Midterm elections are today across the country. Polls in Douglas County will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Keep checking in with kansan.com throughout the day for updated stories about how the elections are going and then check out results as they come in throughout the evening. Visit kansan.com/vote2006 for more information.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOL.117 ISSUE 57
THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 1A
ELECTION 2006:
Decide for yourself
Clinics accuse Phill Kline of leaking medical files
BY ERIN CASTANEDA
Two abortion clinics are requesting their patients' medical records be returned to a special prosecutor and that an investigation of Attorney General Phil Kline and talk show host Bill O'Reilly be started.
The request came after O'Reilly said on his show Friday that he had an "inside source" who provided information from the abortion records. Kline, a Republican who is up for reelection today, was a guest on Friday's "The O'Reilly Factor."
Ron Keefover, communications director for the Kansas Supreme Court, said the clinics filed a motion for an emergency order to stop the inquisition into the records used by the Shawnee County District Court. The two clinics are Women's Health Care Services, of Wichita, and a clinic in Overland Park operated by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.
Kline has five days to respond to the allegations before the court can make a decision, Keefover said.
On Monday night, O'Reilly followed up his Friday show with an interview with Megan Mosak, a talk radio host for 500 WIBW-AM in Topeka. Mosak spoke about George Tiller, the medical director of the Wichita clinic who fought the release of records and is a subject of Kline's investigation. She said Tiller was the financier of the campaign mails circulating across Kansas, some of which said Kline was a "snoop dog."
Kline said he requested the records two years ago so he could investigate child rapists, those who failed to report child abuse and doctors performing late-term abortions.
Tiller sattorney, Pedro Irigonegaray of Topeka, said Kline indicated he was O'Reilly's source when he engaged in a public exposé of the records and
failed, as a state official, to ask O'Reilly where he got the information.
Kline said he did not know what information O'Reilly had or where he got it. When asked if it came from someone within his office, he said "absolutely not."
On the show, O'Reilly said he received information from an inside source who gave him information that Tiller performed late-term abortions because "patients were depressed," which O'Reilly called "executing babies." He did not say whether his information came from the 90 records Kline obtained or if his staff had seen the documents themselves.
Late-term abortions are allowed if having the baby will affect the mother's mental or physical health.
Irigonegaray said the law allowed decisions to be made about late-term abortions and questioned O'Reilly's intentions through probing the topics.
"I suggest he was taking advantage of patients because he knew his comments would strike a cord with those opposed to abortion," he said.
Irigonegaray also said he feared "Mr Kline has placed his political life ahead of the constitutional right of the people of Kansas."
Sherrine Jones, a spokeswoman for Klein, questioned whether the Supreme Court was the proper place for the clinic's request. She said because the Supreme Court was an appellate court, it had no jurisdiction in this case. Keefover of the Supreme Court said it was the court's discretion whether to hear the case.
The filed lawsuit and controversy occurred one day before an election showdown between Kline and Democratic challenger Paul Morrison.
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》SUA
Ben Folds performs one of his songs at the opening of his set last night at the Lied Center following a humorous opening by Corn Mo. Tickets for the show sold out in less than 36 hours, but several seats remained empty even after Folds took the stage from the opening act.
ROCKIN' THE LIED CENTER
Ben Folds showcases mix of styles
BY MATT ELDER
Brendan Bondurant feels like Ben Folds owes him something.
Bondurant stood outside City Market in Kansas City, Mo., for the entirety of Folds' set. It was pouring down rain. That was two summers ago.
"It it was miserably cold for August with the rain," said Bondurant, Olathe sophomore. "I was excited today because I wouldn't have to be getting drenched."
Last night, in front of a sold-out auditorium. Folds repaid his debt to Bondurant and entertained a packed auditorium at the University's Lied Center.
With Folds', unmistakable tenor vocals and piano melodies ringing throughout the auditorium, it's easy to see why Bondurant calls Folds his favorite pop-music piano player.
Folds took the stage with his typical trio lineup, alongside the addition of a "new and red" keyboard.
piano." Folds told the auditorium, "capable of making you lose your bowels."
"It's more scientific than a
While the evening was proof of Folds' musical evolution since his years as the front man for the group Ben Folds Five, he showed that trading his comical wit for more heartfelt melodies isn't always a given when he performs live. Regardless, it was a mixture of styles that students found to be worth seeing and hearing and the audience in the first level showed its approval by standing for the entire show.
"The group was a lot more energetic and on the rocking side," Bondurant said. "His
solo stuff is a lot more technical instead."
Folds' live show was more reminiscent of material from a decade ago, rather than his recent releases, which are filled with slower tempos. While his new material has ditched much of the youthful banter of Ben Folds Five, he managed to keep both his comical flair and musical skills as a middle-aged musician Monday night.
The live music committee of Student Union Activities sponsored the event and was responsible for Folds' visit to Lawrence. The organization began planning the show in spring 2005, and
didn't finalize the show date until this past fall.
"It took some time going back and forth with his management to kind of get the ball rolling" said Tanner Burns, SUA live music coordinator. "But were excited about the buzz it has created throughout campus."
Burns said that tickets for the show sold out in less than 36 hours. He said Folds was the biggest name the organization had brought to the University in the past three years.
Christy Fogleman, Olathe freshman, waited in line for four hours before getting her tickets. Because of the line's length, she had friends who skipped classes to get tickets.
Corn Mo opened for Folds Monday night, playing comical original material and covers of classic rock songs on an accordion. Among his more popular covers were "Freebird" by Lynnyd Skynyrnd and "We Are the Champions" by Queen.
Corn Mo left the stage to a standing ovation.
Kansan staff writer Matt Elder can be contacted at melder@ kansan.com.
Edited by Aly Barland
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ELECTION 2006 Decide for yourself One-third of youths will vote, poll says
BY KIM LYNCH
According to a national poll conducted by Harvard University, 32 percent of 18- to 24-year-old voters plan to vote in today's midterm election.
Of the 18- to 24-year-old voters polled, those most likely to vote were college graduates, at 45 percent, and those least likely to vote were high school students, at 29 percent.
Allan Cigler, professor of political science, said the estimated number
of young voters who planned to vote in the midterm elections struck him "as relatively high."
"Younger people don't seem to have the same stake in politics" as the older voters, Cigler said.
They don't have children in school or the same tax burdens and they have other priorities, he said.
The recent increase in youth voting in the 2004 presidential election and the probable turnout in this
SEE YOUTH ON PAGE 4A
Youth Vote Trends Turnout in Midterm Elections by Age (Percentage)
1966-2002
18-20 21-24
1966 - 32
1970 - 30
1974 21 26
1978 20 26
1982 20 28
1986 19 24
1990 18 22
1994 17 22
1998 14 20
2002 15 19
Source: U.S. Census Bureau surveys
Plans move forward Two architecture firms chosen for new student-funded rowing boathouse
>> ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
BY C.J. MOORE
No shovels have dug into the ground yet, but the Athletics Department took a major step last week in the construction of a boathouse for the KU rowing team.
The Athletics Department hired two architecture firms to collaborate on building the boathouse. The local firm Treanor Architects PA, 110 McDonald Drive, was hired to assist Peterson Architects, a firm from Cambridge, Mass., which specializes in building boathouses.
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"We at least know that they can start helping us and we can
answer whatever questions now with an architect in place," said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director.
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The Athletics Department must still answer several questions before construction can begin. The city's historical commission must approve the project because the site is within 500 feet of a historical site. Marchiony said there might also be environmental issues that the department was in the process of resolving, like a bald eagle sanctuary located close to the proposed location.
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