OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_001.2.txt it '5 SS I"?-SP 7 73. 755 _..P N I at C. U112 fling-tum 10 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIvERsrrY’s WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ._ _. v - . . ‘ = . WA3f1lu-;<_1 TON & LEE Ugiivfiegsnrrf . l':.Xli\IGTC'N_ VA 24450 Jhl 282000 i VOLUME 102, No.18 Mock Convention countdown begins Organizers scurry to nail down last- minute details as Friday’s event nears By Polly Doi g EXECUTIVE EDITOR Four days before the first Session of Washington and Lee University’s Mock Convention opens, students are still playing basketball in the gym- nasium that will become the scene of speeches, voting and predicting. One might question whether the convention will actually happen. In fact, setup for Mock Con will not begin until Wednesday, when vir- tual nonstop construction of the stage will begin based on a time-con- trolled plan. According to co-facilities chair- man Christopher Ball, “we have to convert the Wamer Center into a con- vention hall in approximately 30 hours.” The process will include setting up more than 1,500 folding chairs, in ad- dition to sound equipment, comput- ers, the stage and a balloon drop. The setup process, however, is not the only one that still remains for Mock Con planners. Many of the media contacted have yet to confirm that they will come. “The thing that’s been difficult for us is that Mock Con falls in between By Ann Whitam STAFF WRITER Last Wednesday night, students, faculty, and Lexington residents gathered in the GHQ for a night of jazz, free coffee, and a respite from that lingering isolation we often sense here in Lex Vegas, where the only other coffee shop in town closes at 5:30 p.m. Put together in just two weeks time, “Java at the GHQ” is a new Wednesday night alternative to par- ties, the Co-op, or studying for that matter. The brainchild of Dr. Jane Horton, the weekly coffee house is partially funded by a grant from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control. Through the grant, the ABC hopes to reduce binge and underage drink- ing on college campuses around the state. Student Activities was able to match the grant amount with funds from the school budget. Sipping on gourmet coffee from Royal Cup Coffee of Birmingham, the audience listened to the jazz of professor of music Terry Vosbein, senior Josh Harvey, UVA senior Rob Hubbard, and Pete Davis. Professor of music Dr. Gordon Spice thinks the coffee house is a the Iowa caucus and the New Hamp- shire primary, and the State of the Union address is the night before the first session,” Eddy said. “A lot of TV stations simply don’t have the manpower to cover bot .” In spite ofthe conflictive timing, however, several members of the me- dia have confirmed that they will come. According to Eddy, The Roanoke Times, WSLS, The Dallas Morning News, and most of the wire services have sent confirmation. Time magazine will firm up their plans on Tuesday, as well as many of the net- works (_including the elusive C-SPAN and MSNBC) who will wait until later in the week to finalize their plans. In addition, general chairman Mark Schweppe hints at a surprise “visit” by a candidate, which will take place during the third session. Schweppe also asks that delegates be on time for each session, and re- main seated while speakers have the floor. Although there is still much to be done and several elements that will contribute to Mock Con’s success are uncertain, Eddy says that the Mock Con team remains confident. “It’s all going to come together.” nice alternative to his usual Wednesday nights, “and I always want to come out and support the musicians.” Music majors Hillary Bryant and Hampton Pasley agree. “We dig Terry Vosbein!” Among the students who stopped in, freshman Jane Ledlie said that, “it’s a good break for those of us who can’t go out. It’s much better than the Co-op!” Senior Hillary Everist agreed and added, “I think it’s great to have fac- ulty here to talk to in a relaxed atmo- sphere. And it’s the only good cof- fee place open in town this late.” “Java at the GHQ” will be open 8:30p.m-1 :00a.m. Compared to The Ruse, the cof- fee house on Nelson Street that closed this past fall, many actually prefer “Java at the GHQ. “I think it might do better than The Ruse,” said Hillary Everist. “It’s much closer.” Dean of F.reshman Mark Dahlhouse claimed, “The Ruse was okay.” “It was kind of dirty,” added se- nior Kelly Stewart. “And expensive.” Over-priced coffee, cappuccino, and hot chocolate are things that “Java at the GHQ” customers will not LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2000 photo by Tiffany Friedel/Assistant Photo Editor THE CLOCK TICKS: Kirk Garrett, Mark Schweppe, Dave Dardis, and Carolyn Richardson gather around one of the computers in the Mock Con office working on a few last minute details. Coffee house exceeds expectations Wednesday night’s “Java at the GHQ” deemed a great success have to worry about. “Thanks to the grant money and Royal Cup’s dona_-, , , tion of all the equipment, we can af- ford to price everything from $.75- $1.85.” says Dr. Horton. Student Activities Marjorie Schiff has various bands and two Outing Club Slide Shows lined up for the coming weeks. “But I would like to see this become a place where students provide the entertainment. Either a student band, a poetry read- ing, a comedian, or even the IFC rent- ing the place out for a pledge activ- ity. Mindbending Productions is also excited about putting on shows here since The Ruse closed.” Juniors Heather McDonald and Matt Herman are the student man- agers of “Java at the GHQ.” Both have previous