INSIDE
An ACL recap
Fashion savvy student shines
PAGE 2
Romney, Obama debate it out
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SMU embarassed by Tulane
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WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 17, 2012
Wednesday High 86, Low 52 Thursday High 75, Low 48
VOLUME 98 ISSUE 27 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
POLITICS
Courtesy of SMU
Kathleen Cooper speaks at a John G. Tower Center event in 2011.
Courtesy of AP
President Obama and Gov. Romney debated at Hofstra University on Tuesday night.
Barack Obama back in form Presidential candidates aggressively clash
KATELYN GOUGH News Editor kgough@smu.edu President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney faced off for the second time Tuesday night. In the town hall-style debate, 82 uncommitted voters from the New York area provided the questions and the candidates directly. Dennis Simon, professor in SMU’s political science department, said the first debate between the two presidential candidates caused a stronger shift and greater jump for Romney than was originally anticipated. The second debate for both candidates thus held goals in propelling their respective parties ahead of the other. In repeating history, the states with the highest number of undecided voters became the trophies for the candidates. “Swing states are going to determine this election…roughly nine states are in play,” he said. Tuesday night’s session was again a second chance for either candidate to turn voters in their favor during what is shaping up to be a very close election. “Things have shifted considerably in the last couple of weeks. It’s an election that could very plausibly be won by either candidate,” professor Matthew Wilson, a colleague of Simon, said.
When the deciding factors have come “down to the independents and undecided voters,” the third debate of the 2012 election series provided candidates the opportunity to either really appeal to or fall away from voters who are yet to determine their vote. “We have not made the progress we need to make to put people back in work,” Romney said. He opened his side of the debate saying that the middle class “has been crushed over the last four years” and that Obama’s policies “haven’t put people back in work.” He later emphasized utilizing foreign trade to help create domestic jobs. He said countries, especially China, would need to engage in fair trade for this to succeed. “We are going to make sure people around the world play by the rules,” Romney said. Obama answered that for American jobs to flourish, higher education would need to be “the best education system in the world.” He said that investment in engineering and manufacturing would allow for the greatest leaps in American foreign trade. Obama also promised to “continue to make [efficient energy] a priority” for America. The president asserted that the Romney plan does not account for sustainable resources beyond
“tomorrow and the day after that.” When asked about tax cuts, Romney said, “I’m not looking to cut taxes for wealthy people. I am looking to cut taxes for middle class people.” He explained his plans to bring down rates for smaller businesses and allow employers to hire more workers, stimulating the economy. He attributed it to his desire to “get America going again.” But Obama called Romney out on the supposedly unexplained cost of lowering tax rates “across the board.” “When [Romney’s] asked how he’s going to do it, he can’t tell you.” Obama said. The sparring continued as both candidates approached the topic of women in the workforce. “I’m going to continue to push on this issue over the next four years.” Obama said of his promise to raise equal employment opportunities for women. Romney attributed the rise of working women to the need for “flexibility” with employers in allowing women to balance their career and family lives. “What we can do to help women is have an economy so strong hat employers are eager to have women workers,” Romney said of the economy he plans to bring. The voters did not shy from confronting Romney on their
dissatisfaction with former President Bush. With the voters concerned that the same issues could arise with a president once again from the Republican Party, Romney emphasized the growth the party has made. But Obama responded to Romney’s claims, saying that “in some ways, [Romney’s] come to a more extreme place in social policies.” One such social policy approached was immigration Romney said he “would not grant amnesty to those who come here illegally,” but his party would support those following the rules. “We welcome legal immigrants into this country,” Romney said. Obama’s response geared toward recognizing flaws and working to fix them without ultimatums. “We need to fix a broken immigration system,” he said. In light of the recent attack on the American embassy, defense was one of the last topics of discussion. Despite Romney’s criticism of Obama’s handling of the situation, both candidates promised that justice to American lives lost to terrorism is their first priority. “They will be held accountable,” Obama said. The final debate will be held Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. EST at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.
White House chef shares secrets on Hilltop GEENAH KRISHT Contributing Writer gkrisht@smu.edu Chef and restaurateur John R. Hanny III discussed his secrets he learned from working in the White House kitchen at Southern Methodist University on Tuesday evening. Before the distinguished author of Secrets from the White House Kitchens spoke to nearly 50 guests in the Mack Ballroom, Kimberly Rutigliano, director of SMU’s Continuing and Professional Education, introduced him as “America’s own Camelot.” “Since I was a little boy, I wanted to be [a chef],” Hanny said. “I fell in love with the political thing later on.” The author began entertaining the audience by poking fun at his old age. He told the crowd that he had been around for a while: “My wife bought me hearing aids as a wedding gift…I brought her this beautiful horse, and she bought
me hearing aids,” he said. Hanny was never the executive chef in the White House, but he was a visiting chef. This meant that whenever he was called in, he would show up and “do [his] thing.” It was shortly after receiving his master’s degree in the culinary arts that Hanny served as a food and wine consultant to the White House. Thereafter, he served as a visiting chef to the Kennedy through Obama White Houses. “I was offered the opportunity by the Canadian food journal to interview President and Mrs. Kennedy in the White House to see how Mrs. Kennedy was bringing back the French protocols,” he said. Hanny’s visit with President Kennedy and his family was the beginning of his journey with food, politics and friendships. In his book, he shares his experiences using anecdotes of state and family dinners he has attended and several presidents’ favorite
recipes. “It’s not a tell-all. It’s a funny book,” he said. Hanny said that when he arrived in Dallas, he knew he had to go to the JFK Museum. He teared up as he talked about the former president, “I just want to pass on to the young people in this room, [Kennedy] was a man who was dedicated to his country.” He went on to share stories of his friendship with Jackie Kennedy. He told the audience she was a classy woman. “I had a good time with [her] until the day she died,” he said. “She never really forgot the people who surrounded her.” The chef also went on to talk about some of the presidents’ favorite recipe. He said that President Richard Nixon had an amazing appetite for sweets. “I created a cookie, and he was so happy with them. Had them every day until the day he left office,” he said.
