Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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__VIEWPOINTS THlfefAMECOCK ' EDITORIAL BOARD bailor MICHAEL LaFQRGIA News Editor STEPHEN FASTENAU Asst. News Editor JUSTIN CHAPURA The Mix Editor ALEXIS ARNONE Sports editor JONATHAN HILLYARO Viewpoints Editor BRINDY McNAIR Copy Desk Chief STEVEN VAN HAREN Design Director chas McCarthy IN OUR OPINION Despite leak scandal, keep faith in process Vice President Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby was indicted on five felony charges stemming from his role in the mind-numbingly reported CIA leak scandal, and it’s another black eye for American politics. In the time-honored tradition of Bill Clinton’s Monica Lewinsky scandal, we’ve seen grand jury proceedings and serious charges of perjury for the second time in two administrations. And we have to be honest: When newscasters even mention the names Valerie Plame or Judith Miller, we get the feeling that the average college student probably scrambles to change the channel to something like Jerry Springer, or maybe pro fessional wrestling. Something in which the same themes are played out as in this latest political drama, only more honestly. . _ _ _ _ , . The Bush administration has Despite the CIA leak , , scandal, college , students shouldn’t v,n“,he w°dd “ '““"f, f lose sight to 24-year'olds —that the u-s of civic duty ^snt run bya ^unc^ c°nn*vmg schmucks. Karl Rove, President Bush’s deputy chief of staff and the “archi tect” behind the president’s rise to power, should probably resign. After all, as the picture becomes clearer, it seems Rove played a role much like Libby’s in the scandal’s early days. Rove’s proximity to the president now only makes the White House seem more dishonest. Surely a man with so keen a politi cal mind would be quick to recognize this. His resignation would likely prove a step toward making amends with a Democratic Party left bristling by conservative White House policies. But regardless of what becomes of Rove, President Bush ought to seriously re-evaluate how he’s running the country. And college students? We should keep faith in the process, that things like voting really are critically important and worthwhile — even if it sometimes seems like we’re swapping one set of Washington liars for the next. IT’S YOUR RIGHT \ Exercise your right to voice your opinion. Create message boards at unvw. dailygamecock. com or send letters to the editor to gamecockopinions@gwm.sc. edu CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Editor MICHAEL LaFORGIA Design Director chas McCarthy Copy Desk Chief STEVEN VAN HAREN News Editor STEPHEN FASTENAU Asst. News Editor JUSTIN CHAPURA Viewpoints Editor BRINDY MCNAIR The Mix Editor ALEXIS ARNONE Sports Editor JONATHAN HILLYARD Astt. Sports Editor ALEX RILEY Photo Editor NICK ESARES Sports Photo Editor KATIE KIRKLAND Page Designers MIKE CONWAY, JESSICA ANN NIELSEN, MEGAN SINCLAIR Graphic Designer LAURA-JOYCE GOUGH Copy Editors CHELSEA HADAWAY, KRISTY LAUBE, KATIE THOMPSON, JAMISON TINSLEY LIZ WHITE Online Editor RYAN SIMMONS Creative Services JOSEPH OANNELLY, LAURA-JOYCE GOUGH, MARGARET LAW, MEGHAN WHITMAN TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock 1400 Greene St. Columbia. S.C. 29208 Advertising: 777-3888 Classified: 777-1184 Fax: 777-6482 CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor ofthe Russell House. The Editor's office hours are Monday and Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. Editor: gamecockeditor9gwm. sc. edu News: gamecocknews9gwm.sc.edu Viewpoints: gamecockopinions9gwm.sc. edu The Mix: gamecockfeatures9gwm.sc.edu Sports: gamecocksports9gwm.sc.edu ' Public Affairs: gamecockPR9yahoo.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726; Sports: 777-7182 Editor's Office: 777-3914 STUDENT MEDIA Director SCOTT IINDENBERG Faculty Adviser ERIK COLLINS Creative Director SUSAN KING Business Manager CAROLYN GRIFFIN Advertising Manager SARAH SCARBOROUGH Classified Manager SHERRY F. HOLMES Production Manager NEIL SCOTT Advertising Staff BREANNA EVANS, RYAN GORMAN, KATIE CUPPIA, APRYL ALEXANDER, MARY RACHEL FREEMAN, MCKENZIE WELSH, DEIDRE MERRICK THE GAMECOCK is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer, with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in THE GAMECOCK are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher 0/THE GAMECOCK. The Department of Student Media is the newspapers parent organization. THE GAMECOCK is supported in part by student-activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media. \ ^csa Cartoon courtesy of KRT Campus Beating Bush, cronies cant save Democrats Latest liberal frenzy won’t win next election, change public opinion There’s an old law adage that says, “any decent attorney can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich,” which basically means you can get anyone indicted for anything. In keeping with this, on Friday, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had the guy who serves Vice President Dick Cheney his ham sandwich, indicted. Or more likely, given Cheney’s heart condition, he had the guy who serves Cheney his protein-enriched soy and tofu spread sandwich indicted. The title of “The Biggest Outdoor Cocktail Part in the World” was then unceremoniously stripped from the Florida/Georgia game and given to the drunken carousing at Ted Kennedy’s compound, as Democrats broke into spontaneous conga lines at the news of “Scooter” Libby’s impending trial. Cheney’s “Chief Of Staff,” I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, now faces charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and making a false statement. This is all, of course, in connection with the ongoing investigation into who leaked CIA agent Valerie Plame’s name to the press. Why this is such a coup is still a mystery to me. Admittedly the door to Cheney, Karl Rove, etc. [could still be open if Libby has any dirt to deal, but for now, the big fuss in JACOB Washington is BAD IS over na^*n8 c^e guy who picks 7J™f-year up the yp>s dry. ^journalism cleaning. When student this whole “leak” investigation started, Democrats were predicting Rove would be getting “perp walked” out of the White House in chains. Instead we’ve got some guy whose main claim to fame before this was making it on a White House staff with a nickname like “Scooter.” And another thing, speaking of low-level government personnel, the idea that Plame