By Andrea Ciurej
More people are using the Internet to find campaign information for this year’s election.
Fifty-nine percent of voters have sought out election content online or have accessed some type of online communication related to the 2008 campaign, according to data from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Nearly 24 percent of Americans say they regularly learn something about the campaign from an online video source, the report said, while 22 percent use social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook.
These numbers have almost doubled from the 2004 campaign.
Former broadcasting veteran Lee Terry Sr. said computers have changed the complexion of the 2008 election.
“Computers have really changed the dynamics of politics,” Terry Sr. said. “A heck of a lot more money is being spent.”
When Terry Sr. ran for Congress in 1976, Omaha news stations KMTV, KETV and WOWT were the primary sources of political information Terry Sr. also took advantage of the newsstands.
“I used to rely heavily on news stories,” he said. “It hammers away at voters.”
Terry Sr. also utilized door-to-door campaigning during election season. Lee Terry Jr., Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District Republican candidate, has followed through with the door-to-door campaigning strategy.
The younger Terry has also conducted a new telephone town hall campaigning method, in which participants get a chance to discuss campaign issues with the candidate. Nearly 800 potential voters have participated.
“He likes to be more one on one,” the elder Terry said of his son.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Special ballots ensure no absence of senior voters
By Andrea Barbe
Erdice Yearley, 81, still gets around fine with the help of her walker, but she’s never been one to be held back from her civic duty. This year’s presidential election will be no different.
“I’ve voted in every election since Eisenhower,” Yearley said. “I don’t plan on stopping now.”
Like many senior voters, Yearley’s health has been on the decline within the last few years, but that’s not deterring her this November.
Yearley, who worked as a gerontology professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for almost a decade, is exploring different options for voting this year. Typically, she’s gotten in her car and driven to her designated polling station. This year she’s opted for filling out an absentee ballot so she doesn’t have to worry about standing in line for hours.
“It’s just easier for me to not deal with the hassle but still get my voice heard,” Yearley said. “But I’ve been hospitalized a few times recently so it’s nice to know that other options are out there for people like me to vote.”
Cathy Lucas, Yearley’s daughter, was concerned about her mother’s voting options as well as her own.
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“I’m a senior too, and I got a letter in the mail saying that I can now vote by mail,” Lucas said. “I think that’s really improved over time.”
Lucas retired in 2003 after working for the VA hospital in Lincoln before it closed. She was a social worker for 23 years and remembers helping hospital patients with their voting ballots.
“That was my main job…walking around doing the absentee ballot,” Lucas said. “That was part of our job as a social worker. The social workers at nursing homes would do that as part of their job, too. They need to prepare the absentee ballots for those that are interested.”
But she doesn’t remember the absentee ballots being a popular choice for seniors in the VA hospital.
“Sometimes we didn’t have a lot of residents, so, during election season, we’d have somewhere in between 20 to 40 absentee ballots. It wasn’t that much then,” Lucas said. “The number of people who have voted over time has increased now and has been increasing lately. There were probably fewer than 100 residents in our hospital, so only a quarter or so would vote.”
For years now, the state of Nebraska has been trying to make voting more convenient and accessible for seniors.
“Our early voting options are always popular,” said Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps. “Nebraska law allows for curbside voting so that if a person can’t get inside the building, somebody could go in and let them know that there is someone outside waiting to vote.”
“We would actually take the voting experience to them,” Phipps said. “Not a lot of people take advantage of that, but it’s something that we do offer.”
In Douglas County alone, there are 46,480 registered senior voters, Phipps said. In 2004, 38,740 seniors voted in the primary elections.
"I would say that seniors are probably the highest demographic,” Phipps said. “Nationally, if you look at voting numbers, that crowd comes out in greater numbers. As age groups get younger, the voting percentages tend to drop off. We’re trying to curb that.”
Lucas said major changes still need to be made in senior voting procedures.
“I think they could make sure that every individual in a nursing home, hospital or senior housing center has voted by knocking on their door and letting them know that if they need some help to vote, there is someone available,” Lucas said. “Officials need to help them if they need it. Their votes are just as important as everyone else’s vote.”