experience working in coffee shops. McDonald said that she was “absolutely thrilled” with the turnout. “It went far and above my expec- tations. I expected to See a majority of freshman and sophomores, but the group that came was much more diverse.” “The turn-out was excellent,” Herman agreed. “Hopefully we’ll see just as many folks there next week.” photo by Tiffany Friedel/Assistant Photo Editor COLD, HARD AND WET. Two students take a break from school work, and pummel each other with snowballs in front of Graham-Lees dormitory after Wednesday night’s snowfall. photo by Emily Bames/Photo Editor MOCHA OR LATTE? Freshmen Sarah Sager, Janet Carter, Vicky Balestriere, and Susan Woodward sip on coffee, eat desserts, and discuss philosophy during “Java at the GHQ’s” opening night. ‘‘20/20’’ to land in Lex By Max Smith NEWS EDITOR John Stossel, correspondent for ABC’s “20/20,” and “The John Stossel Specials,” is coming to Washington and Lee University next week. Stossel will speak in Lee Chapel on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. Titled “Pan- dering to Fear: The Media’s Crisis Mentality,” the speech willaddress the validity of society’s criticisms of his own profession. Does the media re- ally blow issues out of proportion? “We’ve very excited to have Stossel speak,” said Contact chairperson Eliza- beth Harvey. “He’s known for an atypi- cal perspective on the media.” Stossel joined “20/20” in 1981 and began doing primetirne specials in 1994. Stossel has won 19 Emmy Awards and been honored five times for excel- lence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. _ The specials, which have consis-’ tently rated among the top news pro-: grams when aired, have brought Stossel critical acclaim. The Dallas Morning News called him “the most consistently thought-provoking TV reporter ofour time.” @112 fling-tum ilflhi January 24, 2000 OPINION: What the hell is Mock Con? PAGE 2 MOCK CON SPECIAL A preview to this weekends events PAGES 3-6 SPORTS: Tough times on the road PAGE 7 LAST WORD: Mock Con Induces nausea PAGE 8 photo by Lisa Lin/Assistant Photo Editor STRESSED OUT: Ben Thompson works feverishly on last minute Mock Con work, see inside. —é - OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_002.2.txt PAGE 2 (flip: iaing-tum ifllii PINION JANUARY 24, 2000 1,001 things that irritate me: Speed freaks Every child, I imagine, has been well informed about the Tortoise and the Hare. And, I would assume that most semi-intelligent kids are able to , gather the intended message from it — you know, “slow and steady wins the race.” Complaint #3 from yours truly is more of a request than a gripe; I motion to have this allegory banned perma- nently from the cur- riculum in Lexington schools. . . wait, make that all schools in the South. Before you peg me as book-bumer, hear me out and perhaps you will sec- ond this motion. The problem is that it appears this ‘speed isn’t everything’ idea has been taken to the extreme in and around Metro-Lex. Since when does it take 15 min- utes to make a junior Frosty? Why does mail take 10 times as long to get to Lexington than it does to leave? Why does it take 45 minutes to order a drink at The Palms and twice as long to get it at Spanky’ s? Need I ask why movies in Lexington are video re- leases everywhere else? Why does that take so long? Why does it take 20 minutes stopping at every blasted traffic light to get down Main Street? And, do not even get me started on Lexington drivers! The frightening thing is that this lethargy is all—consuming and se- verely contagious. Civilized students all around campus rejoiced at the pros- pect of the new Applebee’s restau- rant. “At last!” they cried, “a real res- taurant” (forget the fact that I person- ally would never even have consid- ered my local, Chicago Applebee’s a dining option, but I too joined in the elation when this establishment opened its doors earlier this year). Oh, but Generals! We were so desperately blinded by our delight that we failed to recognize that, na- tional chain or not, this was Lexing- ton! Translation: service is still slow and sluggish because though the name exudes normalcy, the employ- '”“~.~. Katy Harding ’01 ees remain students of the Tortoise. V And you would think that all this de- liberative, unhurried action produces thorough, quality results? Um. . . no. Applebee’s still cannot understand that a Diet Coke with no ice means you don’t put ice in the glass regardless of how long they ponder the request. Who do I speak to about this anyway? Is there no one who will claim respon- sibility for this disorganization and tor- por? Who, at Kroger, decides to open only one register on Friday aftemoons when every social-minded fraternity guy will be there? Why does-Subway only have one sandwich artist work- ing on Sunday evenings? Don’t think that we as students are immune to this infiltration of indolence, however. I am regularly caught strid- ing behind THE SLOWEST WALK- ERS ON EARTH right here on the Hill. You know who these people are and I am not talking about gaping prospectives and their parents. This species of student is a herd animal, often traveling in packs, allowing them to increase their effectiveness at slow- ing down everyone else simply be- cause they leave no alternative space to pass. They meander down the Col- onnade and bumble through the Co- op, causing trafflc jams like Lexington has never seen.