xt7h18344s35 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7h18344s35/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 2006-03-23 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, March 23, 2006 text The Kentucky Kernel, March 23, 2006 2006 2006-03-23 2020 true xt7h18344s35 section xt7h18344s35 THE

5 PO RTS Students watch and hope as brackets bear tournament's unpredictability PAGE 1

Kentuck Kernel

 

Thursday. March 23. 2006

Celebrating 35 years of independence

www.kykernel.com

Student victim of carjacking at mall

Suspect held victim at knifepoint during 40-minute ordeal;
wrecked student's car before stealing it

By Megan Boehnke
lHE mmcxv mm

A UK student was a victim of a
carjacking around Tuesday after-
noon in the Fayette Mall parking
lot after a man with a knife ap‘
proached him as he was getting
out of his car.

The suspect forced the Ryan
Bradley, a psychology senior, into

the passenger seat and drove to
two different banks before drop-
ping the Bradley off and taking

. his vehicle, said Sgt. Pete Ford at

the Lexington Police Department.
Once the suspect got into the
vehicle, he demanded money from
Bradley. When the Bradley told
him he only had $6 in cash, the
suspect told him to write a check.
The suspect then drove to a bank

also in the mall parking lot, but
when the bank refused to cash the
$20 check because Bradley was not
a customer there, he drove to Re-
public Bank on Walden Drive,
Ford said. The suspect held the
Bradley at knifepoint throughout
the incident, which began at 2:16
pm. and lasted about 40 minutes.

On the way to the second bank,
the suspect hit a small black pick-
up truck on Laredo Drive. Because
there was no damage to the truck,
police were not called to the acci-
dent scene.

“One of the biggest things
right now is we’re trying to find
the identity of the driver of the
pick-up truck,” Ford said, adding
that he hopes the driver may be
able to give additional informa-
tion. “We don’t know what (infor-
mation the driver will have), but
we’d like to find out who (the dri-
ver) is."

After cashing the check at Re-
public Bank, the suspect dropped
the student off in the Tates Creek
Center and drove off with his car.
The Bradley then called the police.

The car, which now has dam-
age to the front of it, is a 1998 ma-
roon Toyota Corrola with UK 1i-
cense plate with the number F796.

Bradley told police that the
man was about 6-foot-2, with
brown hair and full goatee. He was
said to be wearing a red T-shirt,
jeans, a Carhartt jacket and a
baseball cap. Though there was
conversation between the student
and the suspect, Ford said police
were not releasing those details

See Carjacking on page 2

 

 

 

 

mm I STAFF

Fish made by students at Rosa Parks Elementary School hang in the Student Center's Rasdall Gallery during a show reception for art education seniors yesterday.

TWo SCHOOLS o

The UK Student Activities Board showcased the work of 15 UK Art
Education and Fine Arts student's last night at the Rasdall Gallery. The

works included the students’ individual portfolios and selected pieces
by students that they have taught in preparation for teaching art
in primary and secondary schools.

If you Go

I Where: Rasdall Gallery
(Student Center)

I When: March 21- 31
ll am. to 5 pm.
Monday through Friday

 

UK continues study
despite controversy

Officials insist PolyHeme blood substitute safe for human trials

By Dariush Shafa
mt KENTUCKY ktRNEI.

A UK trial involving an ex-
perimental blood-replacing drug
is still underway and the head of
the trial said controversy sur-
rounding the drug is unfounded
and no problems have been ob-
served in UK’s trial.

PolyHeme, an experimental
blood replacement made by
Northfield Labs Inc. of Indiana,
came under fire in a Wall Street
Journal article published in late
February. In it, the article de-
tailed that 10 of 81 patients who
received PolyHeme suffered
heart attacks within a week and
two of them died.

;. Dr. Ron Fairman, a physi-
cian at the University of Penn-
s lvania who participated in
t at study and raised concerns
about the study, did not return

calls seeking comment.

Dr. Andrew Bernard, a sur-
geon at UK and chief investiga-
tor of UK's PolyHeme trial, ex-
plained the differences between
UK's trial and the prior trial.