Erdice Yearley, 81, still gets around fine with the help of her walker, but she’s never been one to be held back from her civic duty. This year’s presidential election will be no different.
“I’ve voted in every election since Eisenhower,” Yearley said. “I don’t plan on stopping now.”
Like many senior voters, Yearley’s health has been on the decline within the last few years, but that’s not deterring her this November.
Yearley, who worked as a gerontology professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for almost a decade, is exploring different options for voting this year. Typically, she’s gotten in her car and driven to her designated polling station. This year she’s opted for filling out an absentee ballot so she doesn’t have to worry about standing in line for hours.
“It’s just easier for me to not deal with the hassle but still get my voice heard,” Yearley said. “But I’ve been hospitalized a few times recently so it’s nice to know that other options are out there for people like me to vote.”
Cathy Lucas, Yearley’s daughter, was concerned about her mother’s voting options as well as her own.
|
“I’m a senior too, and I got a letter in the mail saying that I can now vote by mail,” Lucas said. “I think that’s really improved over time.”
Lucas retired in 2003 after working for the VA hospital in Lincoln before it closed. She was a social worker for 23 years and remembers helping hospital patients with their voting ballots.
“That was my main job…walking around doing the absentee ballot,” Lucas said. “That was part of our job as a social worker. The social workers at nursing homes would do that as part of their job, too. They need to prepare the absentee ballots for those that are interested.”
But she doesn’t remember the absentee ballots being a popular choice for seniors in the VA hospital.
“Sometimes we didn’t have a lot of residents, so, during election season, we’d have somewhere in between 20 to 40 absentee ballots. It wasn’t that much then,” Lucas said. “The number of people who have voted over time has increased now and has been increasing lately. There were probably fewer than 100 residents in our hospital, so only a quarter or so would vote.”
For years now, the state of Nebraska has been trying to make voting more convenient and accessible for seniors.
“Our early voting options are always popular,” said Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps. “Nebraska law allows for curbside voting so that if a person can’t get inside the building, somebody could go in and let them know that there is someone outside waiting to vote.”
“We would actually take the voting experience to them,” Phipps said. “Not a lot of people take advantage of that, but it’s something that we do offer.”
In Douglas County alone, there are 46,480 registered senior voters, Phipps said. In 2004, 38,740 seniors voted in the primary elections.
"I would say that seniors are probably the highest demographic,” Phipps said. “Nationally, if you look at voting numbers, that crowd comes out in greater numbers. As age groups get younger, the voting percentages tend to drop off. We’re trying to curb that.”
Lucas said major changes still need to be made in senior voting procedures.
“I think they could make sure that every individual in a nursing home, hospital or senior housing center has voted by knocking on their door and letting them know that if they need some help to vote, there is someone available,” Lucas said. “Officials need to help them if they need it. Their votes are just as important as everyone else’s vote.”
Gender still an issue in historic race
By Melissa Anderson
The 2008 election has made history in numerous ways – a woman ran for the Democratic presidential nomination against a black man, and a woman was selected as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
What has not been historical is the unequal treatment of women in this election season.
Palin has made headlines across the nation, she has been mimicked on “Saturday Night Live,” her head has been cut and pasted onto other women’s bodies and her family values have been attacked. These are merely a few examples of controversial gender
treatment in this presidential election.
“I think a lot of people thought the women who supported Hillary would support McCain and that didn’t happen,” said Dr. Barbara Pickering, associate professor and graduate chair of the School of Communication at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Pickering has studied political rhetoric since she was an undergraduate and has written a number of research articles about gender and politics.
“Professional women are often evaluated based on their appearance,” Pickering said. Their hair, clothing and physical features are often taken into account. At one point, Hilary Clinton was the highlight of political news, not for her policies, but for her pantsuits and lack of skirts. These critiques on women are prevalent in the professional world – an environment where they should be left out, Pickering said.
The images of Palin’s head superimposed on other women’s bikini-clad bodies have appeared on Internet sites, e-mails and text messages.
Shari Boroviak, a Council Bluffs family consultant and remedial specialist, said Americans have viewed Palin more sexually than seriously.