-. I am not suggesting that I am racing to get to class, but there is no reason on this earth why I should have to hover in the rain because some students have chosen to hold the next Rumor Mill ‘ meeting in the middle of Stemmon’s Plaza during the passing period. The easygoing attitude character- istic of Lexington and the South lends certain quaintness to the place. The peaceful silence of inactivity is some- what welcome when you want to sit back and relax after a hectic day in class. However, I do not think that it was necessary to take this idea and run with it. . . or amble slowly along with it. /Eiuote of the Week: (( If you’re going to be noisy, get a hotel room. —— Anonymous girl @112 ilitng-tum ifllti J} It’s Mock Con time! What the hell is Mock Con? Does anyone even know what they’re excited about? Of course we’re all aware of the enthralling keynote speaker and the pending C-SPAN cov- erage. Honestly, all Ireally know is that I’ m sup- posed to be nauseauously drunk and ride on a flatbed waving a flag from a state that l’ve only been to for a few -hours. I more excited about not having to go to history class on Friday than hearing Bill Bennett speak. I’m also teed off because New Jer- sey (my home state) has better seat- ing than my delegation. At least I get to sit in front of Guam. I love the fact that this school appropriates hun- dreds of thousands of dollars just so the students can try not to throw up on national television. I also contend that everyone who joined a state that start with an “A” just to be closer to the cameras should be smacked. Here’s another little teaser, C-SPAN hasn’t even confirmed coverage yet. I’m will- ing to bet that if this whole debauchery isn’t televised, the Warner Center is go- ing to be more deserted than a study skills class on a Friday night. However, at least this is another What the hell is Mock Con anyway? Soon to be 5th year Taylor Ruilova ’00 Executive Editor Associate Editor News Editor Opinions Editor W&Life Editor Sports Editor Last Word Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editors Layout Editor Polly Doig Michael Crittenden Max Smith Stephanie Bianco Elianna Marziani Steele Cooper Kevin McManemin Heather McDonald Emily Barnes Lisa Lin Dave Hanson Tiffany Friedel Neal Willetts The Ring-tum Phi is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA. Funding for The Ring-tum Java @ GHQ. . . When I first heard about the plan I wondered how it could ever compare to my old haunt, the Ruse. The Ruse was a coffee house in the truest sense of the word, full of music and po- etry, big bowls of coffee, and inter- esting characters that are indig- enous to coffee houses. The GHQ on the other hand, is a place associated with lunch and dinner and the university meal plan. (Really good quesadillas though.) Could coffee ever come to the GHQ in it’s full glory? Apparently. . . yes. Before the evening, co-manager and general partner in crime Matt Herman and I were discussing how nervous we were. About the only thing we could say was, “I hope A « '1. A k ‘ Heather McDonald ‘O1 V Coffee Talk otherwise independent. libel and obscenity. Phi comes primarily from advertising and subscription revenues. The Washington and Lee Publications Board elects the Executive Editor, but The Ring-tum Phi is The Ring-tum Phi welcomes all responsible submissions and letters. All submissions must be in the Phi office, room 208 of the University Center, by noon on Friday to appear in that week’s edition. The Ring- tum Phi reserves the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and columns do not reflect the opinion of The Ring-tum Phi Editorial Board. Advertising does not reflect the opinions of The Ring-tum Phi or its staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of The Ring-tum Phi 208 University Center Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 24450 Telephone: (540) 462-4060 Advertising Offlce: (540) 462-4049 Fax: (540) 462-4059 E-mail: phi@w1u.edu http://wIu.edu/~phi Annual subsription rate: $30 “Freezing my nipples off and showing off my guns." people come. I hope the coffee’s good. I hope everything’s cool.” After the first hour, there were people pouring into TALI{back...What’s the best part about pledgeship? -Alex Poor ’03 “The cookies." time—honored W&L tradition that en- courages youth alcoholism. In acknow- ledgement of our patronage, Jim Beam bourbon has issued the Mock Conven- tion commemerative fifth. l’m also sure that the majority of the state floats are going to incorpo- rate some type of oversized bottles of booze or giant cans ofNatty. I’m sure the good people of Lexington are going to appreciate having the bustling streets of town tied up for hours for the parade and the elephant sh** and vomit cleanup afterwards. Students are more likely to remember getting their stom- achs pumped at Stonewall than any- thing Bob Dole says. I”m not saying that I’m going to sit out for all the festivities, on the con- trary, I plan to be drunkenly touting my Republican pride. I do have a prob- lem, however, with such a costly affair that nine out of 10 people are clueless about. All this event really is is an ex- cuse for students to yet again embarass their parents with their alcohol problems, but this time it’s televised. Well, here’s to Mock Con, so tip back the Beam and try not to fall off the float. Oh, and morn and dad, please excuse me in advance for trying to imitate Dole’s arm on stage in my drunken stupor. the University Center to get coffee, listen to good jazz and just to see what the whole endeavor was about. All Matt and I could do was stand at the espresso machine and make drinks and smile. Our estimates showed that there were about 300 people in and out through the evening. Maybe it’s beginner’s luck, but what a rush. My experience with coffee shops is probably anything but positive. I’m used to customers getting mad about the amount of foam on their skirn-2 pumps of vanilla—latte and threatening to throw it at me. To be able to see the real essence of a coffee house instead of the morning commuter java-stop I’m used to is wonderful. If all works well, this idea of a campus coffee house will be incorporated into the Uni- versity Commons once it is built. This coffee house would have full coffee house facilities, couches and comfy.chairs, yet would still have the convenience of being on campus. The next few weeks will be the real test, on whether people come and continue to support Java @ the Q. W&L -Kristen Mandaglio ’03 my pledge trainer." —Betsy Ely ‘03 “The great upperclassmen and .