Professional Documents
Culture Documents
total:$726,989,777
Source: www.kansasregents.org
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correction
AheadlineinThursdaysTheUniversityDailyKansancontainedan
error.Theheadlineonthetopofpageoneshouldhaveindicatedthat
onlyoneathletewasarrestedintheallegedassault.
By dAvid linhARdt
Colleagues know him as a prolific
writer and a staple of the KU politi-
cal science department. Reporters
and politicians know him as a sharp
political analyst who often utters the
perfect quote on deadline.
However people may know him,
Burdett Loomis, professor of politi-
cal science, knows politics.
As a graduate student at the
University of Wisconsin, Loomis
was used to local police regularly
shooting tear gas at him and his fel-
low students during anti-war protest
marches during the Vietnam War.
Loomis, who joined the political
science faculty at the University in
1979, recalled walking to a library to
study when the police tried to dis-
rupt a student protest with tear gas.
The haze floated across his path, and
Loomis thought it was ironic that he
got tear-gassed even while simply
walking across campus.
Political drama, conventional wis-
dom and the day-to-day life of legis-
lators Loomis devours it from the
moment he wakes up many morn-
ings reading The New York Times
to ending the night watching the
evening news.
Readers of local newspapers,
including The University Daily
Kansan, the Lawrence Journal-
World and The Kansas City Star,
know Loomis as a regular prognos-
ticator for political columns and
articles.
Hes also weighed in on national
politics in the New York Times, USA
Today and for a time as a commenta-
tor for National Public Radio.
Loomis office in Blake Hall has
a magnificent view facing south-
ern Lawrence. He forgoes the typi-
cal modern furniture in favor of
Victorian chairs (including one that
used to be his mothers) and sofas.
Students said they came out of his
classes always learning something
new, and he is routinely cited as a
top instructor by political science
majors.
Brandon Bohning, Olathe senior,
respected Loomis constant outpour-
ing of new writing and his ability to
see through horse-race politics into
the day-to-day workings of legisla-
tors.
lisa lipovac/Kansan
Burdett loomis,
professor of politi-
cal science, sits in
a Victorian chair
Wednesday in his
ofce at Blake Hall.
Loomis is often a
source for local and
national publications
regarding politics.
profile
Professor makes politics his life
see loomis on page 4a
NEWS 2A
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2006
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the student newspaper of the
University of Kansas. The first
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KJHK is the student
voice in radio. Each
day there is news,
music, sports, talk
shows and other
content made for
students, by stu-
dents. Whether its
rock n roll or reggae, sports or spe-
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For more
news,
turn to
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TV on
Sunflower
Cablevision Channel 31 in Lawrence.
The student-produced news airs at
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Kansan newsroom
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
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vs. KANSAS STATE
11 18
ME MOR I A L S TA D I U M
2:30p.m.
Fans will receive a JAYHAWK FOOTBALL RALLY TOWEL
courtesy of First National Bank (while supplies last).
CHEER ON THE JAYHAWKS AND HELP THE TEAM BECOME
BOWL-ELIGIBLE WITH A VICTORY ON SENIOR DAY!
Red Lyon Tavern
944 Mass. 832-8228
A touch of Irish in
downtown Lawrence
I write down everything I
want to remember. That way, in-
stead of spending a lot of time
trying to remember what it is I
wrote down, I spend the time
looking for the paper I wrote it
down on.
Author Beryl Pfzer
Wisconsin has led the nation
in paper production for more
than 50 years. More than 5.3
million tons of paper are pro-
duced there annually. One in
every 12 manufacturing jobs in
Wisconsin is in the paper-mak-
ing industry.
Source: Wisconsin Paper Council
Want to know what people
are talking about? Heres a list
of Thursdays most e-mailed
stories from Kansan.com.
1. Freshman man performs with
dance team
2. Phillips: KU dominates K-State
on, of feld
3. On our terms
4. To be young and bald
5. Get some balls
A 19-year-old KU student
reported the theft of a blue
fip-top camera phone valued
at $180. The incident occurred
between Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 in
the 1300 block of Ohio.
A 20-year-old KU student
reported being battered in the
2100 block of East 26th street.
The suspect is an acquaintance
of the victim. The incident oc-
curred Saturday, and alcohol is
suspected of being a factor in
the incident.
Patrols increase through
Thanksgiving holiday
Students should drive care-
fully this coming week as they
return home for Thanksgiving
Break.