Stories addressing Palin’s gender have hit the front page of papers across the country throughout this election, leaving some wondering if the country is ready for a female vice president.
“Sarah Palin is not the first,” said Eric Buske, a political science major at UNO.
He points out that Hillary Clinton was the first serious female candidate for president and “10 years ago that would be surprising.” He also said in 1984 the Democratic ticket included a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, as the vice presidential candidate.
Buske said women have held or run for almost every governmental position, including Supreme Court justice, secretary of state, attorney general and speaker of the house, which should have created some equality. Yet the media have focused greatly on Palin’s gender, creating an unequal gender balance in this election.
“A woman candidate’s success depends on her character, motivation, experience and competency - the same characteristics that apply to a man,” said Helen Boosalis, a former mayor of Lincoln and the 1986 Democratic nominee for governor, in a guest essay in USA Today on May 20, 1986. “Women will truly have achieved equality when a victorious woman candidate is no longer news.”
These criteria should be applied every election year for candidates on every level, said Beth Boosalis-Davis, Boosalis’ daughter.
Although many voters are excited to see a woman contending for a high-level political seat, many have voiced their concerns about Palin as a politician, and not because of her gender.
“It does not appear that she is well-informed,” Boroviak said. “Sometimes she attempts to be sarcastic in inappropriate situations.”
Many people have started paying more attention to this election than past elections because of the controversies surrounding Palin’s entry.
“The media has focused on her daughter and family life,” Buske said.
Pickering also said she noticed the concerns raised by the media about Palin becoming the next vice president.
“I have a great deal of respect for the things she’s accomplished as a mayor and the governor of Alaska,” Pickering said, “though the amount of experience is somewhat limited.”
Pickering said people will look at Palin’s credentials and experience to make an assessment of how she will be as a vice president.
“If you look at the women who have been in the House of Representatives and the Senate in the last 10 to 15 years, a lot of those women have been able to work across party lines,” Pickering said.
She said these women have developed social networks as women who are not connected to a particular party and have successfully gone through the process of fitting in to a culture dominated by men.
“If people do not expect more serious female candidates, they should start,” Buske said.
The 2008 election has made history in numerous ways – a woman ran for the Democratic presidential nomination against a black man, and a woman was selected as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
What has not been historical is the unequal treatment of women in this election season.
Palin has made headlines across the nation, she has been mimicked on “Saturday Night Live,” her head has been cut and pasted onto other women’s bodies and her family values have been attacked. These are merely a few examples of controversial gender
treatment in this presidential election.
“I think a lot of people thought the women who supported Hillary would support McCain and that didn’t happen,” said Dr. Barbara Pickering, associate professor and graduate chair of the School of Communication at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Pickering has studied political rhetoric since she was an undergraduate and has written a number of research articles about gender and politics.
“Professional women are often evaluated based on their appearance,” Pickering said. Their hair, clothing and physical features are often taken into account. At one point, Hilary Clinton was the highlight of political news, not for her policies, but for her pantsuits and lack of skirts. These critiques on women are prevalent in the professional world – an environment where they should be left out, Pickering said.
The images of Palin’s head superimposed on other women’s bikini-clad bodies have appeared on Internet sites, e-mails and text messages.
Shari Boroviak, a Council Bluffs family consultant and remedial specialist, said Americans have viewed Palin more sexually than seriously.
Stories addressing Palin’s gender have hit the front page of papers across the country throughout this election, leaving some wondering if the country is ready for a female vice president.
“Sarah Palin is not the first,” said Eric Buske, a political science major at UNO.
He points out that Hillary Clinton was the first serious female candidate for president and “10 years ago that would be surprising.” He also said in 1984 the Democratic ticket included a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, as the vice presidential candidate.
Buske said women have held or run for almost every governmental position, including Supreme Court justice, secretary of state, attorney general and speaker of the house, which should have created some equality. Yet the media have focused greatly on Palin’s gender, creating an unequal gender balance in this election.
“A woman candidate’s success depends on her character, motivation, experience and competency - the same characteristics that apply to a man,” said Helen Boosalis, a former mayor of Lincoln and the 1986 Democratic nominee for governor, in a guest essay in USA Today on May 20, 1986. “Women will truly have achieved equality when a victorious woman candidate is no longer news.”