“$»" photo courtesy of Leybu Library Special Collections 1968 MOCK CONVENTION: W&L student works on a float in preparatidn for the Mock Con parade. Good coffee and more found at Java @ Q students have a bad rap for being apathetic, for simply work- ing hard and partying hard. The students who showed up 1 last Wednesday night proved that image is incorrect, at 1 least with some of the population, and hopefully they and more will keep showing up. What was so impressive was the mix of people who showed up: Greeks and independents, freshmen and se- niors. . . the mix was truly a mix, which we all know is a rare occurrence at W&L. Some people l’ve talked to say that it won’t last. I know there are a lot of strikes against us. Yes, the program is on-campus, and it is a university program. No one will have stories about Java @ the Q that start off with “One night when I was really drunk...” Instead, there might be some good music and interest- ing conversation. You can chill with friends, or do home- work somewhere other than the library. And, of course, you can enjoy great coffee and (soon to be famous) hot choco- late. What more could you want? See you Wednesday. “I love my pledge trainer. . . I am a happy PiKA pledge." -Jason Smee ’03 OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_003.2.txt Ellie ilttng-tum lfllti OCK CON 2000 SPECIAL MOCK CONVENTION PULLOUT WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY JANUARY 28 - 29, 2000 Predicting a president: .Mock Cn gears up ; Delegates, politicians, and maybe an elephant or two will gather to see if students’ research will produce results By Elianna Marziani FEA TURESEDITOR Washington and Lee University is four days away from celebrating one of its most exciting events, the famed quadrennial Mock Convention. In past years, Mock Con has gained a national reputation, being named “one of the nation’s oldest and most presti- gious mock conventions” by The Washington Post and “a serious attempt to eas and get a feel for public opinion in those areas. By conducting careful and precise research, stu- dents are able to gauge the nation’s sentiments and predict its choice for the out—of-office presidential can- didate, rather than merely nominating a person that they, as a fairly limited and unrepresentative body, would select independently. This meticulous research is what sets W&L’s Mock Convention apart and makes it what Harry Truman called “a real convention.” The chairmen of the predict how the profes- convention were selected tsrixonals Vi]/illlline up when MOCK CON SUCCESS RATE: in 1990, tshe regti)on2:l9;Ifi;- e rea t ing comes rectors in eptem er , along” by Newsweek. Ev- f0RRECT w”:wIL”':I" JENNINGS BRYAN the state chairs the eryone has heard the NCOR(Rv[é]Cl:S:::ECUE[:::: T::r::lNAn0N) middle of last year, the hype, seen the posters, ’ officers of delegations and paid his $20 to get EOERECTWWCMMESEVMSHUGHES second semester last onto the floor: now what 1924 C3 OWETION H3”) W D year, and the delegations exactly IS Mock Con? I‘928 COHRECTWITH A0"; ' AVIS themselves in the fall of The W&L Mock Con- 1932 CORRECT WHHFIISRITIITH 1999. Last year, Mock Con vention is an event in “E "H ' ' Chairman Mark which Student body del_ 1936 INCERRECT wiTH AURTHUR VANDENBERG Schweppe said, “We egates make a prediction 1940 INC(0::::rNv::r:Eg::RTL:: EOIIVQIEQTAIES) hope to have, by the time as to whom the out-of-of- ’ the convention takes fice party will nominate as (WXLKIE RECEIVED THE NOMINATION) place . . . close to 90 per- . . . . 1944 N 0 CONVENTION HELD . its presidential candidate 1948 INCORRECT WITH VANDENBERG cent [of students] in- for the year’s election. (DEWEY RECEIVED THE NOMINATION) Volved in some way or Traditionally, Mock Con another.” ' has been a uniquely accu_ 1952 CORRECTWITH DwiGHT EisENHowER NOW he Says “I think . . 1956 CORRECT WITH ADLAI STEVENSON , rate predictor of the ulti- 1960 CORRECT J F KE we re well over 90 percent mate candidate, named Wm‘ OHN ' NNEDY at this point. There are .. - , 1964 CORRECT WITH BARRY G0LDwATER the nation s most accu- 1,660 student delegates, . ,, 1968 CORRECT WITHRICHARD Nix0N , . rate mock convention by and that doesn t include . . 1972 lNCoRREcr WITH EDWARD M. KENNEDV . United Press International (MCGOVERN RECEIVED THE NOMINATION) the 28 member steering in 1976. As the conven— 1976 CORRECT WITHJIMMY CARTER committee or the 55 state tion is usually held in andterritory chairmen. March before most ofthe 1980 CO CTWITH RONALD REAGAN Don’t let anyone fool ’ . 