The Lawrence Police Depart-
ment will increase patrols dur-
ing the holiday week to combat
drunken driving and seat-belt
violations.
Of cers will maintain satura-
tion patrols into December, but
the focus will be on the dates
between Nov. 20 and Nov. 25.
The patrols are a highlight
of the departments Three-D
Month: Drunk and Drugged
Driving Awareness Month.
David Linhardt
BY ANDREA CHAO
It might be chilly for tailgating at
the football game against Kansas State
at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial
Stadium. Temperatures for Saturday
range from 23 degrees to 52 degrees,
according to the Weather Channels
Web site.
For pregame fun in a climate-
controlled environment, stop by the
Adams Alumni Center, 1266 Oread
Ave., across from the parking garage.
Tailgating begins at 12:30 p.m.
We certainly invite students to
come by, said Mike Davis, senior
vice president of alumni and student
programs. There are students who
come every game.
Tickets are $8 for adult members
of the Alumni Association and $12
for nonmembers. For children ages
6 to 12, tickets cost $5, and for chil-
dren 5 and under, the event is free.
The admission price covers food
catered by Hy-Vee and Biggs BBQ
for the first 300 fans. Alcohol will be
sold for an additional charge.
There will be games on the big
screen and great food, Davis said.
A postgame party at Abe & Jakes
Landing, 8 E. Sixth St., will take
place from 9 p.m. Saturday to 1:30
a.m. Sunday. The event is 18 to enter,
21 to drink. A ticket stub from the
game guarantees free admission, but
if not, the cost to enter ranges from
$5 to $7.
Its gonna be a fun party, said
Emily Metzger, Abe & Jakes employ-
ee. There will be lots of people and
good drink specials. Well have $2
domestic bottles.
For something to do before the
game, try tailgating, or for something
different, stop by the Adams Alumni
Center. For postgame fun without
having to pay a cover charge, stop by
Abe & Jakes.
Kansan staf writer Andrea Chao
can be contacted at editor@kan-
san.com.
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
Get ready for the
Beakend
Ready for launch
Photos by Jared Gab/KANSAN
Nick Heinerikson of Raymore, Mo., and Taylor Davis, Olathe
junior, watch movies on a laptop computer to pass time while
camping for the release of Sonys PlayStation 3 onThursday afternoon
at Wal-Mart. Second in line for a premium60GB unit, Davis is the only
camper planning on keeping the PS3 to play as all others hope to sell
their systems for anywhere between $1,400 and $5,400,according to
Nathan Hickey, Lawrence freshman, who is waiting for his at Best Buy.
Thanking the PS3 campers for their orderliness, Wal-Mart
management awarded themwith boxes of doughnuts Thursday. The
campers have been waiting in the Lawn and Garden department of the
store since Wednesday at noon and will receive their units once they are
released at midnight Thursday. At other area stores such as Best Buy,
campers have been much less organized and have had to fght to hold
their spots through the confusion.
CAMPUS
Beauty queen abdicates
title, leaves for Iraq
MINNEAPOLIS Jessica Gaulke
is trading in her sash as a Minneso-
ta beauty queen for Army fatigues
and Iraq.
Gaulke, who was chosen Min-
neapolis Aquatennial Queen of the
Lakes in July, is giving up her title
because her National Guard unit
has been activated for duty. The
22-year-old Augsburg College stu-
dent will be going to the Mideast
as a diesel generator mechanic.
It really wasnt a decision that
was mine to be made, said Gaulke.
My units going. Ive accepted it.
Its part of the whole scope of why I
joined; Ill be there for all of us over
here.
Gaulke said being Queen of the
Lakes, Minnesotas best-known
festival royalty, is a huge honor,
but she said she is simply honoring
the agreement she made when she
committed to the Guard before her
senior year in high school.
Were proud of her for making
this choice and what shell do for
the country, Aquatennial President
Jim Erickson said.
Man caught smuggling
endangered crocodiles
MANILA, Philippines A
Filipino man who few home from
Cambodia said he was carrying live
fsh in his carry on luggage, until
a check at Manila airport revealed
three 1.5-foot-long crocodiles, of-
fcials said.
The head of the Manila Inter-
national Airport Authority said
Wednesday it wasnt clear how
Enrique Yu Castillo, 50, was able
to carry the Siamese crocodiles
from Phnom Penh to Singapore to
Manila on Monday night.
The crocodiles are on an
endangered species list and their
importation is prohibited, airport
manager Alfonso Cusi said.
