thebattalion ● friday,
january 20, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
Perry bows out Texas governor, Aggie sees ‘no viable path to victory’ Amber Jaura The Battalion
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Once considered to be a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, Rick Perry, Class of 1972, will not be the first A&M graduate to reside in the White House. The Texas governor announced Thursday morning that he is suspending his campaign and returning to his home state. In his farewell remarks, Perry endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. “As I have contemplated the future of this campaign, I have come to the conclusion that there is no viable path to victory for my candidacy in 2012,” Perry said. “I believe Newt is a conservative visionary who can transform our country.” On his campaign website, Perry said he is proud to continue as governor of Texas and intends to make the state a better place for business and to create jobs for Texans. Marc Pitts, junior biochemistry major and chairman of the Texas Aggie Conservatives, said, despite Perry’s failed campaign, he looks
Perry’s Approval Rating (%)
Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry pauses while announcing he is suspending his campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich on Thursday in North Charleston, S.C.
Aug. 13: Perry announces presidential bid shortly after prayer event in Houston.
Oct. 2: Perry finds himself on the defensive amid reports he used a West Texas hunting camp once named “N-----head.” Oct. 25: Perry says participating in GOP debates was a “mistake” because debates serve only to “tear down” the candidates.
Sept. 3: Voters prefer Perry to Obama in national poll, 44-41.
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he unavoidable is now official. On Thursday, Rick Perry finally brought his excruciating campaign for the presidency to its inevitably bitter end.
Kevin Markowski senior political science major
When he entered the race on Aug. 13, many saw our governor as the odds-on favorite for this year’s Republican presidential candidate nomination. Today, they see him as he really is: an exhausted, ill-advised state politician who was hopelessly unprepared for national politics. From its inception, Perry’s campaign was beleaguered by internal feuding, inferior organization and erratic messaging — all of which contributed to his unsubtle fall from
See Perry on page 5
grace. As Maggie Haberman of Politico noted, it was obvious from his first debate performance at the Reagan Presidential Library that forums would prove to be the governor’s “Achilles’ heel” — a prediction fulfilled when Perry notoriously forgot the third federal department that he planned to abolish. Insiders wrote of conflicts between Perry’s advising staff, and pundits opined that the campaign perilously abandoned its focus on
Source: New York Daily News
Jan.19: Perry drops his 2012 presidential bid two days before the South Carolina primary.
Rick Perry
job creation and Texas’ record of economic growth. Indeed, Perry may have been doomed from the very beginning. It was, perhaps, never realistic to expect that Rick Perry’s operation would be capable of controlling his own narrative as a candidate. In a broader sense, however, the campaign’s missteps were probably irrelevant to its demise; even the best handlers may have been unable to save Perry. To the extent that the nature of the man matters more than the strategists around him, there was never a clear path for the governor to capture the White House. To win the presidency, a candidate must exemplify some ideal of
persona or policy that is compellingly unique. To Democrats, Perry was little more than a petty reincarnation of George W. Bush; to Republicans, a sporadic figure who likely lacked the competence to seriously contest President Obama in November’s election. In the final analysis, Governor Perry was too much of a known commodity to retain any hope of distinguishing himself among a crowded Republican field of big personalities and bold policies. Few predicted that Perry’s campaign would end in such palpable failure. Yet — in hindsight — still fewer are See Exit on page 5
weekend
campus
men’s basketball
MSC Open House
Students debate anti-MLK demonstrator
A&M seeks second Big 12 win vs. OU
Students looking to get involved with campus life can attend the MSC Spring Open House, where more than 300 student organizations and university departments and programs will be on site to recruit. The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Rec Sports Center. staff report
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Austin Meek
Trevor Stevens The Battalion A crowd of students stood shoulder-toshoulder near the Sul Ross Statue in Academic Plaza Wednesday morning, peacefully protesting the demonstration of a former skinhead and Aggie, Preston Wiginton. “[Wiginton] is here because of the MLK breakfast with Harry Belafonte, who was a friend of Dr. King,” said Valery Owen, senior university studies major. “His main message is to talk about Dr. King and the shortcomings of Dr. King.” Senior American studies major April Williams, who comes from a family of mixed heritages, said Wiginton was protesting MLK because the reverend fell short morally. She countered that everyone has shortcomings, which doesn’t take away from the fact that MLK was an amazing man.
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Preston Wiginton debates with students while demonstrating against Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. “I don’t think he has any basis for what he is saying; it makes no sense for him to try to detract from what MLK did,” Williams said. During the discussion, Wiginton said he See Protest on page 2
The Battalion The Texas A&M men’s basketball team (10-7, 1-4) will look to take a step in the right direction Saturday when they welcome the Oklahoma Sooners (12-5, 2-3) to Reed Arena. The Aggies have struggled in conference play, dropping games at Mizzou, Baylor and a home game against Iowa State. The team’s lone win, a victory over ex-head coach Billy Gillispie and Texas Tech, came against the worst team in the Big 12. The Sooners enter the contest having won their last two games. They dispatched the lowly Red Raiders 64-55 on Tuesday, but their premier win of the season came against Kansas State, a perennial Big 12 power and one of the University’s primary basketball
Tip-off ◗ The Aggies and Sooners play at 3 p.m. Saturday at Reed Arena ◗ Students with a sports pass need to bring a valid student ID to enter the arena ◗ First-year Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger is 1-3 all-time against the Aggies
See Basketball on page 4
1/20/12 12:56 AM