1984 CORRECT WITH WALTER MONDALE . . . state conventions, Mock you into thinking that C 1988 CORRECT wiTH MICHAEL DUKAKIS . on serves as a true pre- Mock Con is merelyatwo- dic-tor ofthe nominee, not §(?l§ll:l§g,:w'm]l:[LLI():LImoN day event on Jan. 28th merely a reflection ofwhat WITH OB OLE and 29th. The celebration is already commonly P known. The students’ desire to truly make Mock Con a predictor was reflected this year when they switched the date for Mock Con from March to January, in order to remain in the forefront of election predictions and notjust a stale repetition ofthe results of various other polls and primaries. To ensure a correct prediction, students conduct grassroots research at the state and local levels. Five regional coordinators supervise 55 state and territory chairmen, who are responsible for forming committees to contact officials and citizens of their respective ar- Parade full of floats, wrestlers and elephants, oh By Elianna Marziani FEA TURES EDITOR Coming soon to Lexington: skiiers, surfers, wrestlers, hula dancers, bagpipes, a mariachi band, and an African elephant. This could only be a Mock Con parade. For more than 20 years, the Mock Convention has ), sponsored a parade preceding the actual convention, and this year is no exception. Junior biology major Spencer Liles has been working for almost a year as Parade Chair- man to coordinate this Mock Convention’s parade, and _ from all accounts, the work will be evident in the event. Each delegation is required to submit a float in the _ parade, so there should be 55 floats representing the 50 ;_ states and five territories that have Votes in the primary. ‘ Each state was required to spend at least $85 on its float, I’ has been a year—long event to take hold ofthe student body and get it inter- ested and excited in the changes in national politics and its role in these changes. It began with the Spring Kick-off April 26-28 last year. Mock Con hosted a Presi- dential Issues Forum, a media panel made up of such notables as Howard Feinman, Bill Schneider, Jim Barnes, and Howard Cook, an address by Lamar Alexander, and in cooperation with the Student Ac- SEE ‘CONVENTION’ ON PAGE 4 but several delegations have gone above and beyond the minimum to ensure a wonderful representation of their state in the parade. The Minnesota delegation, led by sophomores Neely Baker and Alicia Brandt, is putting together a float made into a wrestling ring. They plan on having a World Wres- tling Federation theme. The wrestling ring float will carry people dressed up as wrestlers, staging a fight between Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura (an ex-professional wrestler) and Texas Republican hopeful George W. Bush, complete with a referee and announcer. There are 34 del- egates, and Brandt hopes that they will all show up to help build the float. The delegation is devoted to making their float great, and plans on spending about $200 on it. Liles said that the Washington, D.C. delegation is plan- ning, under the direction of juniors Liz Borges and Emily photo courtesy of Leybum Librarys Special Collection s The 1952 parade, which was held in April, featured a fire truck decorated with toilet paper. photo courtesy Ley burn Library Special Collections DELEGATES at the 1972 Democratic Mock Convention committed a rare error, and mistakenly nominated Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. George McGovern received the nomination. Ramey, on creating a humorous float based on Bill Clinton and his White House experiences, but he did not want to reveal all of their secrets. Other promising ideas include the Virginia delegation’s “Virginia is for lovers” theme, North Carolina’s Andy Griffith theme, the Utah delegation’s plan to drag snow skiiers behind them, and the Hawaii delegation’s trailing surfers. These delegations will compete with all the others for first, second and third place honors in the Most Humorous and Best Overall catego- ries; the judges will include president John Elrod and possibly Mimi Elrod, professor of accuonting ' Lyn Wheeler, and Brenda Hartless of the Co-op. Winners will receive trophies and recognition in the first session of Mock Convention on Friday mom- ing. The hour-long parade will begin Friday morning at 10:30 at Brewbaker Field, the Lexington public field be- hind the hospital. It will then curve onto Main Street, travel from Main Street to Washington Street, head west toward the W&L campus, and end on the Baker—Davis-Gilliam quad. The floats will then travel up to the Ruins to disassemble. While the floats appear to be quite promising, they are only one part of the parade. Liles has also secured a few horse groups to come in, includ- ing the Victorian Sidesaddle Society. The Lexington Fire Department is bringing a few engines to the parade, as well. Miss Virginia, Crystal Lewis, will be a guest of honor in the parade, riding in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Lexington. A SEE ‘PARADE’ ON PAGE 6 my! 425. r ' 7* * A; photo courtesy of Leybum Library Special Collections ’BAMA!: Members of the Alabama delegation get rowdy with the excitement of Mock Convention 1960. The Convention correctly predicted John F. Kennedy, Jr. as the Democratic Party’s nominee. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_004.2.txt PAGE 4 MOCK @112 ifiing-tum ifllri CON 2 O 0 0 Key Republican leaders to headline Mock Convention J.C. Watts, Jr. is currently serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Watts serves in the fourth highest—ranking Republican position in the U.S. House as House Republican Conference Chairman. As a demon- stration of his influence, Rep. Watts was selected to give the Republican Response to President Clinton’s 1997 State of the Union Address. Watts attended the University of Oklahoma where he after quarterbacking the Sooners to consecutive Big Eight Championships and Orange Bowl vic- tones. William J. Bennett is one of our nation’s most informed and well-respected advocates of education reform. While currently serving as a Co—Director for Empower America in Washington, DC, Dr. Bennett has served as Secretary of Education and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan and Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Bush. Gov. Frank Keating was reelected in 1998 and became only the second governor in Oklahoma history to win a second consecutive term. In 1985 he accepted appoint- ment as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and later served as Associate Attorney General. In 1990, he joined Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp as General Counsel and Acting Deputy HUD Secretary. .