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Kennedy's slump long overdue Maybe the Kennedy name is just losing its mystique. Or maybe the American people are wising up to the presidential candidate. Whatever the case, both are long overdue. KENNEDY'S WANING popularity has been especially felt in the last few weeks. In Illinois, Senator Edward Kennedy's downward spiral is the most visible. Illinois is where his brother, John F. Kennedy, achieved his 1960 victory, thanks to the votes provided by Chicago r>:~U i 1 A.. I ?l 'I ' > ....... mnjui iy 11.1 icti u . onict-' men, mere nas Deen ct special linK Deiwcen the Kennedys and Chicago. Not any more. The heirs of Daley don't even bother to hide their doubt with the Teddy Kennedy alliance. "He's in trouble," according to George Dunne, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and chairman of the Democratic organization. "And soare we." The endorsement Kennedy won earlier from Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne has also turned sour. Part of it is due to the Iran and Afghanistan crises, which have thrown over Kennedy's campaigning everywhere. The Chicago organization has a history of rallying behind embattling presidents during all controversial issues ? even the Vietnam War. LAST YVEKK in New Jersey, two women and a man were arrested for throwing eggs at the Massachusetts senator. The volley of eggs missed Kennedy and splattered on three Secret Service agents. The three were protesting the slaying of Communist Workers Party members in Greensboro, N.C. But the Communist Workers Party are by no means the only ones showing displeasure toward the presidential candidate. Another egg throwing scene occurred in Chicago (where else?) on Nov. 8. Demonstrators hit him with an egg but it bounced unbroken off his shoulder. Kennedy's showing in Iowa is also under a tone of pessimism and uncertainty. After nine weeks and 5,000 miles, Kennedy has crisscrossed the state looking for support. AFTER ALL that time i?nd mileage, it's still impossible to say how well (or how badly) he'll do. The polls aren't too encouraging. Part of the problem is Kennedy's toned-down speeches. He's gotten little reaction as a result. But probably more than anything else casting a shadow on Kennedy's campaign is new information on his account of the incident at Chappaquiddick. The accident that killed his female companion, Mary Jo Kopeehne more than a decade ago will continue to be a problem ? and a very heated issue in his campaign. Reports in February's Header's Digest have included a computer analysis by research engineers that confirmed Kennedy's car was driving recklessly < about '.M mph) when he plunged off the Dyke Bridge. KENNEDY TESTIFIED he was going about 20 mph, an account supported by^ie Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Registry's investigation and a study*conducted for Kennedy by the Arthur D. Little consulting firm. v Stephen*Smith, Kennedy's campaign manager and brother-in-law, criticized Reader's Digest for not giving the Kennedy staff a chance to review the allegations. The magazine claims the staff turned down an interview request. The Washington Star reportedly has assembled satellite photographs and other documents to show that the currents in a channel between Chappaquiddick and Martha's Vineyard, which Kennedy said he was unable to swim to rescue Kopechne, were not as the senator described mem. "The authoritative tidal study discloses that the current prevailing at the time was quite weak and was flowing southward," the Digest article stated. "Thus, the current would have carried Kennedy inland in a direction exactly opposite from what he reports." THE MOST shocking part of the entire Chappaquiddick incident has long been known. Kennedy left Kopechne submerged in his car for 10 hours before reporting the accident. Kennedy's presidential campaign staff has spent almost $10,000 on experts to challenge studies contending he lied about Chappaquiddick. Clearly, the evidence is not in Kennedy's favor. THE LAST THING the Kennedy campaign needs now is a new wave of reminders of Chappaquiddick. Or maybe, that's exactly what it needs. Qamscock Opinion f iiiiihii'ii 1 908 ~~ ~ ~ Ton. Tmv.s Eduoi iiithiH Lj(?tt@rs B,i...? n,.... ... - - v^opy lm.'sk duel . ,. r .1 >, t i The (iiimrcwk welcomes letters from its Mu hdi.'l (><if)Cltiu| News t(lilor ..... . readers All letters must be typewritten and B"Mt Sports Editor triple spaced on a 65-space line and should l>e a James Rokiis.iv Entertainment Editor . maximum of :rn words 1 lx'tters must be signed with the writer's Robert An.hi Graphics Editor correct name, telephone, mailing address. Jan..I Gibson Editorial Paye Editor I class standing and major Pseudonyms are ( unacceptable, hut the writer's name may be Cylinder Calvert Wire Eduor withheld by request if circumstances warrant Mark Piatt.