“It doesn’t appear it was the
PolyHeme that was the cause,"
Bernard said. “(It was) the study
design rather than the drug it-
self."

PolyHeme is an oxygen-car-
rying blood substitute derived
from blood, where the oxygen-
carrying chemical, hemoglobin,
is extracted and then put into a
form where it not only carries
oxygen but also replaces blood
volume. No blood or any organic
material is used in PolyHeme.
Because of that, PolyHeme does
not increase risks for any of the
dangerous side effects or trans-

SeePolyllemeonpageZ

:immnu.mumntmam

 

USP forum cancelled due to
lack of student interest

By Blair Thomas
rut KENTUCKY mm

UK's General Education Reform
and Assessment Committee (GERA)
cancelled its forum scheduled for
Thursday due to lack of student in-
terest.

GERA is a joint Provost-Senate
Council planning and coordinating
committee in charge of starting a
campus-wide conversation about the
strengths and weaknesses of the pre
sent University Studies Program.

Deborah Moore. director of as-
sessment, said the group did not get
a chance to get the information out
around campus about the forum
scheduled for this week, which made
student response low.

“We only had six students re
spond but the group feels that it is
because we did not get a chance to
really spread the word about the fo
rumbeforeSpringBreakltissucha
busy time for students." Moore said.

The committee planned the fo
rum in order to get students to start
voicing their opinions about the

goals and general competencies of
the liberal arts core of the under»
graduate curriculum. according to
Moore.

The GERA is made up of faculty
members who are Provost and Sen-
ate Council nominees.

Many students are still unaware
of the group’s general mission on
campus.

“I'll admit that I had never heard
of the GERA." Daniel Livingston, se
nior education major said. “But 1
think what they stand for is really
great. I’m glad they are reaching out
to students to get their opinions
about their education."

The committee is planning an-
other student forum to take place in
the near future and is working on
ways to better inform the student
body.

“We will go through the student
government next time to reach as
many groups of students as possi-
ble,“ Moore said. “We hope that stu-
dents will become active in this
cause."

 

 

 

Dining
plan
focus of
debate

56 presidential candidates
exchange views on host of issues

By Keith Brooks
IHE KENTUCKY KENNEL

The most important issue that
affects UK's student body is a lack
of involvement with student gov-
ernment, according to all three
candidates for Student Govern-
ment presidential race.

All three candidates argued
with each other in a lively debate
hosted by the Resident Student As-
sociation in Memorial Hall last
night. This marked the first time
RSA has hosted such an event. in
an attempt to reach students who
live on campus.

Anthony Tanner. a psychology
sophomore who works on the RSA
executive board. moderated the
event. The format was split into
two rounds. as all candidates had
the chance to make opening and
closing statements and address
questions submitted by the RSA
Executive Board and residential
students. Candidates had two min-
utes to answer the questions. fol‘
lowed by a five-minute “crossfire"
where candidates were able to
elaborate on their points.

One of the first topics that ap.
peared in round one was the cur»
rent dining plan. which is required
for students who live on~campus
Many students complain that the
plan is inflexible and costly and
does not accommodate the practi-
cal needs of the student body.

Preston Worely. a junior histo-
ry major who is running on a tick-
et with Scott McIntosh. said he
wanted to look into outsourcing as
a suitable option. He recommend-
ed a company called Airmark. a
catering service in which 400 of
3500 colleges across America use.
Worely mentioned many schools.
including Yale. use the service and
described it as a costeffective
method.

“it‘s much cheaper for Airmark
to come in than for UK to pay for

See Debate on page 2

non nume- [m
(From left to right) Student Government
presidential candidates Andy Bates. Pre-
ston Worley and Jonah Brown participate
in Resident Students Association debate
in Memorial Hall last night.

mm

 

  

 

PAGE 2 I Ihursday, March 23, 2006

Debate

 

Continued from page 1

dining services." he said.

Jonah Brown. a political sci-
ence senior running in the election
agreed with Preston about the din-
ing plan problems and referenced
his experience as RSA president as
a highlight for his campaign.
Brown, who is running with Mallov
ry Jenkins. felt the biggest issue is
that students tend to overlook the
potentiality of organizations such
as RSA and Student Government.

