The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 05, 1982, Image 1
GAME COCK
LXXIV, No. 104 University of South Carolina Monday April 5, 1982
Liddy Con
By SUSAN MUIR
Staff Writer
Winning an argument with G. Gordon Liddy is practically
impossible.
Liddy, an ingenious persuasive speaker, spoke for nearly
three hours Thursday night in the Russell House Ballroom,
centering his lecture around illusion.
According to Liddy, America is living an illusion concerning
the world and its own strength. When Liddy
finished condemning the U.S. armed forces by citing
degrading statistics and alarming Soviet Union capabilities,
the U.S. Army sounded like that of a Third World nation.
He said the United States is now perceived as a little old
lady, not as the offensive lineman it once was.
He said the U.S. Army lacks intelligence and quality
because it is a volunteer army. Liddy said 50 percent of the
U.S. aircrafts are inoperable, and while the U.S. produces 50
tanrfs a month, the Soviets turn out 50 a week.
The only way America can regain its offensive lineman
reputation is to build up the military, Liddy said. Without a
strong military, America will find itself heading for trouble.
Speaking of the Soviet Union, Liddy said, "They're communist,
but they're not crazy." If the United States is too
strong to be defeated, the Soviets won't be willing to get into a
war. Thinking only of peace without upgrading the military is
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oniy wisniui imnKing on me /American people s pan. /\s
Liddy said, "It takes two to seek peace."
Liddy gave his impression of Watergate, with special attention
to the trials and Judge John Sirica, about whom he
said, "It's not his fault he was born stupid."
In reference to his role in Watergate, Liddy said the two
break-ins into the National Democratic Headquarters were
to plant monitors to record information about presidential
candidate George McGovern and to replace a transmitter.
Put during the second break-in, Liddy, James W. McCord III,
and H.R. Holderman were given orders to obtain
photographs of files of James O'Brien, an important member
of McGovern's campaign.
Liddy justified his part in the break-ins by explaining his
vipws of moralitv and leealitv. He claimed his actions were
not of malicious intent although the purpose of the break-ins
was to find information which the Nixon administration could
use against McGovern. Liddy said what he did was against
the law, but it wasn't immoral.
Candidates R<
? JOHN F. SIIKPAHD usi"8 his ofl
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working wil
After a three week delay, Student very much.
Government held the election runoff Abel also
Thursday. have confid
The election was postponed after vice- that he will
presidential candidate Barry Gray con- students,
tested the election on the grounds that Kenneth
former Gamecock Editor Mark Platte the first ele
illegally used his column for campaign the runoff,
purposes. thought tha
Ashley Abel, a junior finance major, won not have fc
the presidential runoff against Kenneth students lo:
Allen as the "candidate for student con- had been dr
cerns." Allen sa
Abel said that he placed emphasis on deterred hi
being out with the students and that this was "I would lil
the strongest point in his campaign. "When off system
you take the time to be with thepeople.it will person aga
payoff." minority w
Abel said his first priority when he gets in Allen bas
office is to make cabinet appointments and student bac
to start pushing legislation for the univer- Allen's can
sity- . . foi urns in t
He said he will be working very closely jet stu(j(
with SG president John Boswell this week the senate
during the transition period. Abel plans on Allen sai<
working very ' closely with university points in n
President James Holderman and plans on election wa
demns America
According to Liddy, he played a part in the break-ins
because he wanted Nixon to win the election; it was a choice
of being slaves to McGovern's administration or continuing
another four years with a successful president.
Liddy said he felt Sirica was responsible for questioning
the jury to guarantee their impartiality, but that to speed up
the trial, Sirica didn't interview all the jurors.
When one of the sequestered jurors was caught talking to
his wife on the phone after five of the defendants pleaded
guilty, Sirica agreed to bring the man in for questioning to
determine if he had been prejudiced. It was discovered the
juror could not speak English. To avoid embarrassment,
Sirica sealed the record of this interview and continued the
trial.
Liddy said his most powerful weapon ? his intelligence ?
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assigned 21-year prison term. During this time, he was an
inmate in nine prisons. He said he was constantly transferred
because the wardens were afraid of his power.
