University: International enrollment down since last fall, p. 3
Emmy Awards: See a list of last night’s winners, p. 5
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Monday, September 19, 2011 • Volume 116, Issue 20
Roemer’s in the race Former La. governor aims for White House
Clayton Crockett Staff Writer
While prospective Republican presidential candidates participate in nationally televised debates, few Louisianians may realize a former Pelican State governor is in the competition. Buddy Roemer, former Louisiana governor and U.S. Congressman, flew to New Hampshire on Wednesday to promote his bid for presidency despite his exclusion from recent debates. Roemer recently told Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” that he was excluded from the debates because he didn’t meet the requirement of registering at 4 percent or higher on a national poll. In a conversation with The Daily Reveille, Roemer suggested numerous other reasons for his omission from the limelight. His positions, he said, are not particularly welcomed by some candidates or the news media. “I don’t take [political action committee] money,” Roemer said. PACs often donate to presidential campaigns to support special interests. “I think a president ought to be responsible to the people, not to the PACs,” he said. Because of this stance, Roemer limited all donations to his campaign to a maximum of $100. The current political system “is a political structure that works against the young, against small business and against people with big ideas but not big checks,” Roemer said. And politicians on both sides of the partisan
Football: Secondary leads team in tackles, p. 7
SPORTS
Isom to try out for football team Soccer player to go for kicker position Michael Gegenheimer Sports Contributor
countries that do not practice fair trade. Roemer said he would sharply curtail trade with China because of the child labor, prison labor and forced labor that occurs there. “We shouldn’t accept it,” he said. But the fault doesn’t only lie with the politicians. “To hell with big business,” Roemer insisted. “They got lobbyists, they got lawyers and they moved their jobs overseas.” Without foreign tax credits and unfair trade, Roemer said big businesses will be forced to
LSU senior soccer goalkeeper Mo Isom will officially be trying out for the football team in the spring as a place kicker and kickoff specialist. “The rumors are very true,” Isom said. “I’ve been training for about nine months, beginning in January.” Isom said she will focus on the rest of the soccer season and turn her attention to football in the spring. Isom said she was in contact with the LSU coaching staff and several players in recent months before making her final decision. “The coaching staff, all the guys, all the teammates are so excited about it, so supportive and
ROEMER, see page 6
ISOM, see page 6
ZACH BREAUX / The Daily Reveille
Buddy Roemer announces his intent to run for president in the 2012 election March 3 at the Business First Bank.
divide fall under Roemer’s derisive criticisms. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama have all been more of the same, he said — more government interference, unfair trade, unreasonable tax codes and big money involvement. Americans are selling their country to politicians, Roemer said. Along with fiscal responsibility, Roemer’s platform also emphasizes foreign trade and the elimination of foreign tax credits, especially with countries like China and Iran. The nation’s economy could turn for the better, he said, if America stops doing business with
FOOD
Pop-up restaurant comes to BR Morgan Searles Staff Writer
Last Thursday, Suite 100 in Perkins Rowe was an empty shell of a restaurant. But Friday and Saturday the space transformed into the venue for three dining experiences, teeming with chefs, servers, entertainers and patrons. The shift was orchestrated by 300seats, an organization practicing guerrilla tactics on the Baton Rouge community by hosting pop-up events that assemble, execute and evacuate in a short period of time. Each event hosts a maximum of 300 people. The weekend’s
pop-up restaurant was open for business for three seatings and during two days served nearly 250 guests. Tickets cost $50 for each seating. Entertainment was provided by Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra players, former American Idol contestant Jacquelyn Dupree, spoken word poet Xero Skidmore and other local artists. 300seats began as a business concept developed at a local Startup Weekend event last April. Since then, the company has hosted three pop-up events in Baton Rouge and is looking to expand through the state in the future. Manuel Valencia, founder
of 300seats, described it as a techpowered cultural arts and events series. Valencia said social media has allowed the community to keep up with the changing events and locations. “That’s why we said we wanted to be a tech-powered cultural hub — that makes it easier,” he said. “So we have our followers on Facebook and that’s growing, and we have our followers on Twitter and that’s growing, and we have a great database of folks that have already attended all of our events.” 300seats hosted its first event in June, two months after the group RESTAURANT, see page 6
MORGAN SEARLES / The Daily Reveille
Gabriel Beavers practices his bassoon performance Saturday morning at the 300seats pop-up restaurant. Watch a video of the atmosphere at lsureveille.com.