"Unless you have a strong stu—
dent government with a strong
leader, these problems will contin-
ue to resurface." he said.

Andy Bates. a history and polit-
ical science major running with
Will Fuller. a history junior. voiced
his concern about creating a stable
vision for Student Government.
He told the audience several times
that he aimed to make Student
Government the "students' govern-
ment" once again.

“Our ticket is the most diverse
ticket. We have Greeks and Non-
Greeks," he said. “(Now) Student
Government is not reflective of
anything."

Things became a bit more con-
frontational when the candidates
discussed the dining plan. Brown
mentioned that the dining plan
was only one of the issues that

PolyHeme

 

Continued from paqel

mission of disease that come with
blood transfusions.

In the prior trial, blood was
drawn from the patients who were
undergoing the trial and PolyHeme
was put in to replace the fluid vol.

should be tackled, but Bates was
quick to question Brown's accom-
plishments.

“How many people are happy
with the dining plan?" Bates asked
the audience. About half the audi-
ence raised their hands and mum-
bled, agreeing with Bates. Brown
came back by citing his experience
working with administrators and
staff members. particularly his
current plans with Executive Di—
rector of Dining Services Jeff
DeMoss.

"The biggest issue is that we
need more options for students."
he said. “Another thing we need to
do is renovate these facilities."

Brown also mentioned that the
Airmark solution was impractical
because it was too expensive.

Along with the dining plan,
Bates and Brown went head-to-
head on the issues of buying text-
books and a rental program that
would save students 80 percent of
their money.

"It's not a feasible program."
Brown said of the rental program
Bates advocated. “There are other
ways we can not make this a bur-
den on students."

“We can start off small.“ Bates
responded.

Bates also referred to a new via
sion offered by his ticket. saying
Brown‘s history as RSA president
was ineffective.

“You had your chance as RSA
president." he addressed Brown.
“He's had his chance to help fix

ume. Later. the withdrawn blood
was put back into the patients.

That's probably where the prob-
lem arose. Bernard said.

Northfield Labs chief executive.
Dr. Steven A. Gould. said in the
Wall Street Journal article that re-
searchers probably put too much
fluid into the patients. and that
could have triggered the heart at-
tacks.

In contrast. UK‘s PolyHeme
study takes place with trauma pa-
tients who have lost blood volume

problems."

“They‘re going to talk about my
experience. but that's not the fo-
cus," Brown responded. "The fo
cus needs to be on the student
body."

Worley, who maintained a less
aggressive approach during the de-
bate. mentioned that the lack of
communication remains one of the
biggest problems. leading to cur-
rent complications such as the din-
ing plan.

“Scott and l are trying to ap-
proach this campaign with
progress, not politics." Worely told
the crowd.

During round two, all of the
candidates agreed on several is-
sues presented by students who re-
side on campus. Patrick Martin. a
theater freshman. asked whether
residence halls should be smoke-
free. All of the candidates agreed
with a measure to enforce a smok-
ing ban. but said that the dorms
are not public places and that
smoking areas should be designat-
ed.

“If that‘s something residents
are complaining about. that's
something we should look into."
said Brown. Brown also suggested
talking with the Student Health
Advisory Board to propose a plan.

Mary Lesch. a secondary Eng-
lish education senior. asked
whether the candidates supported
a Gay and Lesbian resources cen-
ter.

“This is something 80 as an ad-

and need to have it replaced, both to
maintain blood pressure and to car»
ry oxygen to the body to help the
patient survive. No surplus fluid is
being added. only what was lost.

Bernard also said any allega-
tions that this information was
withheld from investigators and
regulatory bodies was false.

“All of that is untrue.“ Bernard
said. “All (the info) has been out
and about."

He also said the FDA‘s approval
signifies that PolyHeme is not a

vocate should do," said Bates.
Bates affirmed his devotion to the
cause, saying that the student body
is diverse and all concerns, includ-
ing minority ones. should be con-
sidered by student government.

