THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969
Jen Small The Badger Herald
Obama takes on Bascom
Friday, October 5, 2012 Volume XLIV, Issue 23
Experts weigh in on post-debate rally LEAH LINSCHEID News Content Editor President Barack Obama brought a renewed vigor among voters on the University of Wisconsin’s campus Thursday as he distanced himself from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and highlighted the importance of voting to an audience 30,000 strong. During his visit to Bascom Mall, Obama focused on Romney’s performance in Wednesday’s debate, opening his speech by saying, “I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney [Wednesday].” Obama’s speech highlighted differences between Romney’s performance in the debate and prior statements the former governor has made during his presidential campaign, citing Romney’s $5 trillion tax cut plan and federal funding of education, among other examples. According to UW political science professor David Canon, this strategy fared well with Obama’s audience. “It was very effective in terms of how he was able to turn [Wednesday’s debate] into something that was explainable to his supporters,” Canon said. Canon added Obama’s speech was tailored for a liberal crowd, a
demographic one would address in a different manner than the national audience he faced in Wednesday’s debate against Romney. Contrary to the president’s performance in the debate, Canon said Obama went on the offensive at Thursday’s event, attacking Romney for his inconsistencies throughout the campaign. UW journalism professor Mike Wagner watched the speech from a campus library and noted Obama’s performance was significantly more aggressive than his debate showing on Wednesday. “He wants voters to focus on inconsistencies in Romney’s record and his performance in the debate compared to what he’s said up until Wednesday,” Wagner said. “In the wake of the debate, Obama’s strategy is to paint Romney as someone who can’t be trusted.” Canon said pro-Obama supporters who were disappointed with his debate performance may have been consoled by Thursday’s speech in Madison. Wagner added supporters present at the event appeared pleased with the “feistier” tempo of Obama’s speech, noting the president directly attacked Romney and contrasted the two contenders’ views in a way that he
avoided at the debate. “I heard more than one person in the crowd say, ‘Where was this yesterday?,’ so I think supporters were more than satisfied with today’s performance,” Wagner said. Obama appeared more comfortable in front of the Madison crowd, Wagner said, noting his audience “ate it up.” Journalism and political science professor Dhavan Shah wrote off Obama’s higher degree of comfort as evidence the president excels in oration but not necessarily at impromptu speaking. “People who are great orators can deliver a prepared set of remarks very well, and Obama’s a master at that,” Shah said. “On the other hand, extemporaneous speaking, where you need to have all these details at your command and pick remarks that are concise and specific, that’s a different set of skills.” Shah also compared Obama’s oratory skills to those of former President Bill Clinton’s, noting the former Democratic president excels at public speaking in the context of both debates and premeditated speeches. “Obama, I think, has elements of
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Jen Small The Badger Herald
Students and others show their Wisconsin pride at the rally on Bascom Hill Thursday afternoon. Students and families alike gathered to hear President Barack Obama speak at UW for the third time since 2008.
30K ascend on hill for issues address In speech, POTUS speaks on student loans, debt, importance of education; takes stabs at opponent’s proposals Tara Golshan Higher Education Editor President Barack Obama stood between an inflatable Bucky Badger and Bascom Mall’s Abraham Lincoln statue yesterday as he took to Bascom Hill to address the campus just one day after the first presidential debate. A crowd of 30,000 students and community members
received the president for a campaign speech aimed at young voters and university students. According to a University of Wisconsin statement, students began lining up for the event at 7 a.m. and were allowed into the venue at approximately noon. The president spoke at about 4 p.m after introductory speeches from Mayor Paul
Soglin, Senate candidate and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and members of the Obama campaign. Obama responded to many of the issues mentioned in the debate Wednesday night in an effort to rally the students and residents of Madison for their votes. Noting the differences between his and former Mass.
Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaigns, Obama emphasized contrasts in addressing the deficit. “This country does not grow from the top down; it grows from the middle out,” Obama said in reference to the Romney campaign’s focus on “trickledown economics.” Obama told an eager crowd that the American middle class
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Board of Regents considers athletics proposal In part one of meeting, Regents hear details for plan that would increase UW sports system transparency Polo Rocha State Legislative Editor The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents heard details for a new proposal Thursday that would increase the transparency between the board and its universities in regards to ethical and legal issues regarding campus athletics. Regent Brent Smith described it as a “straightforward” process that would make for information being shared more often. He said Thursday’s meeting was simply a discussion of the process and no action was being taken that day.
There was no “smoking gun” that led to this proposal, UW System President Kevin Reilly said. “There is nothing prompting this other than a recognition of a changed environment [following] the Penn State tragedy and this board’s desire to do its job in an ever more transparent and effective way,” Reilly said. “It’s called ‘continuous improvement.’” Reilly said much of the information that would be reported to the regents is already being reported to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. By bringing the chancellor and athletic director
an annual report on their athletic system, the regents could “have a conversation” about the programs. The regents are responsible for “protect[ing] the integrity” of all programs in the system, including athletics, said Michael Morgan, senior vice president for administration and fiscal affairs. Morgan described the annual report as a way of establishing a “well-defined, open and unambiguous” system of reporting. The report would consist of information about how athletes are doing in academics, the programs’ finances and ensuring © 2012 BADGER HERALD
compliance, according to Office of Audit Reporting and Management Director Elizabeth Dionne. While the majority of regents agreed on the proposal, some also raised concerns. Among the concerns was whether the regents would be intervening unnecessarily into campus affairs. Regent Mark Bradley said chancellors are placed in universities for those responsibilities. “We have oversight responsibility, but we don’t run those campuses,” Bradley said. “We have a CEO who is
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