These criteria should be applied every election year for candidates on every level, said Beth Boosalis-Davis, Boosalis’ daughter.
Although many voters are excited to see a woman contending for a high-level political seat, many have voiced their concerns about Palin as a politician, and not because of her gender.
“It does not appear that she is well-informed,” Boroviak said. “Sometimes she attempts to be sarcastic in inappropriate situations.”
Many people have started paying more attention to this election than past elections because of the controversies surrounding Palin’s entry.
“The media has focused on her daughter and family life,” Buske said.
Pickering also said she noticed the concerns raised by the media about Palin becoming the next vice president.
“I have a great deal of respect for the things she’s accomplished as a mayor and the governor of Alaska,” Pickering said, “though the amount of experience is somewhat limited.”
Pickering said people will look at Palin’s credentials and experience to make an assessment of how she will be as a vice president.
“If you look at the women who have been in the House of Representatives and the Senate in the last 10 to 15 years, a lot of those women have been able to work across party lines,” Pickering said.
She said these women have developed social networks as women who are not connected to a particular party and have successfully gone through the process of fitting in to a culture dominated by men.
“If people do not expect more serious female candidates, they should start,” Buske said.
Entertaining debates reinforce voter opinions
By Ben Bohall
(This column represents the views of the author and not the views of the UNO School of Communication.)
With all the fuss over the presidential and vice presidential debates this election season, some people ask whether it makes a difference now or whether it's simply much ado about nothing. To answer this question, consider history.
When someone thinks back to many of the nation's televised presidential/vice presidential debates, an entire slue of allegations, witty come-backs and wonderfully awkward moments come to mind. Remember Richard Nixon, sans makeup, sweating bullets during a debate with John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan continually calling Jimmy Carter out on what could be perceived as a crumbling administration.
And, of course, the all-too-famous remarks of Democratic vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen to Republican vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle. "I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy," he said.
No matter what side of the aisle you're on, these jabs are still entertaining. But can they change the tide of an election?
Over the course of all 13 televised presidential debates since 1988, the effects on viewers have been slim. A study conducted by Tom Holbrook, a professor of political science at the
So, are candidates able to influence or change how someone may vote?
"These debates tend to reinforce positions people already have and provides more insight into their chosen candidate," said Lynnette Leonard, a professor of communication at UNO.
Leonard said many viewers perceive a debate with the same feeling they have during a candidate's stump speech. Most people watching have already made up their minds, one way or another. It's possible for a debate to change a person's opinion of a candidate.
"The way a candidate behaves in a debate can be important, what they say or do will play to different stereotypes," Leonard said. Sarah Palin's "folksy" demeanor appealed to her base. Still, Leonard said others may think "you can't wink your way to the White House."
It’s the economy, stupid
By Todd Hansen
The economic crisis
During former President Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, political strategist James Carville coined the term “it’s the economy, stupid.” In this year’s election, both candidates and supporters say a change to the economy is needed.
“The next president will have to set his agenda early and get the wounds of the past administration healed,” said Papillion voter Tom Reber. “Politicians were pandering to big business, which caused our economic collapse.”
CNN recently ran a segment that aimed to determine who is to blame for the economic crisis. The report mentioned Texas Sen. Phill Gramm’s efforts to pass the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act in 1999, which allowed commercial and investment banks to consolidate.
Dr. Janet West, an economics professor at UNO, said the act resulted in companies becoming “too big to fail” and forced the government to bailout these companies in recent months.
“We need to get banks loosened up to be able to make loans to small businesses,” West said.
West said these types of institutions are all interconnected, but she was unclear as to whether
West said the most pressing economic issue, though, is the ability for the nation’s children to go to college and reach their potential.
“Kids need enough financial security to be able to go to college,” West said. “That would benefit our economy long term.”
Starbucks' sweet deal for voters
By: Amber McCaskill and Lindsay McFeely
Starbucks is offering a sweet incentive to voters today around the
Coffee lover Sean Caelehan (left) and Starbucksbarista Julian Gise (right) pose with coffee in hand as
customers at 114th and Dodge St. take advantage of Starbucks' free coffee
for voters promotion. The promotion rewarded those
that took the time to vote this election day.