“I’ve heard a lot of discussion
about this,” said Brown. “If a re-
source center is a good way of cul—
tivating students it‘s definitely
something we can look into.”

Worley said that such programs
would help accommodate the
lifestyles of students. something
that would help keep students
around. )

“When it comes to diversity, 80
should focus on retention," speci~
fied Worely

Amber Steiner, vice-president
of RSA asked whether resident ad-
visors and staff can use the Face-
book. a popular college networking
site. to enforce Kentucky‘s dry-
campus policy All candidates were
entirely against using the Face-
book to administer University poli-
cies on alcohol use.

“I simply do not support this.“
said Brown.

"All this is going to do is hinder
the relationship between students
and RAs and it will only damage
Residence Life." said Worley He
also said that it violated students‘
right to privacy

“We didn‘t fight on that one.“
Worely joked.

All of the candidates provided a
central message about their cam-
paigns and issues during their

risk.

“The FDA wouldn't have ap~
proved this study if it (PolyHeme)
were dangerous." he said.

A third-party independent mon~
itoring group continues to observe
UK‘s study. and Bernard said pa-
tients at UK have shown none of
the serious cardiac troubles that ap-
peared in the study referenced in
The Wall Street Journal.

“They (the monitoring group)
just look at the data and the two
groups (the test group receiving

time on stage, but also said that it
was up to the students to become
more proactive.

“This isn‘t something any one
of us can solve," said Brown. “We
need more student input that's
how student government will be-
come more legitimate, when it be-
comes about you.“

“We want to be able to give you
a better student government,“ said
Bates. “We truly want to give you a
new vision," he ended.

“Where is the plan?" Worley
asked his fellow candidates. He
pointed out how Brown was willing
to offer his experience and how
Bates wanted to renovate the stu—
dent government body with new
faces. but said both candidates
lacked an organized plan.

“We want a student govern-
ment that advocates students," he
said. He encouraged all of the au-
dience to participate in the election
and make an incisive blow to solve
issues such as women‘s safety and
the dining plan.

“Look at who brings the new vi-
sion," he said.

The Student Government pres-
idential debate will be televised on
Channel 50. an on-campus TV sta-
tion'from now until elections are
held. Student Government elec-
tions take place Thursday and Fri
day of next week.

Email
newsm kykernel. com

PolyHeme and the control group re»
ceiving standard. non-blood substi-
tute therapy) don't look different in
terms of serious cardiac events."

Because there is no danger.
Bernard said, UK's PolyHeme trial
is still underway

“We‘re continuing to enroll and
continuing as we have been." he
said.

E-mail
dshafa (arkykerrlel. com

 

 

up over the incident. but added
that all victims deal with the
stress differently

The suspect would likely be
facing at least kidnapping
charges and first-degree rob-
bery

lieve the student tried to indi-
cate there was trouble to the dri.
ver of the pickup truck or the
bank employees. but that he un-
derstood Bradley‘s caution.

“it's hard to say what you
would do until your in a situa-
tion like that." Ford said.

Ford also said that Bradley
didn‘t appear to he too shaken

CORRECTION

ln Tuesday's article "SAB still seeks new president." The Kernel incorrectly reported
which student organizations sponsor UK's annual Homecoming festivities. Student Activi-
ties Board is the student organization that sponsors Homecoming.

Carjacking

Continued from page 1

 

To report an error, please call The Kernel newsroom at 257-1915 or e-mail
asichko@kykernel.com

because they believe it could
help later in the case.
Ford also said he did not her

E-mail
mboehnkeia kykernelcom

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thursday, March 23. 2006 I PAGE 3

Interest groups rally over immigration legislation

By Darryl fears
MMSHINGTON POST

PHILADELPHIA ~ The phones
started jumping off their hooks ear-
ly on that “Scary Tuesday," so
named because callers were spread-
ing panic in this city’s Spanish-
speaking community. They said fed-
eral agents were hauling illegal im-
migrants from their jobs and deport-
ing them.

Osmin Amilca of Guatemala
ran home and locked the door.
Daniel Tetl of Mexico shut off the
lights at work and cleaned in the
dark. “It was the craziest day of my
life,” said activist Peter Bloom, who
fielded dozens of calls, including
one from a man who said that
agents were right outside his front
door. “People were literally halluci-
nating."