- Assistant News Edito. We reserve the right to edit letters for space I and style Address letters to: Campus Opinion. Sieve Hidden Assistant Sports Editor The (iametoek. Drawer A. USC. Columbia. Carl Babtork Graduate Assistani S.C. 29208 Anthony Gray Advertising Manager Bill On,taw General Manage, CjOIU HI H S William Imsley Production Manager , In an 4" Advisl>1 ... v.iui. m increase reader input into ' " VIS<' future issues, the Gamecock offers a weekly guest column Newsroom /7//18I Columns must be limited to one newsworthy Advertising i)t 4249 subject and must be no more than four typed Busimkss OKii c ill ;j888 pages All columns must be typewritten and triple spaced on a 65 space line All facts must c . . , - be accurate. The editorial page editor bolt' n 'i>'oilu( lion rights (iranted to tin? ,, . .., . . . ? . l0 a.. . . . i reserves the right to reject any column for any Associated Press All other material contained . ' . . , , reason and edit lor space, content, style and herein m.iy not he reprinted without the r accuracv OeiinissiDii <>( ii?? ?'<ii"' I Columns must be signed with correct name. I Opinions expressed m the Gamecock are address, telephone, major and class standing I those, i? signer! of the writer and if unsigned. or faculty position. Address columns to: Guest I -of the stmK)'erfrtonaf stalf ! Column. The Gamecock. Drawer A. USC. \ y j Columbia. S.C 29208 i n - *?5KU?*r. /a/vft*i.L t??j?rv Letters ~ Greeks asset to USC and community To the Kdilor: I was extremely distressed by the distorted view of Greeks presented by Chris Fancher. Mr. Fancher's letter expresses a narrow, stereotypical view of a fraternity and sorority system, which in reality contributes a great deal to the success of this University. Greeks at Carolina comprise only 10 percent of the total undergraduate student population; however, they excel in all areas of student life and rrmtrihnto - ... .?utv ffnui tun (.unst'i vuuvt'iy uc cauea (i disproportionate share to the achievements of the University. As far as scholarship is concerned, Greeks set the pace for large student organizations. The average fraternity G.P.R. is 2.478 while the average of all non Greek men is 2.356. The averages of sororities and unaffiliated women compare much along the same lines. These averages have consistently demonstrated, that as a group, Greeks place considerable importance on academics. Greeks, both black and white, place a great deal of emphasis on leadership. Consequently, Greeks hold many leadership positions on pammic Thou ^1; : ? 1- ' a 11\*jf aa uivcisc in meir mieresis and strive to further the University as a whole through participation. In fact, if you check the rosters of all student organizations you will find Greeks in virtually every one of them. Greeks are also committed to community service. Last year alone, Greeks raised over $65,000 for various charities. This is in addition to the many dollars raised by Greeks for non-Greek programs, such as Carolina Cares, which is heavily supported by Greeks. Fraternities and sororities also make many non-monetary contributions to charity, such as blood drives for the Red Cross. As you can well see, Mr. Fancjher's comments are somewhat without foundation and likely the result of unfamiliarity with Carolina's outstanding Greek system. They are based on stereotypes which are not nnl<1 innnrra/iJ Kit* ? "? '' ' ** ~...j inwi a wtf uui uuviuusiy uie nrsi line oi aeiense for those who for some reason feel threatened by the success of a very deserving Greek system. Mr. Fancher's so called "Horseshoe Living Experience" may have instructed him the procedures for illegally consuming distilled spirits during football games, but it certainly seems that he has not gained a sense of objectivity from it or anything else. Maybe he should return to the University for four more years to learn the values of scholarship, leadership, teamwork and success which are perpetuated by Greeks. | Mike Montgomery sophomore accounting major I brother in Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity I Reader defends J. T.' To the Editor: reputation will likely weather the attack, I see no need to go into a I have considered Lehman Stiles detailed dpfpn?<? ?Kd A. I " m i 1 Horseshoe "integral part' of campus To the Kditor: This is in reply to all the Greeks who have been talUna crap about the Horseshoe because of Chris Fancher's letter. I'll tell you people once, so get it right. Don't mess with the "Shoe." We all have differing opinions about Greeks ? some worse than others. The Horseshoe is just as much an integral part of this University as the Greek organizations, only we don't sound off - - MWUUl l/UI CUII" tributions. Sure, Fancher made a few cheap shots about how Greeks dress, as if they all shop at the Greek uniform store, but the Horseshoe doesn't want to hear any further noise. So, all you offended Greeks, go back to vnnr nrivnfp srv?iAtv ? ? ? I ?J and let the Independents of the "Shoe" take care of their own. Richard Klein political science junior Horseshoe president I s 'Flos' o majority of Mr. Stiles' top 10). In the future, I hope to see more fine satire by Lehman Stiles. And 1 expect, with great confidence, to hear many additional excellent albums by "Sweet Baby James." L. Michael Mills GINT senior ui I.WV niuilV UI lilt; io ix3 a nne and entertaining writer artist. and reviewer for several years. I've especially enjoyed his "Let* xhe blanket implication that Hand column. Taylor's songwriting talent has been depleted is hard to swallow. I However, I feel the recent feel "Flag," like all James Taylor placement of the James Taylor albums, achieves a plateau of "Flag" album in his worst 10 of musical expertise, vocal sen1979 catecorv was orosslv w ? 0 j o.hyiiy, ctnu mematic and poetic Since no specific criticisms were insight which few other artists offered, and James Taylor's have reached (including the vast