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NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
Clarisa Unger, Colby senior, boxes medical supplies for Project C.U.R.E. as part of the first-ever Delegate Service Day at the Democratic National Convention. Unger said she was glad she had the opportunity to give back to the people in Denver in return their hospitality during the convention.
Delegate describes convention
BY FRANCESCA CHAMBERS
fchambers@kansan.com
Clarissa Unger has spent countless hours and dollars campaigning for presidential candidate Barack Obama, and last week Unger's hard work finally paid off.
Unger, Colby senior and state president of Students for Barack Obama, watched Obama accept the Democratic Party's nomination for president Thursday evening from the floor of INVESCO Field in Denver.
Unger, who has donated her time to the Obama campaign during school breaks in Iowa and Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago, was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
The convention, which began Aug. 25 and ended Aug. 29, was the hub of politics last week, featuring speeches by top Democratic officials and late-top VIP parties.
But Unger's favorite memory from the convention will be of neither. Unger will mostly fondly recall of the roll call vote when Kansas delegates voted six to 37 to elect Obama as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. Six delegates voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Unger could be seen on TV during the broadcast of the vote because she was seated directly behind and to the left of Kansas Democratic Party Chair Larry
Gates when he announced Kansas' vote and gave a shoutout to the University of Kansas.
Unger said it was incredible to watch her party come together during that moment as Kansas' delegates who originally supported Clinton changed their votes to Obama.
Clinton later interrupted the
Clinton late vote, putting it to an end, and Obama was selected as the candidate.
"That was the most exciting moment of my life." Unger said.
Unger said she also enjoyed attending the joint Students
"Everything that needed to happen happened. Everything that needed to be said was said."
"I think it's going to be hard for them to show that — especially where our country is now and with George Bush and Dick Cheney there — that it's not more of the same," she said. "I don't know, I really don't have a lot of hope for them."
Democrats' convention.
CLARISSA UNGER State president of Students for Barack Obama
She also said it would be hard for
for Barack Obama and College Democrats meeting in Denver, in addition to participating in the first-ever delegate service day
Unger said she thought the convention itself ran smoothly and the party successfully communicated its message and goals to voters.
"Everything that needed to happen happened. Everything that needed to be said was said," Unger said. "We came together as a unified party. I don't think anyone can argue that at this point."
She said she doubted the GOP would be able to outdo the
Republicans to top the Democrats in attendance numbers as well. About 35,000 people attended last week's convention.
This week. Republicans are scheduled to participate in
similar proceedings at their national convention in Minneapolis, Minn. However, the convention is on hold because of Hurricane Gustav.
Unger said she was still interested in watching the Republican National Convention's broadcast. She said she especially wanted to see Sen. John McCain's wife's speech.
"She has nothing on Michelle Obama," she said.
Edited by Lauren Keith
WEATHER Gulf residents watch from afar as Gustav approaches
NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Gustav charged toward the mostly deserted Louisiana coast early Monday morning and seemed destined to make landfall west of a city still recovering three years after Katrina's devastating blow.
pass without the same deadly toll.
Those who heeded the days of warnings to get out watched from shelters and hotel rooms hundreds of miles away, praying the powerful Category 3 storm and its 115-mph winds would
"We're nervous, but we just have to keep trusting in God that we don't get the water again," said Lydon Guidry, who hit the road for Florida just a few months after he was able to return to his home in New Orleans.
The brutal memories of Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and killed more than 1,600 along the Gulf Coast, led officials to aggressively insist that everyone in Gustav's path flee from shore. As the storm grew near, the streets of the city were empty — save for National
Nearly 2 million people left Louisiana, as did tens of thousands from coastal Mississippi, Alabama and southeastern Texas
Guardsmen and just about every officer on the city's police force standing watch for looters.
Even presidential politics took a back seat to the storm, as the Republican Party scaled back its convention plans in deference to Gustav's threat. Mindful of the government's inept response to Katrina, President Bush planned to head to Texas.
Associated Press
it's so big
Coming Thursday, Sept. 18th
Francesca Chambers/KANSAN
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
Jack Connor, Overland Park senior, Mike Conner, Shawnee graduate student, and George Weston, 2006 graduate, are attending the Republican National Convention's welcome party with in front of a mock Air Force One. Connor and Conner won credentials to the convention from the Federation of College Republicans. Weston is the state chairman of College Republicans.