Activists say the debate in
Washington over the toughest pro-
posals against illegal immigration
in recent times was the reason he-
hind the panic. The fear and para-
noia were so strong on that Tuesday,
Jan. 31, that the Italian Market at
Ninth Street and Washington Av-
enue virtually shutdown because il-
legal immigrants refused to come to
work at meatpacking plants. veg-

etable stands, fish markets and
restaurants.

Within the next two weeks, the
Senate will decide the fate of tough
legislation aimed at restricting ille-
gal immigration.

Proimmigrant activists are
planning an April 10 protest in 10
cities that could pull tens of thou-
sands of immigrant workers from
their jobs. A coalition of groups in-
cluding the AFL-CIO, the Leader-
ship Conference on Civil Rights,
Catholic bishops, the Day Without
an Immigrant coalition in Philadel-
phia and the US. Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce was to meet this week
on Capitol Hill to announce their
plans.

Organizers hope to build on re-
cent rallies in Washington; Trenton,
N.J.; New York; Chicago; and
Philadelphia, which drew more than
100,000 immigrants. In addition. ac-
tivists, churches and labor unions
are planning a national “Day With-
out an Immigrant,” hoping to shut
down farms, hotels, restaurant
kitchens, meatpacking plants and
chicken-processing plants on a large
scale in places where immigrants
work.

Such a day was carried out with
mixed results on Feb. 14 in Philadel-

phia, when about 5,000 immigrants
rallied on Independence Mall, ac-
cording to the activists who orga-
nized it. But downtown civic groups
said the economic impact was so
small that they barely felt it.

“We have not been aware of any
large-scale disruptions,” said Elise
Vider, a spokeswoman for Center
City District, a downtown improve-
ment group. “It never rose to a level
that we would notice.”

Ricardo Diaz, one of the event‘s
organizers, said the civic groups are
minimizing the impact. “I under-
stand it in some way," he said.
“They have to downplay it. Do they
want people to recognize that
they’re so dependent on immi-
grants?”

Opponents of illegal immigra-
tion were unsympathetic. Chris
Simcox, president of the Minute-
man Civil Defense Corps, said Diaz
and others are not “representing the
immigrant community” but rather
“representing the illegal immigrant
community."

“I’m sorry that they’re fearful
that we’re going to enforce the law,”
Simcox said. “Maybe that’s a sign
that they should return home and
reenter this country by our rules.
Then they would have nothing to

worry about. They could hold their
heads high."

About 12 million immigrants
live and work illegally in the United
States, according to a recent study
by the Pew Hispanic Center. Ana-
lysts say they do so because the
rules for entering the country are
arcane and out-of-date, and the de-
mand for low-skill workers is imme-
diate.

Hoping to stem the tide of ille-
gal immigration, House Judiciary
Committee Chairman F. James
Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., spon-
sored tough legislation that the
House approved in December.

Sensenbrenner’s bill would fun-
nel more money into border protec-
tion, policing and electronic moni-
toring. The bill would also authorize
local police officers to question and
detain illegal immigrants, work that
is now done by federal authorities.

In addition, the proposal would
crack down heavily on businesses
that hire people illegally and would
impose heavier fines and jail time
on anyone who smuggles illegal im-
migrants or helps them cross the
desert or otherwise enter the coun-
try.

But before a Senate or a House
version of an immigration bill has

become law. the fear among illegal
immigrants is palpable.

On Martes de Miedo Tuesday
of Fear men carried half their
family savings with them in case
they were picked up. Diaz said.
Mothers did not go to work for fear
their children would return from
school and discover that their par-
ents had been deported.

"It was really. really had," said
Raul Castro. who closed his Mexican
restaurant for lack of business that
day.