«.»:.. ‘- ’ Q‘ photo courtesy Ley burn Library Special Collections AMERICAN GOTHIC: The Nebraska float in 1968. Gov. Keating currently serves as Chairman of the Republi- can Governors’ Association and sits on the Executive Com- mittee of the National Governors’ Association. Congressman Bob Goodlatte is currently serving his fourth term as the Co-Chairrnan of the bipartisan Congres- sional Intemet Caucus and the Chairman of the House Republican High Technology Working Group. Goodlatte has been a leader in Congress on a number of Internet and high—tech issues including encryption, piracy prevention, anti—counterfeiting, online service provider and copyright liability, to name a few. Congressman Goodlatte also serves on the Judiciary Committee and the Agriculture Commit- tee. Jim Nicholson was re-elected to a second two-year tenn as Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman in Jan. 1999. During his first term, the RNC enjoyed record-break- ing fundraising success, and Nicholson emerged with a reputation for consensus building and focusing on the issues that unite all Republicans. Nicholson also served as the Colorado National Committeeman on the RNC for the past 12 years where he led from a variety of assign- ments including chairing the RNC’s Rules Committee, serv- ing on the budget committee, and representing the West- ern States as RNC Vice-Chainnan. As a small businessman 2:00 National Anthem 2:05 Invocation V 2: 10 Call for Convention 2:15 Credentials Committee Report 2:20 Rules Committee Report 2:25 Election of Permanent Chairmen -General -Personnel —Political 2:30 Opening Remarks -General Chair -Personnel Chair -Political Chair 2:45 Address from the University 2:55 Greetings from Lexington 3:20 Address 3:40 Address 4:05 Parade Award Winners 4:20 Benediction 4:25 Adjournment .4 5 3 :05 Address from the Advisory Board Mayor Bret Schundler (Jersey City, NJ) and veteran of Republican politics at the local, state, and national, Nicholson now serves in the Republican Party’s top leadership post. Sen. William E. Brock ‘53 has served in numerous public service capacities. He began his career as a repre- sentative for the third district ofTennessee (1963-1970) in the House of Representatives and then held one term as a senator from 1971 to 1976. Following these two positions, Brock was elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1977 to 1980 and served as a U.S. Trade Representative from 1981 to 1985. In addition, Sen. Brock acted as the Secretary of Labor from 1985-1987 under Presi- dent Reagan. Time magazine considers Mayor Bret Schundler one of America’s most promising young leaders. At the age of 33, Bret Schundler became the first Republican to be elected Mayor in Jersey City since the First World War. In 1997, he was re-elected in his second landslide victory to Jersey City’s longest serving mayor in 30 years: all in a city that was 65 percent minority, largely working—class, and only 6 percent Republican. Nationally, Mayor Schundler is best known as a leader in the fight for parental choice in educa- tion and as a defender of religious liberty. Reader ’s Digest, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Wash- ington Post, and Parade Magazine have all profiled Mayor Schundler. He has appeared on public affairs television programs ranging from “The Charlie Rose Show” to “This Week With David Brinkley.” Recognized as one of the United States’ most promi- nent figures of the 20th Century, Senator Bob Dole has a distinguished record of public service that continues to make a difference to Americans. As the Republican Presi- dential nominee in 1996, Dole offered himself to Americans as an honorable leader. Dole’s candidacy for the White House cemented his reputation as an honest, respected statesman who will long be considered one of the most powerful legislators of our times. President Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom as a tribute to his character and contributions to the nation. Senator Dole was also awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Of Dole as Senate Majority Leader, Ronald Reagan has said, “His title of Leader is not just a job title, it’s a description of the man.” President Bush called Senator Dole “a great Republican Leader, as great as any in the past.” Bob Dole is one of only 16 Ameri- cans to serve as Senate Majority Leader and his first stint in that position in the mid-1980s won praise nationwide. According to Congressional Quarterly, Senator Dole, “proved a point that badly needed proving at the time: the Senate could be led.” SCHEDULE or EVENTS Southern Comfort 9:10 Friday’s Keynote Address FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2000 SIMON H 10:30 am, Parade 7:15 PM Pre-Convention Entertainment, Wildgrass 7:30 Call to Order Dr. William F. Connelly, Jr. 51355.01»; 1 7:35 Invocation Rev. David Cox 1215 p.m. Pre-Convention entertainment Wildgrass 7340 TBA 1:45 p.m. Call to Order Dr. William F. Connelly, Jr. 8:00 Platform Address Chairman Jim Nicholson (RNC) 1:50 Presentation of Colors VMI Color Guard 3125 P1atf0l'm Commlttee ReP01T Heather Howard 1 :55 Pledge of Allegiance