He said charges were being
readied against Castillo, while the
reptiles were turned over to the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources.
Castillo had earlier sought a
permit to import the exotic animals
but his application was denied,
said Teddy Aguir, from the environ-
ment departments Wildlife Traf c
Monitoring unit at the airport.
Associated Press
Mother arrested after
storming classroom
CHARLOTTE, N.C. A stu-
dents call for help to his mom
may have gotten him more
parental involvement than he
bargained for.
Police said Inez Horne, 45,
was arrested Wednesday after
she, two daughters and a family
friend stormed a classroom to
defend her 15-year-old son,
who had called home to say he
was afraid another student was
planning to attack him.
The mom decided to show
up at school and take matters
into her own hands, said Police
Of cer Robert Fey.
Police Sgt. Randy Haigler said
the incident unfolded Wednes-
day morning after Hornes son
called to tell her he was being
threatened.
They arrived on campus,
they didnt check into the of-
fce, they went directly to the
classroom and started to assault
a 16-year-old student, Haigler
said.
Horne was charged with
misdemeanor trespassing.
Daughters Keisha Horne, 19,
and Marquitta McNair, 18, were
charged with misdemeanor
trespassing, simple assault and
carrying concealed weapons
Horne a knife, McNair a box
cutter according to arrest
records.
Associated Press
odd news
odd news
NEWS
3A
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2006
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BY KIM LYNCH
Abby Pierrons job is to catalog
and tag the 302,000 specimen of
reptiles and amphibians that make
up The University of Kansas col-
lection.
This job is preparing Pierron,
Olathe museum studies graduate
student and curatorial assistant, for
a career in the museum field.
Pierron is one of 32 students
who make up the museum studies
program, which has graduated 146
students since it started in 1981.
The program has an almost 80 per-
cent job placement rate in the field,
said John Simmons, director of the
museum studies program.
The program is structured around
six core classes where students learn
about everything from collection
management to administrative roles.
Eighteen hours are also required
from one of the following areas:
American studies, biology, geology,
anthropology or history, Simmons
said.
Although Pierron is not a trained
biologist, her work with the fourth
largest collection in the U.S. is more
about learning how to catalog and
manage large museum collections.
Im here for the skills, Pierron
said.
This year the program had 60
applicants and only took six. The
number accepted into the program
varies each year, but is usually from
eight to 10 students, Simmons said.
The number of people that want
to get into the program has gone way
up, he said.
Teresa MacDonald, instructor for
the museum studies program, teach-
es Introduction to Museum Public
Education, one of the core courses.
This weekend her class is having
a free public event on Jell-O put
together by the class so they could
gain hands on experience, she said.
I do it because Im passionate
about what I do, and I really believe
its important to pass along the skills
and experience to future museum
workers, MacDonald said about
teaching.
Its that passion that Simmons
said was important because the pay
in the profession didnt always reflect
the amount of work.
Museum jobs in general pay very
low compared to other jobs with
equivalent training, but the worker
satisfaction is very high, he said.
Pierron said she was happy with
the program because it was teach-
ing her about every aspect of how a
museum runs and that despite the
possible low pay, it was more impor-
tant to have a job you enjoyed.
Kansan staf writer Kim Lynch can
be contacted at klynch@kansan.
com.
Edited by Erin Wiley
BY MATT ELDER
MtvU is leading a campaign to
prevent student suicide and fight the
stigma of emotional illnesses among
the nations college campuses.
MtvU, MTVs college television
channel, joined last week with the
Jed Foundation, a nonprofit group
committed to reducing young adult
suicides, to create a campaign called
Half of Us. A national study con-
ducted by mtvU found that almost
half of college students have felt so
depressed that they could not func-
tion.
The campaign is similar to
the Universitys Counseling and
Psychological Services, which gives
local and professional assistance
to KU students showing or expe-
riencing psychological problems.
CAPS offers treatments to students
in both individual and group set-
tings. Depending on the severity of
the situation, CAPS will either treat
students internally or refer them for
more comprehensive services.
Diana Robertson, interim director
of student housing, didnt recall a sui-
cide in her approximately seven years
with the University, but she said the
housing department did have a sui-
cide-indication policy. Indications of
suicide include roommates or friends
noticing written or verbal evidence,
such as notes or a diary.
The mtvU campaign will build
from the success of the networks
Sudan campaign for college students
to help end the genocide in Darfur.