“A lot of my friends called. They
were telling me that someone two
blocks away got picked up, and I said
no. A girl called and said she could-
n’t go to get diapers: ‘l have no food
for my baby. I‘m afraid.‘ “

A week after Scary Tuesday, an
other incident frightened immi-
grants. According to activists. a
pregnant Chinese woman. Zhenxing
Jiang. 32, who entered the country
illegally 11 years ago and had ap-
plied for asylum. was seized by US.
Immigration and Customs Enforce-
ment agents during a visit to ICE of-
fices in Philadelphia in early Febru-
ary. ICE officials say she was taken
into custody because her application
for asylum had been denied and her
appeals had been turned down.

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mu | Thursday, March 23, 2005

Bush says US. troops
may stay in Iraq past ’08

By Jim VandeHei
m: msmucrou POSI

WASHINGTON -— President
Bush acknowledged Tuesday that
the Iraq war is dominating nearly
every aspect of his presidency, and
served notice for the first time that
he expects the decision on when all
US. troops come home from Iraq to
fall on his successors.

In an hour-long news conference
Bush said the “trauma” of war has
left the public and even some law-
makers in his own party understand-
ably shaken and skeptical of his vow
that the United States will prevail.

“Nobody likes war," Bush said.
“It creates a sense of uncertainty in
the country"

With a series of polls showing
Bush and the war less popular than
ever, he rejected calls to change the
US. military strategy or shake up
the White House staff and war Cabi-
net. "I am happy with the people I
surrounded myself with.“ he said.
However. Bush did not rule out
bringing aboard a veteran Washing-
ton operative to help soothe relations
with an increasingly restive Republi-
can Congress, a move that aides said
might happen soon.

“I'm not going to announce it
right now." Bush said, noting that he
has had conversations with congress
sional allies. “Look. They got some
ideas that I like and some I don't
like. put it that way."

Bush dismissed the rising cho~
rus of Republican criticism as elec-
tion-year jitters. “There‘s a certain
unease as you head into an election
year," he said.

The chief aim of the White
House news conference. Bush‘s sec-
ond this year. was to make his case
again that Iraq is progressing to-
ward a viable democracy despite dai-
ly images of car bombings and sec-
tarian violence. It was part of a
White House campaign to confront
public anxieties about his leader-
ship. the war and the future of his
presidency. aides said. The offensive
comes as a string of polls have
shown that less than 40 percent of
Americans approve of the Bush
presidency and that a growing num-
ber no longer trust him.

“I understand people being dis-
heartened when they turn on their

TV screen," Bush said. "Nobody
likes beheadings“ and other grim
images.

Bush said he disagrees with for-
mer Iraqi prime minister Ayad
Allawi. a man who had been hand-
picked by his administration, and
others who say that the country is al-
ready engaged in a civil war in

 

12

ions .

EXPERIENCE THE UN Q

 

 

OF THE OLD 8; NEW WITHIN THE WALLS
OF I'JNIVERSITY LOFTS

which dozens of people are killed
each day. “The way I look at the situ-
ation," Bush said, “the Iraqis took a
look and decided not to go to civil
war.“ If a civil war erupts, he said.
Iraqi forces would be in charge of
ending it, with assistance from US.
troops.

As the debate over whether a civ-
il war is at hand has shown. Bush‘s
optimistic assessments are often
contradicted by Iraqi and other US.
officials and sometimes by the condi-
tions on the ground three years after
the invasion. But Bush rejected the
notion that his Iraq policy is based
on wishful thinking. “I say that I am
talking realistically to people." he
said.

Moments later, he said the rea-
son US forces went to Iraq was to
“make sure we didn't allow people to
provide safe haven to an enemy"
Since the invasion, Bush has empha-
sized different rationales for the Iraq
invasion. such as the need to topple a

“The way I look at
the situation, the
Iraqis took a look
and decided not to
go to civil war."

President George W. Bush

dangerous dictator and to eliminate
weapons of mass destruction. which
have yet to be found.