Capt. Robert Peniston 3330 Platf0ml Debate DaVld Dardis Representative J . C. Watts (R-OK) Rev. William Klein 9340 Belledleilml Carolyn Richardson 9:45 Adjournment David Dardis Malloy Evans Kirk Garrett SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2000 Kirk Garrett . SEssioN III 8:30 a.m. Pre-Convention Entertainment 9:00 Call to Order Dr. William F. Connelly, Jr. 9:05 Presentation of Colors VMI Color Guard Mark Schweppe 9:10 Pledge of Allegiance Brian Shaw Juliet Bickford 9: 15 National Anthem TBA David Dardis 9:20 Invocation Burr Datz president John w, Elmd 9:30 Opening Address Rep. Bob Goodlatte Mayor Buddy De;-rick 9:45 Address Secretary William Bennett Hon. William E. Brock Gov. Frank Keating (R-OK) 10:10 Keynote Address 10:40 Nominations for President —Roll Call of the States The Honorable Robert J. Dole Spencer Liles Nominations for Vice-President Rev. William Klein 12:40 pm apprx. Closing Juliet Bickford 12:45 apprx. Benediction Burr Datz Adjournment Mark Schweppe ‘CONVENTION’ FROM PAGE 3 tivities Board, Willie Nelson in concert. This year, students came together in pre—Mock Con excitement to enjoy the November Presidential Gala. This Friday, the Mock Con weekend itselfwill begin at 10:30 a.m., when floats representing all of the states will parade through the streets of Lexington, adding to the air of excitement surrounding the convention. The Convention will hopefully result in the seventh consecutive and 17th overall correct prediction ofthe presidential nominee, this time for the Republican party. W&L students have been correct in 16 of 21 at- tempts since 1908, when it was started. The first Mock Convention occurred in reaction to the great interest and excitement felt on campus when William Jennings Bryan visited. Students decided to hold a mock Demo- cratic convention, in which they elected Bryan as the democratic candidate —~ a vote that was then repeated at the Democratic National Convention, starting W&L off on its prestigious political prediction path. While some ofthe beginning conventions were clearly tainted by students’ own political views and passions (the 1908 convention has become notorious for a fight that started on the floorl), since 1952 the conventions have become much more research-intensive and hence much more accurate. Only one prediction since 1952 has been incorrect; in 1972, students chose Edward Kennedy rather than George McGovern. Some conventions have been tragic, such as the 1956 election in which former Vice President Alben Barkley of Kentucky collapsed dead on-stage after de- livering an exuberant and inspiring speech in the 90 degree convention weather. Others have been humorous, such as the 1972 con- vention when unknown Jimmy Carter, then governor of Georgia, came to deliver the keynote address but was abandoned by his press secretary Jody Powell who had instead joined some W&L students and alumni, andjoined them in playing pinball and drink- ing beer on Main Street during the speech. Some have been entertaining, such as the 1988 con- vention when then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton par- tied with the students at a fraternity house, playing his saxophone. Some have been downright amazing, such as the famed famed Mock Convention of 1924, in which stu- dents correctly chose W&L alumnus John W. Davis, someone who had not even declared candidacy. All have been memorable. If the time and energy put into it is any indication, this year’s will be no dif- ferent. photo courtesy of the Leybnin Library Special Collection ELEPHANTS 0N PARADE: The 1964 Mock Convention Parade walks down Washington Street. The Parade is one of the most anticipated parts of the convention, because it lets students show their delegation pride and also their levels of creativity in float design. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_005.2.txt I t CON 2000 _ The floor plan for Mock Con 2000 BLBCHERS (1250 SEATS) ~ Pl i3i‘———25——-"l|3|“‘—2°——’1 FILM MEDIA (16x8) ‘photo courtesy of the Leybrun Library Special Collection The members of the Puerto Rico delegation took things seriously and got into the island spirit in 1960. ” l+————35——————-H+—15—-L 35————+i |.____ V sTAGE&PoDIuM D D D U SC & TABULATION PRINT MEDIA =»:~:v (- .> photo courtesy of the Leybmn Library Special Collection ROCKEFELLER OR NIXON? A student gives a speech at the 1968 Mock Con. Mock Con gives many W&L students leadership opportunities, mainly because the whole school is involved in every organizational aspect of the convention. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_006.2.txt @112 ifling-tum lfihi MOCK PAGE 6 CON 2 O O O THE WATERING HOLE TmswHm:AgMa3Nba(C@qBma elephants running through your skull. Elephants may never forget, but drinking more than three of these might cause you to forget your name, age, how to tie your shoes and possibly gender. With this introduc- tion, you may be thinking that this beer would be as heavy as your Aunt Linda, but it is surpris- ingly pale. The combination could prove IMPORTED to be Once the brew emerges from ‘ 3 ‘ its rather stark and forbidding I] the weak side. After the first ’ bottle, it appears to be a bit on draught, however, it is readily apparent that this is not ajoke. .Even for larger individuals, who are well experienced with the darker sides of alcohol, this beer has a definite kick. Honestly, Imported El- ephant has bigger stones than the ma- jority ofthe Republican party. For fans of good head, you will not find it here even though this is a Danish brew. Despite the evident taste of hops, the beer is smooth with a strong finish. This is definitely a satisfying beer that eats like a meal. The 