Liddy said he organized his best espionage ring while he
was in Danbury Prison. He and other inmates broke into the
warden's office and uncovered documents which showed
violations the warden committed. With this uncovered information,
Liddy took the warden to court where he was
C i t /J rltiiHtt
1UUI1U gUlll^ .
Liddy also spoke briefly of the presidents following Nixon.
Although he made it clear that he did not like Carter, Liddy
said he favors Reagan's economic program.
If Congress lets Reagan's program go into effect unaltered,
Liddy will be optimistic for America's future. He said so far
Reagan's program has not shown any worthwhile effects
because Congress has not given the president the big tax cut
he asked for. "Let the man have his program ? and he has
one ? then judge him," Liddy said.
At the press conference after the lecture, Liddy discussed
the present crisis in El Salvador. He said the leftist rebels
have the Soviets' support and the United States doesn't need
to send American troops to defend the rightists. Instead,
America should provide economic aid and training for the
nations in opposition to the Soviets.
According to Liddy, the United States lacks common sense.
"We're our own worst enemies ? fools. Lenin had a name for
it ? useful fools."
oari Tn HplaupH F
ice to get his issues acted upon. supporters did not show up a
oking forward to meeting and He said he would still be a
th Dr. Holderman; I respect him Government, and if he v
position he would consider
said he hopes the students will my commitment to the studc
ence in Student Government and Now that the election is
do his best to be visible to all the that he would like to offer
challenge. "I challenge the
Allen, a junior marketing won get involved in the Student (
ction for SG president but lost in to hold the elected officials
Af>r the election, Allen said he their actions."
it it vas a fair race,but it should James Henneu ana mikc
>een dragged on so long. "The two remaining candidates
?t interest in the election after it presidential position,
awn out for three weeks." James Bennett was the w
id that the runoff definitely election, and Sheely defeai
s chances of winning the election. for the runoff slot.
ke to see the abolition of the run- Sheely won the election r
. When it comes down to one votes to Bennett's 1,531. A c(
inst another, the likelihood of the when James Bennett requei
inning is very low." the votes because of the conl
ed his campaign on "putting the The ballots that were
k into the Student Government." those cast by people whose
inaign olatform was to initiate been taken off the comput
he senate with their districts to permitted to vote while tl
ints know what is going on the in checked by the election con
Bennett said he was p
I, "I don't think I had any weak election, but the delay hui
ly campaign,but my losing the winning.
is due to the fact that my main Bennett's main concern
in Illusion
T-7 T? ?| |~ 1
- m 11 :
Mall Pholo Sy RUSSfll loPINTO
G. Gordon Liddy spoke Thursday night in
the Russell House Ballroom.
iunoff Election
t the polls." seats within the senate. "1 don't think there
ctive in Student anv u;:?v 9ft ^tndpnts; pan ronrpspnt l>fi (MM)
^ere offered a students," Bennett said.
it. "I still have He also said he warns the new Student
mts," he said. Government officials to continue lobbying
over Allen said through the summer. "This summer is
the students a going to be very vital for the lobbying effort
student body to with this being election year."
Government and . .
Aornnntihlp for Bennett, a junior GIN! major said the
strong point of his campaign was that he
Sheely were the could direct his campaign to all the
; for the vice- students. "I was able to appeal to students
in general, not just the black students."
inner of the first Vice-presidential candidate Mike Sheely
ted Barry Gray was unavailable for comment.
_ In the senatorial race all but one seat has
unott wiin 1,594 decked jn District 7 Seat 2 Willie
mtroversyarose Haniford and Jill Vaughn were tied and
>ted a recount of must runoff again. Winners were District 1
ested ballots. $eat 2 Ryan Ross; District 2 Seat 3 Jill
contested were Mainwaring; District 3 Seat 3 Keith
names may have Dawkins; District 5 Seat 1 Neal Herring,
er sheet but are Seat 3 Hill Bradshaw, Seat 4 Everett
leir eligibility is McAllister; District (> Seat 1 Betsy Judey;
imission. District 7 Seat 1 Michael Vin/.ani, Seat 3 Bob
(leased with the Vincent, Seat 4 Mark Galloway; District 8
t his chances of Seat 1 Leon Richardson, Seat 2 Allen Dent,
Seat 3 Richard Thomas; District 13 Charles
was the vacant Walt her.