£hr Saily (Tar Ippl
Acquittal Fails to Grab
Attention of Students
Students in Washington and
UNC say they lost interest in
the impeachment trial and
its historic end of acquittal.
By Vicky Eckenrode
AND ASTA YTRE
Staff Writers
Fifteen minutes away from the media
frenzy on Capitol Hill, Georgetown
University students went about their
regular schedules Friday afternoon,
largely ignoring the political events
going on across town.
Several televisions in Georgetown’s
campus bookstore aired the live Senate
vote, which marked the end of the pro
longed impeachment trial of President
Clinton. But few students stopped to pay
attention to the vote for very long.
“Everyone knows it’s historic, but it’s
easy to get tired of it and forget the
trial,’’ said Ed Karam, a first-year med
ical student.
Karam, like many students around
campus, sat with friends discussing class
es, not the vote.
“Anything that’s going on on campus
will take importance over an impeach
ment trial,” said sophomore linguist and
French major Kirby Johns.
Other students cited early predictions
that Republicans would not gamer
enough votes to avoid acquittal as their
reason for ignoring the vote.
“I figured Clinton’s getting off any
way so I’m not paying attention to
today’s vote,” said Anthony Hill, a
junior psychology major. “(The trial’s)
just not as important as it’s been made
out to be this whole time in the media.”
Closer to home, UNC students and
faculty said they followed the end of the
impeachment trial over the Internet or
on television. Most people seemed to be
glad it was over, and nobody said they
were surprised about the acquittal.
Emily Howell, a junior from Raleigh,
watched the casting of the Senate vote in
the Student Union. The former presi
dent of the College Democrats said she
was pleased the trial had ended.
“Hopefully, we can get back to the
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
: GOLD’S GYM ?
★ LAST DAY OF *
★ ENROLLMENT ★
i % O * FREE Aerobics
I • free y °g a i
1 H* Mx • FREE Parkin ? 2
2 V * FREE One-On-One Training J
J " - ' • FREE Nutritional Counseling J
4r Let GOLD’S GYM be THE Solution
★ to your New Year's Resolutions! if
★ ★
* Now Open Newly 25%0FF *
J 24 Hours! Renovated! All Clothing! *
★ ★
* 933-6377 S
m 503 C West Main Street • Carrboro fone block from Harris Teeter) W
★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★-A
The Official May Graduation Announcements arc HERE!
Stop by the Art Carved table in Student Stores this week!
MT(7IRVED
JEWELRY pVCSCYItS
Carolina Rinp Fvpnt 0^
/ \ DATE Monday, February 15 - Friday, February 19
TIME 10am-4pm, Wednesday 10am-7pm .
PLACE UNC Student Stores /•_,
Studeut Stopes
IVp*Z: Local Artcarved Office: 919-968-7894 . Special Payment Plans Available. ■ BEg ■
business of the country,” Howell said.
“Asa nation, we would have set a
scary precedent if we used private life to
condemn our leaders,” she said.
Erin Karcher, an English major from
Cary, said the acquittal vote was not a
surprise. She said the lack of public
interest turned the trial into a source of
amusement.
“After awhile, it seemed the general
public lost interest (in the trial),”
Karcher said. “It became a joke after
awhile.”
The public’s feelings of apathy for the
trial also registered on campus. Senior
biology major Danny Dunston said
media coverage of both sides of the trial
had prevented him from forming an
honest opinion of the outcome.
“I try not to pay attention,” Dunston
said. “I hate politics.”
But Dunston said the trial was not a
waste of the government’s time. “It was
a good way to show that not even peo
ple with high positions in government
get away with everything,” he said. “It
shows the world that the United States
does not cover up our problems.”
UNC political science Professor
Marco Steenbergen said there was not
enough evidence to have warranted a
trial, but that once it began, more time
should have been spent on it.
Steenbergen said he did not pay a lot
of attention to the trial. “The (media )
coverage was not very helpful,” he said,
adding that it was high time to move on
to other issues.
UNC Professor of Law Buck Melton
said the outcome was what the public
had expected.
“The process became extremely
political and not judicial,” he said. “This
is very disturbing.”
Melton said he followed the case
carefully. He said the trial went by as
fast as it could have, but that public
interest had waned long before the
acquittal vote.
“Even law students did not pay a
great interest in the case,” Melton said.
“The general public was tired of the
whole thing, if you believe the polk.”
The State 8 National Editors can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
State & National
Hackney: New Position No Problem
Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange,
says he welcomes the new
challenges presented by his
job of speaker pro tempore.
By Kimberly Grabiner
Staff Writer
The position of Speaker Pro Tempore
increases the amount of responsibility
for a representative, but local Rep. Joe
Hackney, D-Orange, says he can handle
the pressure.
The N.C. House of Representatives
elected Hackney as Speaker Pro
Tempore on opening day, with a vote of
65-54 against Republican nominee Rep.
George Holmes, R-Alexander.