Bush said he would call home
the 130,000 US. troops in Iraq if he
was not confident about his victory
plan. U.S. commanders in Iraq will
determine when troop levels can be
lowered. he said. suggesting that
some will remain beyond January
2009. Asked if a day will come when
there are no US. troops there. Bush
said “that will be decided by future
presidents and future governments
of Iraq.“

Throughout the news confer-
ence. Bush steered the conversation
back to Iraq. including when he was
asked why a growing number of
Americans are telling pollsters that
they no longer trust him. In a rarity
for Bush. he even took a question
from Helen Thomas, a liberal colum-
nist and unabashed critic of Bush
and the war who frequently accuses

 

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the White House of lying about the
conflict. Thomas jokingly told Bush
that he would “be sorry" for calling
on her, then repeatedly tried to inter-
rupt his response to her question
about his shifting rationales for the
war. “I really didn‘t regret it,” he
said. “I kind of semi-regretted it."

The news conference was vin-
tage Bush, a mix of playful banter.
stern glares and defiant assertions.
He dismissed as “needless partisan-
ship" calls by three Senate Democ-
rats to censure him for authorizing
the secret National Security Agency
spying program, which involves
eavesdropping on US. citizens.
Telegraphing the GOP‘s election
plan to portray Democrats as weak
on terrorism, Bush dared his oppo-
nents to campaign for the 2006 elec-
tions on a platform that includes
eliminating the spying program.

“They ought to take their mes-
sage to the people and say, ‘Vote for
me. I promise we’re not going to
have a terrorist surveillance pro-
gram,” " he said.

Bush also taunted those Democ-
rats who opposed the reauthoriza-
tion of the USA Patriot Act, the law
that provides the government with
broad surveillance powers. “If that‘s
what the party believes. they ought
to go around the country saying we
shouldn’t give the people on the front
line of protecting us the tools neces-
sary to do so." No Democrat has
made such a statement.

With the stock market up and
unemployment down. Bush repeat—
edly said the economy is strong. de-
spite concerns about rising inflation.
He blamed the federal debt. which
has ballooned from $5.7 trillion when
he took office to more than $8.2 tril-
lion under his watch. on mandatory
government spending on entitlement
programs such as Medicare. He did
not mention that his prescription
drug plan for Medicare is projected
to add hundreds of billions of dol-
lars to the debt. or that federal
spending has grow by more than 25
percent since he to k office.

Bush said he remains committed
to cutting the annual deficit in half
by 2009.

Still, a president who had
promised big ideas and big changes
on multiple fronts at the start of his
second term 14 months ago suggest-
ed that this has now become essen-
tially a one-issue presidency.

In November 2004. he bragged
about spending his political capital
to restructure the Social Security
system.

Tuesday. he said: “I'm spending
that capital on the war."

    
    
 
    

www.YourTicket2Drive.com

By Pamela Constable
mr msumcrou POST

WASHINGTON An
Afghan Muslim man who
converted to Christianity
now seems unlikely to be
tried or executed for the
crime of rejecting Islam. thus
heading off a rapidly escalat-
ing confrontation between
the Kabul government and its
Western military and finan-
cial backers.

But the case of Abdul
Rahman, officials and ex-
perts said, has highlighted a
raging struggle in
Afghanistan over the role of
Islam in the law and public
policy. It has also exposed a
wide gap in values between
the conservative Muslim
country and the internation-
al community that has helped
defend and rebuild it as a
post-war democracy.

“This is an extremely
sensitive issue here, and an
extremely serious issue back
home." Abdullah Abdullah,
Afghanistan's foreign minis-
ter. said in an interview in
Washington Wednesday.
“Every time we have a case it
is like an alarm. These con-
tradictions will not go away
with one or two cases."

Commenting on
Afghanistan‘s strained rela-
tions with neighboring Pak-
istan. Abdullah complained
of Pakistan’s continued toler-
ance for the presence of Is-
lamic extremist groups, and
its public dismissal of recent
Afghan intelligence about the
location of certain Taliban
leaders and other terrorists
living inside Pakistan.

“What is required is a
fundamental acceptance of
the fact that these terrorists
Will do no good for anyone.
Any degree of tolerance
shown will not help," he said.
adding that the harboring of
Islamic extremists in Pak-
istan is directly related to the
mounting terrorist violence
in Afghanistan. “We know
who they are, we know who
they are in bed with." he
said. “We know Osama (bin
Laden) has too many friends
in Pa