was any kind of secret agent whose identity could be “leaked” is ludicrous. I’ve participated in more covert operations matching wits with SLED in Five Points. This isn’t your daddy’s CIA anymore. The days of G. Gordon Liddy strangling people with piano wire for the good of the nation are gone. Plame was and is a pencil-pusher behind a desk at Langley who concocted a scheme to send her husband overseas for some press. Blowing her cover would be as easy as pointing out that Superman is Clark Kent without his glasses. And backing me up on this is every major author of the anti-espionage law, which Democrats kept insisting had been violated when Plame was “out-ed.” Bottom line, this is yet another in a long line of thinly veiled attempts to smear the current administration, and by extension, President Bush. Coupled with Katrina fallout and the sudden realization that as a war progresses casualties mount, you might almost believe the polls that say Bush’s popularity is in danger. It might matter, if Bush was running again. Unfortunately, he’s not, but the Democratic Party has yet to realize it. Sorry guys, but the bell has already rung in this fight and the scorecards are in. Its Bush 2, Democrats 0. Nothing will change the fact that Bush was re-elected. If liberals don’t get their heads out of the sand and offer their beleaguered followers something more than incessant whining, the party is doomed for at least the next few election cycles. Still, I suppose there is some silver lining to the entire situation. We now have nearly every Democratic commentator of note on record as agreeing that perjury is a serious offense. There’s something, which, as recently as five years ago, you couldn’t have squeezed out of them on pain of death. IN YOUR OPINION Helping environment just an ‘eco-mug’ away I am writing to reflect upon USC’s efforts to go “green.” Besides paying hertnage to the construction of West Quad (the first LEED silver-certified residence hall in the state), the research projects on hydrogen energy, the planned construction of a biogasification plant on campus, the “Give it Up” waste management program, and other significant efforts, the newest pleasantry stems from Dining Services. Available to students for $2.99 is an “eco-mug.” For this amount of money, a student can purchase, even with their Bonus Bucks, a change to dispel the use of hundreds of pounds of styrofoam. These mugs, for, I believe, 30 cents, can be refilled with any type of beverage. So, not only is the container environmentally friendly, it is also cost effective. This is a very monumental step. Should the students embrace the use of this product, and participate in the reuse of their drink containers (not forgetting to show respect for those students who invested in a Nalgene bottle for their beverages), USC would be a much more environmentally friendly place. It is the use of styrofoam materials such as cups and to-go boxes that create thousands of pounds of garbage disposal a week. That’s a lot of waste. As a student body, we should be aware that the sustainability of our campus relies not only on the development of eco-awareness projects by the university’s housing and development departments, but also upon us. It is our responsibility to accept and utilize the tools with which we are provided. These cups are only a step in a very large attempt for the university to become conscious of our planet. Thus, I encourage all who do choose to eat and drink on campus to embrace the use of reusable, environmentally friendly “eco mugs,” available at your dining halls. AMANDA BERNARD Fourth-year philosophy student Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. E-mail letters to gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777-7726 for more information. t'eco-mugs available to students will help reduce waste around campus? www. dailygamecock. com Thompsons tomfoolery takes pranks to neu> level Player’s defense makes stealing a practical joke — not illegal, lowlife act Until Moe Thompson’s lawyer’s defense, I thought of Thompson as a lowlife - criminal thug — breaking into girls’ dorm rooms to steal TVs and DVD Tim- players’ But now, ID Cdl dll US thanks to his “it Fifih-year was all a prank’’ Prmt strategy, I see journalism . . ° . student hlm as he really ic _ <1 rlipprfiil prankster along the lines of Ashton Kutcher, an early chapter Tom Sawyer or a 6 foot-4-inch, 280-pound leprechaun. Traditional pranksters typically fabricate a falsity in hopes that their victims believe it, so they can embarrass them when they point out that they fell for it — “punking” them so to speak. Thompson, however, is pushing the boundaries of pranking. I mean, breaking into somebody’s home and stealing their belongings? How does he come up with this stuff? It sure goes a long way past tricking local kids into whitewashing a fence for you. And to Thompson’s victims, you might have had your TV or bed sheets stolen, but just think of it this way: You got punk’d! Get a sense of humor and laugh it off. 1 myselr have been a victim of similar pranks. My freshman year, I had $80 mysteriously disappear from my room after my roommates brother paid us a visit. For years, I didn’t care to much for the fellow or the disappearance of my $80, but now, thanks to that enlightened jokester Moe Thompson, I see how truly hilarious it is. Boy, did I get punk’d! Same thing with whoever stole my bike this year. I mean, breaking into my friend’s yard during a party and stealing a bike that was inside his closed fence? That’s just genius — pure comedic genius. I even had to borrow my roommate’s car just to go to work! And whoever you are, I would like congratulate you in person on a prank well done. n-mau me, anu let s arrange a meeting. Bring your bike too. I wanna see how poor “Madeline” is doing. I’m tired of people describing Thompson with words such as “lowlife,” “criminal” and “thug.” He doesn’t deserve up to 15 years in prison. With these clever pranks that merge the art of the prank with the art of the heist, he deserves a medal, or even a scholarship — a comedy scholarship. I do not think I am exaggerating when I say Thompson is quite possibly the most underappreciated criminal on campus. So, when you’re going about your day on campus and see that unsecured bike, that unattended book bag or even that first floor dorm window open, think to yourself: “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I stole something?”