7.2 percent creeps up gradually leaving 7.2% Alcohol the consumer in a generally bY V°'Ume good mood after a relatively small (by W&L standards) amount. The paleness ofthis lager conceals its hearty body. Imported Elephant may not be the sexiest im- port on the market but it is well suited for the events of the upcoming week. This Carlsberg contender is well worth the price of $6.70 and is available at the Main Street Market. By Taylor Ruilova & Michael Crittenden BEER REVIEWERS In the spirit of the drunkenness that Mock Con- vention is said to entail, this week’s beer review took to task the challenge posed by one of Europe’s finest lagers, Carlsberg Imported Elephant beer. Named af- ter the imposing elephant statues on the Elephant Gate at C a r 1 s b e r g ’ s original brewery in Copenhagen, Den- mark, this is one of the most popular beers in the world. In England alone, over one million pints of Carlsberg are sold daily. That’s about 23 pints a second. Ob- viously the brewmasters at Carlsberg are doing something right. Not that I would question the_ Danes anyway, any country with women that beautiful I’ll tend to trust theirjudgment. Famous for the style and grace from designers such as Skagen, this well—crafted beer is like a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, though not an ugly duckling. Like the pachyderm on the label, this beer has the ability to run you over, kick you in the ass, and then stomp you on the chest. In fact, with an al- cohol content of 7.2 percent, a night of drinking Carlsberg will make you feel like you have a herd of An Orson Welles’ Adaptation of Shakespeare Feb- 4,5,7, ZOOO ' 8 p-I“n- Feb- 6, ° 2 p-n“i- Kellen” _|_hc,-altirle ' Lonfost C<~i1tcrI‘ "J.'.’. ‘..'..'>',!. Directed by J. D. Martinez .42-.» 131115.... K.— it zsfl. v-ace ski: :oat13§;:x:t:2.b 2.»... ‘efifiafli ,t.':2~_~.='m ‘-Zquccxg . ' ‘ '. . J. Si’-Id!" g ‘.-jl3‘.’;.«Ln..’.t‘~‘*,,§g,->=. to $tZ."('f3.7}T.‘, .'\*9$‘4 ‘ H ‘ . . _, _ 2.‘ 3 +3 ‘ 9" "“’ W .-_-.u_,g§_... -' l ' -" , ~'E5' : f:;1llr:':».‘n....i.*.3-"_,.."- ,l.*._‘fr.’~;-‘~'.~."“.5l‘-' . -‘w_5!‘.";-:m>l*1¢*«'.’."’/<‘I.\.s Freshman Kelli Austin led the women’s squad with two individual wins. Austin took first place in the 100 free (56.16) and 200 free (2:01 .94). Fel- low classmate Blair Huffman won the 100 fly with atime of 1 104.32. Exhaustion is still a factor for the Generals even though Saturday's meet was the only one for the week. “We are at the peak of our training right now in the season,” said Huffman. “We are having our hardest workouts now and everyone is very tired.” The Generals are hoping that inten- sity will pay off in the post season, which begins with the ODAC tourna- ment on Feb. 18. “The pace will slow down in a few weeks so that we can start resting. Everyone is still swimming very well , .consideringhow,tired.we are. The out- look [for ODAC tournament] is posi- , tive,” said Huffman. W&L continues its string of road contests on Sunday when it travels to Mary Washington for a tri-meet with the host Eagles and Rowan College. The meetwill begin at2:00 p.m. Na'turalIy,the c:.ourit.ry’s premiere leadership school ‘ offers only the latest in athietic equipment. V rm. Sure, we .\‘f'I‘(.'i'¥gih{.'}iV)’011P berg)‘. But we also strcn_i;‘t/1cn___yuur mind. T/1ut'.\' haw 1(‘t? go about building lmrlcrs‘. Shm(’n into ronjident, dcterrriined derision niukcrs. So. like to_1¢IImalor>lmtIIie equipment? Call I«.s'(m«i\iAax2~: es. Or mlcif at VyWW.MARINEO.FFICER.COM'. lAou’lIi love our new rope climb; Tlte Fem The Proud. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000124/WLURG39_RTP_20000124_008.2.txt PAGE 8 -8 ~a E” E B 70% faster tLAsT WORD JANUARY 24, 2000 Mock Con fever is making me ill By Kevin McManemin DYNAMTE VS. RADICAL HARRY “Everything is changing. People are taking the comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.” ' —Will Rogers The politicians aren’t the only ones lying these days. Chew on this quote from the W&L Mock Con brochure: In a decade when America's youth have been dubbed ”disengaged, ” "unmotivated, " and "apathetic," the Mock Convention of Washington and Lee University contradicts these gen- eralizations with its raucous realism and remarkable prediction rate. Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there, Skippy. Let’s not confuse Mock Con fever with real interest in politics —— if all Americans got a day off from work and a three-day drunken party for conventions, they’d be pretty friggin’ excited about politics too. Unfortunately, the simple fact is that Americans are by in large not very in- terested in democracy anymore, and our generation in particular is about as jaded, cynical and pessimistic as Janeane Garofalo on a three-day downer binge. According to the U.S. census office, only about 20 percent of those between the ages of 18-24 bothered to vote in the 1994 elections. Non-voters are the true largest politi- cal group in this country. So, what happened? I mean, de- mocracy won, right? The spectres of fascism and communism have been ex- orcised from the world, and American- style democracy rules the planet. Why did our generation start to find poli- tics about as interesting as a PBS pledge drive? Here are a few of the reasons: 1) The blandification of politics The extraordinary success rate of Mock Con predictions in the past couple of decades is not a sign that we’re doing more research than we used to — it’s a sign that American returning morality and accountability to the Of- fice of President a platform of compas- sionate conservativism family values a broad-based, grass- roots campaign partisan politics is gridlocking this country <|.I