It seemed clear that while we
continued with our Sudan campaign
that there was an issue much closer
to home, said Stephen Friedman,
general manager of mtvU. Theres
a driving and yearning need for dis-
cussion.
The survey found that suicide is
the second leading cause of death
nationwide for college students, and
seniors are nearly three times more
likely to have considered suicide
than freshmen. The study also found
that college students were reluctant
to speak about suicide.
A big part of this issue is the
stigma, Friedman said. And when
you realize its prevalence, you realize
that stigma kills.
Of those surveyed, nearly half
said theyd refer a friend to get treat-
ment for emotional issues, but less
than a quarter of these same people
would receive the help themselves.
The mtvU campaign aims to con-
nect students together and with pro-
fessionals to receive local treatment.
Students can also sign up at their
universities listed under each state.
As of now, the campaign lists several
universities under Kansas, such as
Kansas State University, but does
not include the University. Students
can still interact with others and
get professional help outside their
university.
The campaigns Web site allows
both student interaction and a con-
fidential Self e-Valuator online
mental health assessment created
by Ranga K. Krishnan, chairman
of the department of psychiatry for
the Duke University Medical Center.
Theres doctors at a number of
universities that are advising every
step along the way, Friedman said.
Were not the experts, so for us its
raising awareness and driving them
to the experts.
Unlike other nationwide college
campuses, Robertson said suicidal
indications or attempts did not result
in an automatic cancelation of a
housing contract or expulsion from
the University.
Both the networks channel and
Web site are covering a portion of
the screen with a gray haze, symbolic
of the large percentage of college
students suffering from emotional
illnesses.
Were just trying to make that
point that if half of us go through it,
all of us are affected by it. Friedman
said.
The campaign can be reached
through the networks channel or at
halfofus.com.
Kansan staf writer Matt Elder can
be contacted at melder@kansan.
com.
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
Study fndings
Suicide is the second leading
cause of death among college
students.
Of the 15.2 million college
students in the US, an estimated
1,100 die by suicide each year.
One in 10 college students seri-
ously considers suicide.
Among adults, 18- to 24-year-
olds think about suicide more
often than any other age group.
More teenagers and young
adults die from suicide than from
all medical illnesses combined.
Source: mtvUCollege Mental Health Study
MtvU works to reduce suicides on college campuses
AWARENESS
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Karen Butler-Clary,
Wichita graduate
student, removes
a reticulated python
froma preserving
tank. The python was
captured in a cave
in the Philippines
by two KU graduate
students, and trans-
ferred in a formilin
solution of 95 percent
alcohol before being
stored in a more
diluted solution in
the herpetology re-
search wing of the KU
Museumof Natural
History.
PROFILE
Curriculum equips students for museum jobs
Increased applicants,
almost 80 percent
job placement defne
grad school program
I really believe its important to
pass along the skills and experi-
ence to future museum workers.
TERESA MACDONALD
Museum studies instructor
NEWS 4A
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2006
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BY LES NEUHAUS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
African, Arab, European and
U.N. leaders agreed in principle
Thursday to a joint African Union-
United Nations peacekeeping force
for Sudans Darfur region.
The force could be as large
as 27,000, including the existing
7,000-member AU peacekeeping
force in Darfur, but the leaders did
not lay out a timetable for the force
to begin work partly because Sudan
had some reservations.
Sudan did not give the plan its
unreserved approval because offi-
cials at Thursdays meeting needed
to consult with their superiors, the
countrys U.N. ambassador, Abdul
Mahmoud Abdelhaleem, said.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi
Annan said the additional person-
nel could include as many as 17,000
soldiers and 3,000 police officers.
A timetable for the expand-
ed force to begin work was not
announced partly because Sudan
retained some reservations, includ-
ing the question of who would be
in charge.
The next step is for the U.N. and
AU to call a meeting of the non-
signatories (of the Darfur Peace
Agreement) ... and the government
of Sudan. It should take place in
the next couple of weeks to resolve
outstanding issues by the end of the
year, Annan told reporters.
A U.N. Security Council resolu-
tion has called for U.N. peacekeepers
to take over for the poorly equipped
and underfunded AU force, which
has been unable to quell a war that
has left more than 200,000 dead
since 2003. But Sudans government
has firmly opposed the takeover.
The agreement was announced at
a meeting in Ethiopia that brought
together senior officials from the
AU, the Arab League, the European
Union, Sudan, the United States,
China, Russia, Egypt, France and a
half-dozen African countries.