This cookie, an apricot-based dessert, was available for sampling at the event along with several other presidential favorites. After learning to cook and perfect over a thousand recipes, Hanny had to narrow them down to the 300 he wanted to publish. “It was a long, hard time. It took me several years to write,” he said. Hanny had to carefully choose his recipes, reduce them to a manageable size for the average at-home cook, cook them, and finally photograph them for his book. Shaking her head in awe, audience member Linda Ludden was amazed that chefs could deal with the pressure cooking for dignitaries. Hanny reminded the guests that everyone he cooks for is equal in his eyes, “What we have to remember, is these guys get up in the morning and get dressed the same way we do, but they are king for four years, and we have to remember that too.”
Experienced Tower Center fellow offers economic advice RAHFIN FARUK Managing Editor rfaruk@smu.edu Kathleen Cooper has been a chief economist at ExxonMobil, a banker, the dean of UNT’s business school and the under secretary for economic affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Now, she calls SMU’s John G. Tower Center for Political Studies home. As a senior fellow and head of international political economy at the center, her unique insights and career experiences have landed her a role as an economic adviser with Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. A doctorate in economics, Cooper’s career path was not originally focused on politics. “I was a business economist. When I first went to Washington to work for George W. Bush, it was a new experience for me,” Cooper said. Cooper, after spending four years in the Bush administration, is no longer a stranger to politics. Cooper’s role in the Romney campaign involves offering advice on critical issues for almost every voter — lower unemployment rates and economic growth. Cooper stresses two issues — tax reform and regulatory clarity — in discussing how the U.S. economy can rebound. “I think tax reform would be a very good idea. Simplifying the tax code and being especially careful about the types of regulations we put into place are important,” Cooper said. She also warned against short-term regulation and its impact on business decisions. “I am very concerned with all the ups and downs with regards to policy. Short term policies don’t do a good job of encouraging businesses to make long term investment decisions,” she said. She singled out the Affordable Care Act — Barack Obama’s landmark health care reform legislation — as a piece of new regulation that is impacting business-hiring decisions. “The addition of healthcare requirements on companies of a moderate size is a factor in reducing job growth,” she said. According to Cooper, however, tax reform and regulatory changes are not the only parts of the equation. She warned against painting reforms in terms of rich and poor and majority and minority — a recent trend in American politics.
“The best thing we can do is to not get into so much discussion of rich versus poor. There has been way too much of that,” Cooper said. Cooper, the former chief economist of Exxon Mobil, one of the world’s largest oil companies, also stressed the potential for the energy sector to create new jobs. “Projects like the Keystone Pipeline should be approved and put into place,” she said. President Obama rejected the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, which planned to connect the oil sands of Alberta, Canada to multiple United States destinations in early 2012. While Cooper sees the potential in renewable energy sources, she remains a realist when it comes to the current state of alternative energy technologies. “We haven’t found a replacement yet that is cost effective. It’s fine for us to continue to look at solar and try wind but they really can’t take the place of fossil fuels yet,” she said. “We should also pursue cleaner sources of energy like natural gas when given the chance.” While Cooper has carved out an area of expertise in energy, her true passion remains international political economy. Cooper, with a spark in her voice, admitted, “International political economy is my real interest.” International political economy, a fusion of political and economic analysis, is a critical area of study for trade, finance and migration. Cooper pointed to two critical issues that the United States must solve if it is too continue to experience growth and stability. “We need to get the world back on track in accepting improvements in our world trading regime and ensuring that financial institutions, some 50 years old, meet today’s needs,” Cooper said. She is not optimistic about quick changes in international trade and finance. She believes that the weak American economy is partially to blame for slow changes in America’s trade outlook. “Americans are very afraid of trade. They don’t see the positives,” Cooper said. “They see much more when jobs are lost from imports than when jobs are gained from exports.” Cooper, a Dallas native, is grateful for her career opportunities. Now, back in Dallas, she appreciates what life at SMU offers. “I’ve been privileged to have a rich career in the business world and government,” Cooper said. “And to now be involved with a good group of people and students, I’m very pleased.”