Julian Gise, a local barista at a Starbucks in
Starbucks is not alone in the idea of voter advertising. Several companies around the country are also offering voter incentive programs, including Chic-fil-A, Krispy Kreme and Ben & Jerry's.
The idea is to not only get people to vote, but also to let the country know that Starbucks is showing their patriotic support, Gise said. "We like to think we're helping out," Gise said, as he filled up another tall cup of Starbucks' house brew for the line of drive-thru customers.
Sean Caelehan, a local customer who arrived at the Starbucks for this very incentive, heard about the offer on the local news today. When asked if he regularly frequents Starbucks, "When the coffee's free, I do," he said
Voters can continue to stop by Starbucks until close today for their free cup of coffee.
Nebraska doesn’t need affirmative action meddlers
By Mark Reagan
(This column represents of the writer and does not represent the views of the UNO School of Communication.)
One day, there was a state. This state decided it wasn’t sure about one law it had passed. This state thought about it, and one man in that state made removing this law from his state his crusade. He was successful and removed this law from his state.
But there were still other states. All of these states had similar laws. Some people of those states liked the law, and some other people in those states didn’t like the law. So is life.
The man from
The Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, Proposition 424, would “prohibit the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education or public contracting.” This language is taken from Nebraskans United Web site and Connerly’s Web site for the American Civil Rights Institute, of which, he is president.
I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this argument and picking a side. Affirmative action is far from a black-and-white issue. It’s true that affirmative action seeks to obtain diversity in workplaces and on college campuses, but in some cases, affirmative action allows people with higher qualifications to be passed over for a job or college in the name of retaining diversity. Sometimes this is fair, and sometimes it’s not, but this is how the world works.
The best way to look at Connerly’s argument is that he thinks the affirmative action laws are outdated and reaffirm minorities’ status as second-class citizens. Opponents, like Nebraskans United, think the affirmative action laws are functional and should be retained.
I would agree that sometimes affirmative action is out of touch and unfair. I would also agree that sometimes affirmative action is necessary. This would lead the logical mind to think that it’s not time to get rid of affirmative action.
What does this mean for the
Basically, it means that women and minorities would not be able to receive scholarships based on their minority status. The playing field would be equal. But would it?
I am particularly concerned with the case of women. Very few women work in the sciences. The field is still male-dominated. By getting rid of affirmative action, women interested in the sciences would not be eligible for a scholarship based on their minority status as women. The playing field would be equal for everyone else but perhaps not women.
Is
To get rid of affirmative action is to assume that our society is completely equal and that everyone has the same opportunities. It’s a mistake to assume this because our country is not completely equal. Our country is not completely fair. Nothing is.
Affirmative action seeks to combat discrimination. Humans discriminate, and they always will. Offering scholarships to minorities and women is a good thing. Many minorities live in a lower economic bracket. Affirmative action offers opportunities to people who might not otherwise have them.
Affirmative action also seeks to retain diversity. Diversity is necessary for universities and workplaces. People deserve to have opportunities they might not otherwise have. Affirmative action gets many poor minorities noticed in the piles of paperwork in financial aid offices. This is good.
Connerly is seeking to change
Why is a Californian advocating for a change in
No, we don’t.
High School Students Comment On Election
The North Omaha Media Alliance (NOMA), which is made up of high school students and their advisers, observed the historic election and offered comments to The Omaha News.
