tell-tale signs
she's looking to play a part
oth efforts.
- Geoff Gagnon can be
reached via e-mail at
ggagnon(iunmich edu.
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ruption and deceit.
Pictures show she was
just as loyal as Buddy,
the Presidential pup -
and just as quiet. When
Bill Clinton was
impeached, Chelsea
was the hand holding
image we remembered.
After announcing
last week that she will
skip the fall semester
of her senior year at
Stanford to be with her
father in his last
months as President
and to work on her
way. The Clintons have never
been anxious to bring their
daughter into the political spot-
light. When she marched off to
Stanford the school vowed to
protect her privacy, and still
does. According to Jim
Tankersley, former editor of The
Stanford Daily - the California
school's campus newspaper -
Chelsea Clinton is strictly .off
limits, like other campus celebri-
ties.
"We mention them when they
make news in a way an ordinary
student would make news,"
Tankersley told the media much
ing
the
that
that
first
inter
she'
pres
mot
Dru
own
horn
that
in be