tuesday, february 10, 2004
the university daily kansan
news
7A
art education
Brent Carter/Kansan
Claire Hummel, St. Louis junior, admired a metal goblet yesterday designed by a KU student during the Senior Show in the Art and Design gallery. The show featured works from several artistic mediums including: ceramics, metal smithing and textiles." Next year I hope I can show some of my work in metals," Hummel said.
John Kerry recipient, giver of attacks on leadership
The Associated Press
President Bush and Democratic front-runner John Kerry sparred yesterday over the president's economic leadership, while Kerry's rivals sought to slow his brisk pace toward the Democratic nomination in three states with upcoming primaries.
states with John Edwards and Wesley Clark searched for upset wins in two Southern states and Howard Dean beseeded Wisconsin voters "to keep this debate alive."
ers to keep them As Edwards and Clark concentrated on Virginia and Tennessee, which hold primaries today, Kerry ignored his rivals and criticized Bush stewardship of the economy.
Speaking six days after Kerry won the Missouri primary, Bush appeared more engaged in his own re-election campaign than in past public appearances, directly responding to criticism by Kerry
economy. Kerry accused Bush of having the worst jobs record of the past 11 presidents. Bush defended his economic priorities, especially his tax cuts, in a campaign-style speech in Missouri, expected to be a key battleground in November.
and other Democratic candidates.
The Democrats running for president say they would repeal all or portions of Bush's tax cuts. Stephanie Cutter, a spokeswoman for Kerry, said he would make permanent tax cuts for the middle class, including the child tax credit and the repeal of the marriage penalty.
"I've got a feeling this report was prepared by the same people who brought us the intelligence on Iraq," Kerry said, citing job losses of more than 2 million since Bush took office.
Edwards and Clark hoped strong showings in Tennessee and Virginia would eliminate the other and turn the race into a two man contest with Kerry, but polls showed Kerry well ahead in both states.
Before an audience in Roanoke, Va., Kerry scorned a White House economic report released earlier in the day that predicted the economy would grow by 4 percent and create 2.6 million new jobs this year.
Dean began a two-day tourand an aggressive advertising campaign in Wisconsin, a state he told
supporters last week he must win to keep his candidacy alive. But on Monday, he said his backers had persuaded him to stay in the race regardless of the results. He dismissed his own "obvious contradiction."
He also began airing a 60-second biographical spot in some Wisconsin markets, his first advertising buy in the state in months.
Kerry's winning streak — he handily wint contests over the weekend in Michigan, Washington state and Maine—was clearly taking a toll on his competitors. Aides to both Clark and Edwards said they expect their candidates to lose Virginia and Tennessee, even though both had earlier been optimistic about winning in their home region.
Edwards and Clark each have one win apiece, while Kerry has won 10 of the 12 contests thus far. Kerry has more than twice as many delegates as Dean, his closest pursuer — 426 after the contest in Maine on Sunday compared to Dean's 184, according to an Associated Press tally. It takes 2,162 delegates to win the nomination.
Lawmakers consider banning gay marriages
The Associated Press
BOSTON — An Associated Press survey of Massachusetts lawmakers shows a Legislature deeply divided over a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in the state where the nation's first legally sanctioned same-sex weddings could take place as early as Mav.
at place The 199 House and Senate lawmakers — all of whom are up for re-election in November — could take up the volatile issue at
a constitutional convention as early as tomorrow.
The issue gained urgency last week when the state's high court declared that anything less than full-fledged marriage for gays in Massachusetts would be unconstitutional. The opinion put Massachusetts lawmakers at the center of a political maelstrom that is being closely watched across the country and could play a role in the presidential race.
All of Massachusetts' legislla
tors were contacted by telephone and e-mail by the Associated Press since last week's Supreme Judicial Court opinion, and 146 responded. Of those, 61 said they would oppose the constitutional amendment, while 70 said they could support it. An additional 12 said they were undecided, and three said they had no comment. Fifty-three did not respond.
the proposed amendment could end reach the ballot is November 2006.
There is probably nothing lawmakers can do to prevent the nation's first gay marriages from taking place May 17. The earliest
2008. That is because the proposal first needs to be approved by a majority of lawmakers in two successive legislative sessions, which in Massachusetts last for two years. That means a revamped Legislature would take up the issue after next fall's elections.
Veteran statehouse observers called the situation extremely fluid, with some lawmakers flip-flopping under intense lobbying
by members of the clergy, fellow politicians and gay-rights advocates. There's also the scrutiny of the national media and the fact that it is an election year.
"In 20 years of lobbying, I've never seen such a fluid issue," said Arline Isaacson, co-leader of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. "There's such a high degree of emotion in this building and emotions are guiding legislators, who would rather be more thoughtful about this."
Court considers convict's execution
The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — A convicted killer whose plea for clemency was rejected by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won a stay of execution yesterday, hours before he was to die by lethal injection for hacking four people to death.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the stay to consider whether DNA evidence connecting Kevin Cooper to the crime should be retested amid repeated claims that Cooper was framed by law enforcement.
Cooper, 46, had been set to die at 12:01 a.m. today.
Late last month, Schwarzenegger denied Cooper's bid for clemency, the first such plea to cross the governor's desk. Schwarzenegger said the evidence of Cooper's guilt was overwhelming.
The appeals court decision was welcomed by Cooper's celebrity supporters, including actor Denzel Washington and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Cooper was convicted of stabbing and hacking to death Douglas and Peggy Ryan, both 41, their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica, and 11-year-old Christopher Hughes after escaping from prison in 1983. The Ryens' son, Joshua, then 8, survived a slit throat.
Cooper claims DNA evidence was planted, but the courts said there was no evidence of tampering. Cooper's attorneys also insist they have a witness who said that on the night of the murders, she saw two men covered in blood at a bar near the scene.
On Sunday, panel of the 9th Circuit refused in a 2-1 ruling to stop the execution. Yesterday, the court agreed to rehear the case in front of 11 judges.
There are those who have respect for our campus. Unfortunately, others seem to have forgotten its worth.
NELOFER PAZIRA
Journalist, star of the acclaimed Kandahar and co-director of the award-winning Return to Kandahar speaks on the realities in Iraq and Afghanistan under the American occupation.
KABUL TO BAGHDAD: TELL
US ABOUT DEMOCRACY!
WOODRUFF AUDITORIUM, KANSAS UNION
February 10 @ 7:30 PM
Free and open to the public Reception following: Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
Sponsored by February Sisters Association, Student Senate, SUA, Chancellor's Office, University Departments and Coca-Cola
See Pazira's' Return to Kandahar Feb. 9 @ 8:00 PM, Woodruff