F R I D A Y OCT. 8, 2004 Vol. 126, No. 17
Sunny 73° / 58° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
ELECTION COUNTDOWN
25 0
It’s here!
DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY DAYS UNTIL THE DEBATE
By Kelly Donahue and Jonathan Greenberger News Editor and Editor in Chief
INSIDE
Bert and Ernie go big-time when protestors create political puppets.
After nearly a year of planning, a month of uncertainty, and a week of frenzied scrambling, it’s finally here. The candidates have arrived, hundreds of journalists have descended upon campus, and the Washington University Field House has been fully transformed to accommodate tonight’s town-hall debate. President Bush and Senator Kerry flew into St. Louis’ Lambert International Airport Thursday evening, and both are now preparing to meet headon in the debate many are calling the most important moment in each man’s political career. They will meet in an Athletic Complex few on campus would recognize. Over the last week, workers have been there nearly round-the-clock, renovating the facility to make sure it is fit for the event. Most students will only glimpse the converted AC on a television screen, with security there extremely tight. The post-Sept. 11 security also extends beyond the Athletic Complex, with the closure of numerous parking areas and streets near the Hilltop Campus. “We’ve been doing walk-throughs
of the campus, buildings and neighborhood areas and things like that for months,” said Don Strom, chief of the Washington University Police Department. “We have familiarized ourselves and re-familiarized ourselves with areas and double-checked how things are laid out multiple times.” Strom’s officers are being assisted today by law enforcement from around the country, including officers of the U.S. Secret Service, St. Louis County PD, and St. Louis City PD. Also assisting with facilitating today’s events are hundreds of student volunteers. Many are working for the media, helping the hundreds of journalists on campus find their way around, file their stories and get on the air. “Today I drove Al-Jazeera to the AC. I said, ‘Where are you from?’ They said, ‘Al-Jazeera.’ I said, ‘No, really,’” said senior and volunteer Debra Silberschatz. “They were probably the friendliest people I drove. We were chatting about St. Louis.” Walking around campus, it’s hard to find anyone who does not have a positive word to say about the debate and its accompanying flurry of activity. Even Sachs Electric’s Dave Malugen, after working 12- and 16-hour days on
105 – for now By Jonathan Greenberger Editor in Chief
EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE
Chancellor Mark Wrighton admires the AC from the red carpet on the debate hall floor. campus for more than a week, said he has been enjoying himself. “It’s been great. They feed us, give us plenty of breaks—even cigars,” he said earlier this week. Beginning this afternoon, voices of dissent will begin to be heard. Protestors will gather in the public viewing area across the street from the Hilltop
At least 105 students will watch President Bush and Senator Kerry square off tonight in the Field House. That’s the size of the debate commission’s initial allotment of tickets for Washington University students. “That’s what we were given, but we’re hoping for some more,” said Steve Givens, head of the University’s debate planning committee. But he said there are no guarantees. “They just give them to us, and we’re happy to hand them out,” said Givens, emphasizing the University’s passive role. Four years ago, the University received a similar allotment of tickets—initially 100—although 50 more students made it into the audience as last-minute additions. This is typical, as the recipients of tickets distributed by the debate commission and the national political parties occasionally are
See TICKETS, page 2
See HERE, page 2
Moore eager to reschedule
PAGES A3, A6
Another mugging at gunpointbut this time, the victims are presidential candidates.
By Rachel Streitfeld Contributing Editor
PAGE B8
Are the Bush twins next in line to be Commanders-inChief? DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE
PAGE B3
Students assist CNN “Crossfire” host Tucker Carlson as he crowd-surfs at the end of a broadcast live from the Quad on Thursday.
Too sick for rabble-rousing at the Pageant last night, Michael Moore opted out of the event to stay home in bed. But the liberal fi lmmaker is reportedly anxious to reschedule, with rumors of an appearance sometime in the near future. Moore cancelled a highly anticipated—and highly controversial—talk yesterday because of a case of pneumonia. The Campus Programming Council (CPC) is in talks with Moore’s agent to reschedule the event. “We are looking at a few different dates,” said sophomore Mark Reddish of the CPC. “The closest one would be Saturday. His whole month of October is just peppered with talks.” For students who purchased tickets to Thursday’s show, Reddish said they would still be good when the appearance is rescheduled.
See MOORE, page 8
WU officials: debate will not bring ‘long-range’ publicity By Rachel Streitfeld Contributing Editor
Journalists are in town, and students are in the driver’s seat.
PAGE A4 INDEX News Forum Scene Sports Cadenza
A1 A14 B1 B6 B8
When tens of millions of viewers tune into the debate tonight, one detail they won’t be focused on is the school itself, say some Washington University administrators. Several spokesmen for the University said hosting the debate is not a bid for publicity—and if it were, it would not be very successful. “It doesn’t have a very long-range effect,” said debate coordinator Steve Givens. “It’s not like we hold a debate and everyone knows our name. If we spent all this money for visibility it wouldn’t be a good decision.” Chancellor Mark Wrighton, who was interviewed live on “Hardball” last night, said national debate coverage centers more upon the St. Louis region than the University itself. “The debate itself is just one of a series of events,” said Wrighton. “Frankly it’s as much a regional asset and regional visibility as it is a University interest.” Wrighton pointed out that, in the weeks preceding the debate, the national media have often cited “St. Louis” as the location of the second presidential face-off. “If you read the news, or hear the news on radio or television—especially the networks—it’s ‘the debate next week will be in St. Louis,’” he said. “It isn’t always, much to our dismay, that ‘the debate
STUDENT LIFE
will be at Washington University in St. Louis.’” Still, a Google search with the words “debate” and “Washington University in St. Louis” yielded 30,200 hits yesterday. In the past few days, large, colorful signs emblazoned with the University logo have popped up all around campus. Brian Gaddy from Facilities was hanging signs in the Quad yesterday, where CNN is broadcasting “Inside Politics” and “Crossfi re.” Gaddy said he had put up at least ten signs where they would be visible to CNN cameras, and that three times that number had been hung near the Athletic Complex. “We’ve been working on preparation for two weeks, from power to publicity, even new concrete in places around campus,” said Gaddy. “There’s more towards the sports and recreation center than here because that’s where the media will be.” He said publicity is defi nitely a University priority—and for good reason. “This is free publicity for Washington University,” said Gaddy. ”Every time they show a commercial the University’s name is mentioned. They might be out a little money for publicity, but it’s worth it.” Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Fred Volkmann expects the media to mention the University’s name more frequently today.
One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building St. Louis, MO 63130
See PUBLICITY, page 8 Newsroom: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938
JONATHAN GREENBERGER | STUDENT LIFE
Workers hang a Washington University banner in the Quad yesterday afternoon. The University is using the debate to gain publicity for the school.
Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com
Please Recycle