The expansion of the existing AU
force will take place in three phases,
said Annan, who had wanted to try
to stop the bloodshed in Darfur
before he leaves office on Jan. 1.
An African Union Peace and
Security Council meeting will be
held in the Republic of Congo on
Nov. 24 during which Sudan is
expected to present its final views,
Annan said.
In recent days, pro-government
militia forces known as janjaweed
have stepped up attacks on vil-
lages in Darfur, killing dozens of
people, international observers said
Wednesday.
WORLD
UN to increase presence in Darfur
LOOMIS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
His teaching style may not be
flashy, but students continue to
enjoy his courses.
Hes definitely one of my
all-time favorite professors,
said Janae Hartmann, Lawrence
senior.
Elaine Sharp, the political sci-
ence department chairwoman,
praised Loomis books and called
him a major player in American
politics.
I think he does more political
commentary than any other faculty
member, Sharp said.
She credited Loomis with sin-
gle-handedly turning around the
departments internship program.
Now the University regularly sends
students to intern in Topeka and
Washington, D.C.
Many of the students whove
gone to that have had terrific
real-world experiences, Sharp
said.
Loomis will readily admit that
he doesnt enjoy broad political the-
orizing and statistical analyses.
Im interested in some of that
stuff, Loomis said. But Im also
interested in hand-to-hand com-
bat.
Loomis knew Nancy Boyda
would beat incumbent Rep. Jim
Ryun in the 2nd district congres-
sional race, though it took time for
him to become convinced. He also
approved of President Bush making
the Iraq war the main focus of the
2006 elections.
I think he gave the American
people the chance to speak on
the war and on his presidency,
Loomis said. It didnt turn out
well for him, but I think it turned
out well for the country.
Politics never gets old for
Loomis. With the U.S. Congress,
especially, theres always some-
thing going on, Loomis said.
Sometimes hell just read a story
directly linked to his work.
Loomis was interviewed for the
Thomas Frank book Whats the
Matter With Kansas? and has writ-
ten several books about political
special interests and the religious
right.
You feel like a part of it all, and
thats fun, Loomis said.
Loomis body of work includes
many articles and a number of
political science textbooks and
books about government trends,
such as a 1998 book he co-authored
called The Sound of Money: How
Political Interests Get What They
Want.
Despite his high profile and
positive relationships with current
politicians such as Gov. Kathleen
Sebelius, Loomis doesnt plan to
ever run for office.
I know too much to run for
office, he said with a laugh. Ive
written too much. Thered be a
million quotes that could be used
against me.
Kansan staf writer David Lin-
hardt can be contacted at dlin-
hardt@kansan.com.
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
AIR FORCE ONE
BY TERENCE HUNT
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HANOI, Vietnam President
Bush opened a visit Friday to the
wartime capital of this once-divided
country, a trip that is stirring inevita-
ble comparisons between the unpop-
ular war in Iraq and the divisive
conflict fought and lost in Vietnam
more than three decades ago.
Vietnamese officials greeted Bush
and his wife, Laura, at the airport
on humid and breezy morning. Two
young girls, wearing flowing tradi-
tional dresses, presented them with
bouquets of flowers.
Bushs itinerary promised some
interesting moments. Before attend-
ing a state dinner Friday evening,
Bush was to drop by the headquar-
ters of the Communist Party to talk
with its general secretary.
Bush was the fourth U.S. presi-
dent to visit Vietnam, where com-
munist forces prevailed over the
United States and a Washington-
backed regime in Saigon in a conflict
that claimed the lives of more than
58,000 Americans. President Clinton
visited Vietnam in 2000; Lyndon
Johnson and Richard Nixon made
wartime visits.
Bush and his aides have pushed
back against comparisons of the war
here and the Iraq war, now in its
fourth year. Like Vietnam, the United
States faces a determined insurgency
in Iraq; both wars have demonstrat-
ed the limits of U.S. power.
On Air Force One as it flew to
Hanoi, White House press secretary
Tony Snow dodged discussion of
the Vietnam War, either its lessons
for Iraq, or Bushs personal interest
in visiting a country that once so
divided the United States.
The Vietnamese are not particu-
larly interested in that, Snow said.
This is not going to be a look back
at Vietnam. Its going to be a look
forward on how to best cooperate
on health, trade, prisoners of war
and military issues.
Bush flew here from Singapore
after warning a nuclear-armed North
Korea against peddling its weapons
and vowing the United States will
not retreat into isolationism.