NOMA ParticipantsObservations and commentary: Girls Inc. of Omaha
"Tonight is the night that we make history in theUnited States
"Today has been a very exciting day. All day I have sported my Obama shirt. Everywhere I looked I saw kids with their Obama shirts. Today will be a flashbulb memory, a memory you will remember for your whole life. One day I will tell my grandchildren about this day. Watching the results on T.V. is very frustrating. All the results either haven’t been reported or are too close to call. Who will be the next president????" -- Denai, 15
BellevueEast High School
"Today is a somewhat important day inAmerica
"This night is very heart pounding. This election will change the lives of many including other future generations. At this moment, as I type, it is too early to tell on the future president of my country. If Barack Obama wins then I will be completely astonished and satisfied with our government. If John McCain wins then it will be a total OBAMAnation to all. Whoever leads us I wish them to apply peace and prosperity to our country. Obamaha , Nebraska" --
"Tonight is a night that I will never forget, in my heart I pray that Obama wins. No matter what happens history will be made. If Obama wins he will be the first African-American President. If John McCain wins he would be known asAmericas
"Tonight is a night that I will never forget, in my heart I pray that Obama wins. No matter what happens history will be made. If Obama wins he will be the first African-American President. If John McCain wins he would be known as
"Tonight is the night that we make history in the
"Today has been a very exciting day. All day I have sported my Obama shirt. Everywhere I looked I saw kids with their Obama shirts. Today will be a flashbulb memory, a memory you will remember for your whole life. One day I will tell my grandchildren about this day. Watching the results on T.V. is very frustrating. All the results either haven’t been reported or are too close to call. Who will be the next president????" -- Denai, 15
Bellevue
"Today is a somewhat important day in
Ayers speech announcement stirs controversy
A political controversy exploded around an announcement Oct. 17 that former political activist William Ayers would give a keynote address at a UNL research conference in November.
The university canceled Ayers’ speech the next evening after officials cited safety concerns.
The university’s threat assessment group monitored e-mails and other information UNL received regarding Ayers’ scheduled Nov. 15 visit and identified safety concerns, which resulted in the university canceling the event, according to a UNL news release.
Ayers, a distinguished professor of curriculum and an instructor at the
In the late 1960s and early ‘70s, Ayers belonged to the radical anti-war group Weather Underground, which advocated violence and placed bombs at the Pentagon and the Capitol. This election season, Ayers has been the subject of controversy because of his alleged association with presidential candidate Barack Obama.
During the final presidential debate, Republican nominee John McCain demanded to know the extent of the relationship between Obama and Ayers.
Obama explained his relationship with Ayers was slight. “Mr. Ayers is not involved in my campaign. He has never been involved in this campaign,” Obama said. “And he will not advise me in the White House. So that’s Mr. Ayers.”
Ayers’ visit was for scholarly research only, not politics, UNL Dean Marjorie Kostelnik said in a statement. No state money was going to be used for the private lecture and no students or faculty were going to be required to attend.
“The controversy that has erupted during the election is unfortunate but it is not part of what he is asked here to Nebraska to discuss,” Kostelnik said. “Ayers was selected for the lecture in February by a faculty committee because of his expertise in research related to small schools and urban education.”
UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said in an e-mail to students Oct. 20 he would resign before accepting an order from the Board of Regents or NU President James B. Milliken to cancel Ayers’ visit. Perlman said that he, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Barbara Couture and Kostelnik made the decision together.
“The outrage by many Nebraskans was understandable, but I think unfortunate to the extent it led them to seek to prevent him from coming,” Perlman said. “Most alarming, however, were some responses that were threatening to the security of the campus. As many of you know, we have faculty on this campus who specialize in assessing the level of threat in any situation, and they informed me by e-mail in China that the tone and tenor of the e-mails, the phone calls and the blogs suggested that the reaction to any Ayers’ visit would represent a significant threat to the safety of the campus.”
Perlman added that the Ayers’ visit would have created a “three-ring circus” out of the student research conference, which would have prevented the university from taking advantage of his expertise.
Milliken did, however, reaffirm UNL’s commitment to free expression on campus.
“As uncomfortable as this experience has been, it serves as an important reminder that universities are founded on, and owe their success to, the principle of open exchange of ideas, free from political or popular pressure,” Milliken said in an op-ed piece distributed to media. “Free expression is a foundation of our democracy itself, which depends on more speech, not less, to inform thoughtful decisions. And this principle is tested most strenuously when the speech is most objectionable.”
Reaction to the Ayers speech announcement at UNO’s campus was generally muted.
Robert Franklin, general manager of KVNO Classical 90.7, said the radio station had received one phone call from a listener upset about the Ayers controversy. Steve Field, associate director of athletic media relations, said he had not heard of any Maverick season ticket holders who had called in.