Francesca Chambers/KANSAN
Students awarded free tickets
BY FRANCESCA CHAMBERS
Jack Connor, Overland Park senior, and Mike Conner, Shawnee graduate student, are attending the Republican National Convention's welcome party. Connor and Conner won credentials to the convention from the Federation of College Republicans.
fchambers@kansan.com
MINNEAPOLIS—Jack Connor and Mike Conner will not have the opportunity to eat horses doewres and swim in the Westin Hotel's hot tub all week like Kansas' delegates to the Republican National Convention. But the two KU students do not care. They feel lucky to even be there.
The Federation of College Republicans selected Connor, Overland Park senior, and Conner, Shawnee graduate student, to receive credentials to the convention and free lodging at Concordia College.
Connor was one of 40 members of the organization who were awarded tickets to the convention based on participation in a competition called STORM that asked the College Republicans to create and invite people to groups supporting the party's platform.
Connor barely made the cut, ranking 38th. Conner, who ranked in the low forties, was barely invited as well — receiving the spot only after the state chairman of the organization declined his invitation.
George Weston, 2006 University graduate and Kansas State graduate student, gave Conner his spot when he was asked by the state
in biochemistry. He was a College Republicans member his freshman and sophomore years at the University, but later quit. He said he recently rejoined because he felt Republicans did not have a large enough presence on campus.
party to be a delegate aide.
The aide position will allow Weston access to the floor at the convention — a coveted area few convention goers besides delegates have access to.
"At KU there's only one side that gets heard," he said. "I think there should be rational debate from both sides."
In addition to the convention activities, Connor and Conner will participate in a College Republicans
"The party has already come together behind our candidate. The only side drama here will be with the hurricane."
JACK CONNOR Overland Park senior
Weston said he was glad he was able to give his seat to Conner because it meant 20 percent of the College Republicans attending were from Kansas alone.
Neither Connor nor Conner is involved in politics outside of College Republicans.
Connor is an advertising major in the School of Journalism. He was in Student Senate for three years but did not run for a seat in last spring's election.
campaign
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Minneapolis.
"I'm just glad I got a way up here," Connor said. He said he did not mind staying at Concordia's dorms because they were near
Conner is pursing a doctorate
the convention and public trans portation centers.
Connor and Conner were able to live the high life of the delegates for one evening, though. The two stayed in Weston's hotel room Sunday in Edina, Minn.
While at the hotel, they saw former presidential candidate Fred Thompson and CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer.
Conner said he had heard Al Sharpton, members of the band Styx and two other stars were staying at the hotel, but he was unable to catch a glimpse of them.
The two hoped to see President Bush for the first time in person, but Bush may be unable to attend the convention because of Hurricane Gustav.
Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were scheduled to speak during Monday's primetime television coverage of the event, but the convention's evening proceedings were canceled.
Even though he was disappointed with the distraction, Connor said the situation could work to party's favor.
Conner predicted that presidential candidate John McCain would not end up speaking at the convention either, saying McCain and Bush would probably give televised speeches instead. He said he still hoped the first lady would speak even if her husband did not.
"I think she's a really good example of a first lady." Conner said. "She's done a really good job staying out of policy making, but still being engaged."
"The party has already come together behind our candidate," he said. "The only side drama here will be with the hurricane, and that is a show of putting the country first."
Edited by Lauren Keith
ST. PAUL, Minn. — With their plans for opening day of the Republican National Convention dashed, First lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain instead appealed to GOP faithful to donate time and money to those caught in Hurricane Gustav.
IN BRIEF
Republicans request aid for hurricane refugees
McCain, the wife of GOP presidential candidate John McCain joined her there, asking delegates to come together quickly to help.
Appearing at the podium, Bust said America's priority has shifted away from politics, but that the hurricane offered an opportunity for a politically divided America to come together. "The effect of Hurricane Gustav is just now being measured. When such events occur, we are reminded that first, we are all Americans, and that our shared American ideals will
always transcend political parties and partisanship,"she told delegates.
Their brief addresses capped a day in which the two sought to emphasize volunteer service rather than politics — and the joint appearance gave some a bit of badly needed zip to the convention proceedings.
"As John has been saying for the last several days, this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats," Cindy McCain said.
Cindy McCain hopes to succeed Laura Bush as first lady. And while the McCain campaign likely wasn't too unhappy at President
Bush's decision to go to Texas to keep an eye on the storm, given Bush's relatively low popularity standings these days, it couldn't have minded having the company of the more popular Laura Bush here.
The two women visited earlier Monday with volunteers setting up a work space in the basement of the Minneapolis Convention Center, where delegates and other volunteers were expected to soon start making up care packages for hurricane victims.
Minneapolis-based Target is donating items such as toothbrushes, shampoo and non-perishable food that will be packaged and shipped by FedEx to the Gulf Coast, the McCain campaign said.
Associated Press