Although Republicans lost con-
trol of Congress, Bush directly chal-
lenged newly empowered Democrats
who are demanding a fresh course
in Iraq and fearful that free-trade
agreements could cost U.S. jobs.
We hear voices calling for us
to retreat from the world and close
our doors to these opportunities,
the president said in a speech at the
National University of Singapore.
These are the old temptations of
isolationism and protectionism, and
America must reject them.
Bush came to Vietnam for a
summit of Asia-Pacific leaders and
individual meetings with a hand-
ful of leaders all of them curi-
ous whether election setbacks had
unsettled Bush.
Bush will draw on his powers
of personal diplomacy in meetings
Saturday and Sunday with Russias
Vladimir Putin, Chinas Hu Jintao,
Japans Shinzo Abe and South Koreas
Roh Moo-hyun.
All are partners with the United
States in talks aimed at persuading a
defiant North Korea to abandon its
nuclear weapons.
While North Koreas nuclear
test has been widely condemned,
the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum
appeared divided over what to say
publicly. Rice went to Vietnam ahead
of Bush to seek a consensus.
Bush said the transfer of nucle-
ar weapons or material by North
Korea to others would be a grave
threat to the United States, and
we would hold North Korea fully
accountable for the consequences of
such action.
For the sake of peace, he said, it
is vital that the nations of this region
send a message to North Korea that
the proliferation of nuclear technol-
ogy to hostile regimes or terrorist
networks will not be tolerated.
Bushs message in Asia was clear:
The United States has been a power
in Asia for more than six decades
and isnt about to pull back now.
Many nations in the region are ner-
vous about the rise of China and
how Washington will react.
Despite Bushs tough talk, he
was unable to deliver a promised
agreement to normalize trade with
Vietnam. The accord was held up
by the House, sending a bad signal
across Asia about Bushs clout and
the future of trade-liberalizing bills
in the Democratic Congress taking
power in January.
White House National Security
Adviser Stephen Hadley readily
admitted the administration was dis-
appointed about the Vietnam trade
bill but expressed optimism it would
pass.
Bush pays visit to Vietnam
Charles Dharapak/ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. President George W. Bush and frst lady Laura Bush arrive at Noi Bai International Airport
in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Friday, where Bush will attend the Asia Pacifc Economic Cooperation (APEC)
summit. Bush, who has fought against comparisons of the VietnamWar to the Iraq war, challenged
Democrats to reject the old temptations of isolationismand protectionism.
OPINION
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EDITORIAL: With politicians switching parties like
crazy this election, and the trend likely to continue,
voters should vote for the candidate, not the party.
See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
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Famous faces get the vote
Last Tuesdays midterm elec-
tions produced a seemingly infi-
nite number of talking points
for the national media, mostly
relating to the power shift in
Washington. But one interest-
ing aspect of the election has
gone relatively overlooked: the
surprisingly high number of can-
didates who switched political
parties prior to the election.
Locally, Paul Morrison is the
most prominent example of this
trend. Morrison switched to
the Democratic ticket in order
to challenge Phill Kline, thus
appealing more to moderate vot-
ers turned off by Klines evangeli-
cal strong-arming.
Jim Webb, the newest sena-
tor from Virginia, was a lifelong
Republican and was Secretary of
the Navy in the Reagan adminis-
tration. Webb ran as a Democrat
to undercut Senator George
Allens moderate base and because
of his disaffection with the Bush
administration. His new party
label appealed to enough voters
in the Commonwealth to propel
him to victory.
So is this the beginning of a
backlash against polarized poli-
tics, or merely another exam-
ple of crass political opportun-
ism? While there is probably an
uncomfortably large portion of
the latter, perhaps we should be
optimistic that moderation may
again be gaining popularity in
Washington.
Most presidents govern as
moderates, which may be a
reflection of the fact that most
Americans describe them-
selves as such. After the last 12
years, which had to rank among
the most polarized periods in
Washington, maybe the spirit
of moderation is again return-
ing to our nations capital, and
the party-switching is simply a
byproduct of that trend.
But young voters must be
careful before they mark that
straight-ticket ballot. A little
investigation may reveal that a
D or an R next to a candi-
dates name does not necessarily
mean that candidate shares your
values and beliefs.
Jon Tester, Montanas new-
est senator, would hardly be
embraced at a party convention
in California. Virginias Webb
would not be the darling of the
Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Dont let a nominal party affilia-
tion be enough to earn your vote;
make sure to evaluate a can-
didates positions on the issues
you care about before support-
ing them. Switching parties may
inject life into the spirit of mod-
eration, but it may also mislead
young voters who often look for
little more than a party name.