There was still some cause for concern that the announcement would have had an impact on UNO. In a guest editorial in the Omaha World-Herald on Oct. 17, Regent Randy Ferlic called on university supporters to withhold money from the university to respond to the Ayers announcement.
“The invitation of William Ayers to be the keynote speaker at the Nov. 15 centennial celebration of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences violates all sensibilities and speaks volumes about the arrogance of University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman and the UNL education faculty,” Ferlic said. “There are several ways to protest, but the most effective is a financial moratorium on tax dollars and donations.”
The World-Herald also reported on its Web site Friday that the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation would “halt all future contributions to the university” if Ayers was not un-invited to speak at the conference. A call to foundation president Neely Kountze was not answered on Oct. 17.
The Hitchock Foundation has contributed money to UNO in the past. One of the foundation’s donations to UNO was in 2005 to help refurbish the Mallory Kountze Planetarium in the Durham Science Center, according to The Gateway’s archives. The Physics Department was unable to immediately provide information on the size of the foundation’s contribution on the afternoon of Oct. 17.
UNO Television’s Web site also lists the foundation as a supporter of its documentaries “Omaha Since World War II: The Changing Face of the City” (2004), “Westward the Empire:
Several prominent Nebraskans issued statements condemning the decision to invite Ayers in the first place. Among those criticizing the invitation were Milliken, Gov. Dave Heineman, Sen. Ben Nelson, Rep. Lee Terry and Attorney General Jon Bruning.
(McClatchy-Tribune Information Services contributed to this report. Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in The Gateway on Oct. 24.)
Afghan and Iraqi wars to challenge next president
By Todd Hansen
The wars in
Papillion resident Mark Noziska, 23, a member of the U.S. Army, said the war is an issue that matters to him. “Things are going well in
Voter Tom Reber, 47, said “We need to use diplomacy, and we need to respect other countries.”
Both said honesty was a trait the next president will need in dealing with foreign countries.
The war could be the biggest difference among the candidates. Barack Obama has opposed the war from the start, citing the lack of an exit strategy. The troops have been in
While Saddam Hussein’s reign ended a month after the
In 2007, John McCain supported a troop surge that he said would help
Andy Leblanc, 21, of Papillion shared Noziska’s feelings that the troops need to finish the job in
Gen. David Petraeus said while the violence in Iraq since the surge has reduced significantly, the improvements were “fragile” and “reversible.”
The next president will also be dealing with the still at-large Osama bin Laden, whose terrorist group Al-Qaeda was believed to be responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. Both candidates have said they would go after Bin Laden, who is thought to be in the Afghan countryside.
I’d have a beer with him
By Mike Wunder
(This column represents the views of the author and not the views of the UNO School of Communication.)
As I exited my polling place this morning, one question began chipping away at my pride in having completed my civic duty as a proud American citizen. Well, I suppose I had two questions, but I think it’s impossible to understand how the portly man in the Jim Esch shirt maintained such a virile mustache.
No, what was gnawing away at my content was my motivation for voting the way I did. I’m not talking about why I chose to write in Chuck Berry for every race I deemed unimportant. I know why I did that: I’m an immature little punk. I also voted not to retain any judges for the same reason.
No, what bothered me was why I towed the party line in the presidential, congressional and senatorial races. I voted Democratic in all three elections, and now I feel like a mindless oaf thoughtlessly throwing away votes.
You see, I’ve convinced myself I’m informed, intelligent and responsible. Of course, I would vote insightfully, based on factual information and rational thought. But after voting, I’m not so sure I did just that.
I could have voted for Barack Obama for many different reasons. Maybe I thought his policies on tax reform were amazing, maybe I was rebelling against my right-wing parents or maybe I was doing it to be cool. Who knows? Maybe, deep down, I voted for Barack Obama only because he has an interesting name.
Conservative voters catch a lot of heat because a majority vote for the candidate they’d most like to “have a beer with.” Honestly, I don’t think they deserve all the agitation. People like to vote for the candidate they identify with most. For a lot of conservative voters, it’s the folksy, no-bull candidate who wins their vote.