His new responsibilities include
assisting the Speaker of the House, Jim
Black, D-Mecklenburg, presiding over
the House when the speaker is absent,
and fulfilling whatever other duties
Black assigns to him, Hackney said.
Hackney said the new responsibility
would not disrupt his usual balance
between his position as a lawyer and as
a legislator. “I do my regular job on
[Think Ya Got Mad Rise?
Pre-lims Tues., Feb. 16 @ Bpm, Carmichael Aud.
Semi-Finals Wed., Feb. 17 @ 6pm, Carmichael Aud.
Finals, Tues., Feb. 23 @ Dean Smith Center
during half-time of the men’s basketball game
vs. Wake Forest
Sign-up outside the CAA office in Suite B, Room 216D
of the Union or contact Erica or Rob at 962-4300
Participants can sign-up until spm Tuesday, Feb. 16
Sponsored by the CAA- Sports Marketing Committee
JJ
ml
101 WPS • BOS l IEMI
The way to a brighter future is just a click away.
www.hr.duke.edu
And a hop, skip and a jump! Be sure to join us at our Job Fair to find out
how you can make a real impact on the Duke University IT team.
Come as you are! Hiring and Department Managers will be on-hand to field
questions and conduct on-the-spot interviews!
To pre-register & find out directions to event, point your browser to:
www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/itjobfair.htm
t[i D 4pm d a il p y m Fobruary 23rd
FU [i Durham Marriott
|f| 11 Downtown Durham
®| 11l Duke University
Duke University Health System
Duke University Is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
mm
w *
Mondays and
Fridays,” Hackney
said.
He has already
begun managing
work in the
House, said Rep.
Verla Insko, El-
Orange, who sug
gested Hackney’s
name as a candi
date for the
Democratic cau
cus nomination.
“He asked me
to nominate him,”
she said. “It was a
The N.C. House
elected Rep.
Joe Hackney,
D-Orange, as
Speaker Pro Tempore
on opening day.
courtesy on his part to ask me to do it.”
Insko said Hackney was a model
leader - knowledgeable and articulate.
“(Hackney) has been around here for
18 years,” she said. “It was time for him
to have a major leadership position.
“I think that is where he will make
the largest contribution - being part of
the speaker’s leadership team.”
Hackney said he had expected to win
over Holmes when the vote was taken
last month. “In as much as the
Democrats are the majority in the
House, it was the anticipated result,” he
said.
Rep. Billy Creech, R-Johnston, who
voted for Holmes, said other members
of the House did not really show any
feelings toward the outcome.
“I don’t know if people feel one way
or another about it
...,” Creech said.
“(Hackney) is a
good guy. I think
he will work out
fine.”
But Holmes
expected to win
the nomination
until Rep. Dan
Blue, D-Wake, lost
the race by one
“(Hackney) has been around
here for 18 years. It was time
for him to have a major
leadership position. ”
Verla Insko
N.C. House of Representatives
vote for Speaker of the House.
Blue’s nomination came as part of a
political coalition between the
Democratic Black Caucus and the
Carolina^^^B
the minds of rural high
W school students. V
Increase service learning it
opportunities at UNC.
■ the doors of the University ■
■ to all of North Carolina's people. M
Vote to support our mission on Feb. 16
Comfort Suites
Hotel
Raleigh/Durham/RTP
5219 Page Road, Durham, MC 27703
1-40 exit 282
If you're looking for
comfort, you're in
the right place. The
Comfort Suites Hotel
offers 123 exquisite
suites, and all of the
amenities that you
can expect in a full
service hotel with
excellent service
and hospitality.
Easy access to Duke University and hospital. University of north
Carolina at Chapel Hill and north Carolina Central University.
Conveniently located near Research Triangle Park, IBM, nortel
and Glaxo Wellcome to name a few.
In-Room Amenities Include:
• Suites with King or Double Queen Beds and
Double Sleep Sofa in every room
• Microwave, Refrigerator, Coffee Maker,
Ironing Board, and Hairdryer in every room
• Handicap, Smoking/Non-Smoking Rooms
• Extra large desk with two-line speaker phones with
dedicated data port
Additional Highlights include:
• Full Hot Breakfast cooked to your order Monday-Friday
• Shuttle Service to and from Raleigh/Durham Airport
• 2,000 Square Feet of Meeting Space
• Business Center with Internet Access ® 00%
• Fitness Center, Sauna, Spa, and Pool Satisfaction
Guarantee
Comfort Suites Hotel
(919)314-1200 or FAX (919)474-0104
Monday, February 15, 1999
Republicans. Under the agreement, the
Speaker Pro Tempore would be
Republican, Holmes said.
“The Republican delegation was
assured that there would be enough
votes for Dan Blue to be elected,” he
said. “When that came up one vote
short, I did not
expect to win.”
Holmes said he
received all the
GOP votes and
one Democratic
vote while
Hackney received
the remaining
Democratic votes.
Holmes said,
“The majority
party is happy with the results.”
The State 8 National Editors can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
5