The 2008 presidential elec-
tion threatens to elevate even
more candidates who blend posi-
tions, merge principles, and mix
philosophies for political gain.
Students should take care to
always evaluate the candidate,
not just the candidates party.
McKay Stangler for the edito-
rial board
The 2004 film Straight-Jacket is
about Guy Stone, an A-List celebrity
in 1950s Hollywood and Americas
most eligible bachelor. He is also a
barely-closeted gay man caught in a
police raid of a gay bar. To cover the
scandal and keep his leading role in
Ben-Hur, Guys manager and pro-
ducer arrange a sham marriage to
Sally, a studio secretary. The catch
is that Sally isnt in on the joke, and
the marriage begins to crumble
when Guy falls in love with Rick,
the writer of his most recent movie.
To complicate matters further Rick
is a Communist during the height
of McCarthyism.
The film relies on both witty
dialogue and visual gags and can
be wonderfully campy in look and
feel. Beyond the comedy, though, is
an underlying story of love and the
challenges that homosexuals faced
in the entertainment industry and
the world in general. The story also
plants seeds of hope for the future.
The future is referenced sev-
eral times in Straight-Jacket.
Sometimes its for comedic effect,
such as when the character Freddie
picks up a prop that looks like a
1990s laptop and says, Captain
Astro lives in the year 1996, not
four-billion AD! before slamming
the computer down in disgust.
Other times the allusions are
more poignant and obvious. When
Guy and Ricks secret relationship
begins to cause problems, Jerry,
Guys manager, urges them to call
the relationship off and says Maybe
50 years from now a gay actor will
be no big deal, but Im not about to
sacrifice Guy to some cause.
Such a line immediately brings to
mind the current state of affairs for
gay actors. Its been 50 years. Was
Jerry right? Are things better?
Writer-director Richard Day said
in a behind-the-scenes featurette
on the 2005 DVD release that if
you decided to film Straight-Jacket
as a contemporary film instead of
a period film you would have to
change practically nothing, and hes
not entirely wrong.
Throughout the movie, the press
is viewed as an important entity
that can be the deciding factor in
success or failure. When Guy is
photographed outside a gay bar, the
immediate concern is what to do
about the press. When Jerry, Guy
and Guys producer decide a fake
marriage is the best way to cover up
the gay scandal, the marriage news
is all over the media in a montage
of magazine covers and newspa-
per pages. Similarly, when Guy is
exposed as a homosexual the news
is in all the magazines and all the
newspapers. The backlash is imme-
diate, as Guy loses his leading role
in Ben-Hur, is told that all movies
and TV roles are out of his reach
and is made the butt of jokes while
he loses his adoring fan base.
While gay speculation and decla-
rations no longer seem to be imme-
diate death sentences for Hollywood
careers, the medias fixation with
celebrity relationships and sexuality
shows that 50 years havent been as
kind to actors as the characters in
Straight-Jacket would hope.
When Lance Bass of *NSYNC,
Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met
Your Mother and T.R. Knight of
Greys Anatomy announced their
sexual orientation it was all over the
media, generally stemming from a
Hey, Im gay! story in legitimate
magazines. But its not always press
releases and public statements that
fuel the media machine. Speculation
is just as prevalent.
Tom Cruise and John Travolta
are the butts of endless jokes in late-
night monologues and social satires
such as Comedy Centrals South
Park, and tabloids never fail to run
the latest picture or insider state-
ment as proof of hidden homo-
sexuality.
In a 1998 interview with
Hollywood Online, actor Sean
Hayes, who played the flamboyantly
gay Jack McFarland on NBCs Will
& Grace, said Im an actor first
and dont want to say if Im straight
or gay.
Hayes has never given official
word on his sexuality, but that
hasnt slowed the speculation and
questioning, and its not limited to
tabloids and late-night jokes. The
May 2006 issue of The Advocate, a
magazine targeting the LGBT com-
munity, even ran an article called
The Interview Sean Hayes Never
Gave, which was a compilation of
all the times and reasons Hayes had
given for not addressing his sexual-
ity. It all seems to be part of a feed-
ing frenzy that tries to make sexual-
ity important to acting and singing,
and it certainly doesnt jive with
Guys belief that movie characters
wouldnt care who played them.