Liberals shouldn’t get on their high horses and look down upon those who cast their votes this way. After much thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that liberals vote the same way — only the criteria are different.
Where conservatives want the everyman, most liberals want an intelligent, eloquent candidate. A candidate who’s a thinker and goes against the grain. Fighting the man and working for the little guy.
It’s a dream every liberal thinker entertains. Fighting for the little guy. Making the world a better place. Not being afraid to go against the norm. That’s the image of the liberal.
I’m asking myself now, did I vote the way I did because I’m informed or because I like Obama’s image?
I know why I voted the way I did. Obama’s sappy, hope-ridden message appealed to my inner idealist. And I'm sure my fellow Obama supporters, despite how much they love to stroke their egos by spouting useless political jargon, voted the way they did for the same reasons.
A vote for Obama gives me the chance to live vicariously through him. Now I can fight for the little guy. Now I can make the world a better place. All because I voted for Obama.
You see, I voted for Obama because I like the way he presents himself -- not because I understand his policies. My vote was no more informed than the soccer mom who votes McCain because Sarah Palin understands “normal people like her.”
Maybe that’s what can bring Americans together in these troubling times: Our overall lack of knowledge regarding the way our country works.
Mid-town voters brave long lines
By Jesse Kuhnle
Long voting lines snaked down the sidewalk as voters waited up to an hour and a half at the A.V. Sorenson Library in mid-town
The historic nature of this election undoubtedly had an effect on the high numbers of voter turnout. The fact that, after this election,
“I am super excited,” said Sharon Stoolman, a 36-year-old pediatrician. “What matters most was that people got interested and finally we have a turnout.”
Kim Carpenter, a 41-year-old writer could feel the strong emotions running through the line of voters.
“I actually got a little choked up,” Carpenter said. “All the people talking, it was pretty momentous. I was casting my ballot and I really did get choked up.”
Stoolman and Carpenter, both supporters of Democrat Barack Obama, cited issues such as health care, improving America’s status internationally and “social justice.”
“I may be affected and have to pay more taxes,” Stoolman said. “But it doesn’t feel like me paying less taxes is more important than people who need help, getting help.”
Chris Snyder, a 27-year-old regional market director, said he hopes that voters are basing their votes on the issues, and not on race or gender.
“I just hope that people are making votes on the accurate issues,”
Snyder said. “I hope they’re taking a look and actually voting for the candidate that supports the issues they support, and not voting just for female or African-American.”
Snyder called taxes one of the most important issues to him, and waited just about an hour to cast his vote for Republican John McCain. Even though McCain seems to be the underdog, Snyder remained hopeful the night would end positively for the republican.
Lines were at a virtual standstill between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. as voters waited patiently in the autumn sunshine. Lines began to inch forward after 2:30 p.m., as voters continued to flock.
The long lines did not appear to discourage new voters either.
“I just want to be able to choose this time,” said Sandy Martucaho, who did not vote in 2004, but braved the long lines today. “I want to voice my opinion.”
James Nelson also didn’t vote in 2004, due to being absent from his district. For Nelson, issues such as the economy and health care, make this election more important to vote for. These specific issues led him to cast his ballot for Obama. Nelson said he likes that Obama is giving money back to the middle-class people, instead of “the old republican way of giving to the bigger corporations”
Developing Coverage
OMAHA, Neb -- UNO bloggers are returning to the election night newsroom with voter stories.
Tthe North Omaha Media Alliance (NOMA), which includes Girls Inc. high school students, is on campus tonight watching election returns.
Voter turnout was heavy in Omaha today. Lines were reported early this morning, but few problems have been reported.
Scenes Around Omaha
Willie Hamilton and Faith Smith use their sign and megaphoneto urge motorists to honk for Barack Obama.
(Photo by Kirby J. Kaufman)
Traffic horns blare in support of Barack Obama at the congested intersection of 30th and Ames Streets.
(Photo by Kirby J. Kaufman)
Janice Foster holds her Barack Obama
campaign sign proudly, showing her support.
(Photo by Kirby J. Kaufman)
campaign sign proudly, showing her support.
(Photo by Kirby J. Kaufman)
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