Maybe its too early to predict
how or even if the media and
publics fixation on sexuality will
have an effect on the careers of
Bass, Harris and Knight. Harris
and Knight certainly arent being
forced out of their jobs like Guy was
stripped from Ben-Hur. But as
long as celebrity sexuality remains a
headline-grabbing topic, its hard to
be more than a step away from the
situation in Straight-Jacket.
Thats not much movement for
50 years.
Cynthia Hernandez is a Salina se-
nior in journalism.
We laugh and cry at our celebri-
ties expense, ask for autographs
when possible and are loyal to their
work. Whatever that work may be.
Last month, syndicated radio
commentator Rush Limbaugh
accused actor Michael J. Fox of
exaggerating his symptoms of
Parkinsons disease while doing a
political advertisement for Missouri
Democratic Senate candidate Claire
McCaskills campaign.
A strong supporter of stem-cell
research, McCaskill received a call
from Fox asking if he could help
with her campaign. His well-known,
boyish face, and chronic condition
in need of a cure, had the potential
to put McCaskills campaign at the
forefront of voters minds. Thus, the
soon-to-be infamous commercial
was filmed. The ad, without focus-
ing on it, visually and painfully
demonstrated that the medication
Fox takes to combat his disease
had seized his body, loosening his
muscles beyond his control. The
resulting visual of the actor was
alarming.
Hes extremely exaggerating the
effects of the disease, Limbaugh
said on his show. Hes moving all
around and shaking and its purely
an act This is really shameless of
Michael J. Fox. Either he didnt take
his medication or hes acting.
Whether politically active or not,
Limbaughs verbal attack infuriated
Foxs fans and opened the search for
the celebritys place in the political
arena. After Limbaughs public apol-
ogy was followed with its retraction,
then the possible retraction of the
retraction, the ad had become a
media frenzy. The political factors
of McCaskills political campaign
were as good as gone.
Within days of the pending
Nov. 7 election, Anderson Cooper
used an entire episode of his show,
Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, to
interview Fox on the subject, shin-
ing the spotlight all the brighter on
the celeb-factor of Missouris Senate
race.
However off-putting, Limbaugh
and Fox did what McCaskill could
not. Their battle got the public
interested. Political races mean a
great deal to those involved and
invested, but the simple fact is that
often citizens are not interested.
Not quite 45 percent of Douglas
Countys registered voters showed
up at the polls. In comparison,
53 percent of registered Missouri
voters hit the booths to cast their
ultimate opinion on McCaskill and
Republican opponent Jim Talent.
The incumbent Talent was the
favorite, but McCaskill won.
Not only will McCaskill serve
as U.S. senator, the advertisement
that Fox volunteered himself for fell
in her favor. Missouri voters voted
yes on the stem-cell research
amendment.
Did Limbaughs and Foxs celeb-
rity endorsements single-handedly
spark interest of the otherwise apa-
thetic voting public?
Sincerely hoping that America
and its voters look at more than
advertisements and celebrity
endorsements, I dont immediately
attribute McCaskills victory to Foxs
fame. But as a country that runs
significantly more on movie releases
and sporting events than political
strategy, it is becoming clearer that
the majority of Americans dont
care about whats important, but
they care about whats popular.
Limbaugh, and the Republicans,
suffered the consequences of pick-
ing on Marty McFly when hes
down.
Missouri in 2006 isnt the first
place that the famous face has won
out. Consider some of the other
choices American voters have made.
After debating with local gov-
ernment and its regulations while
trying to open a restaurant in Palm
Springs, Ca., Sonny Bono ran for
mayor of the city. With a radio talk
show host leading his campaign,
Bono was elected and served the
city from 1988-1992. The shorter
half of the Sonny and Cher duo
then went on to serve in the U.S.
House of Representatives from 1994
to his death in 1998.
Austrian-native and Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced
Governor Gray Davis in 2003 for
the remainder of Davis term. When
Schwarzenegger ran for re-election
on Nov. 7, the blue state watched
Schwarzenegger win by a 17-point
margin. Maybe it was his lack of
college education or his labeling San
Francisco Democrats girlie men
that sealed the deal, but perhaps
his effectiveness as a Kindergarten
Cop provided much of the require-
ment needed to hold public office.
As to whether Claire McCaskill
is the now a senator because of her
political intelligence and plans for
the states future, or because Alex P.
Keaton can pull the heart strings in
all of us, may forever be in question.
Alissa Bauer is a Winfeld senior
in journalism. She is a Kansan
sportswriter.
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