EDITORIAL
Demo's create their
own Dream Team
What do Pepsi and the Bill Clinton/Al Core Demo
cratic presidential ticket have in common? According
to those in the know, both are "The choice of a new
generation." Perhaps the convention would attract
more network viewers if it was entitled "Democrats:
The Next Generation." And coming up next on MTV,
"Clinton * Gore - Unplugged."
Anyway you slice it. the youngest presidential tick
et in history has arrived, ana it will need to spend the
next four months proving that Dan Quayle really isn’t
representative of the baby-boomcr’s generation.
Clinton was decidedly unconventional in his selec
tion of a same-region running mate. Throwing caution
to the wind, he decided to forgo traditional politics and
selected a partner based on his potential to do the job,
rather than how many regional votes he could deliver.
Crummur and spelling probably counted us well.
Core, the second-term senator from Tennessee, is
squeaky clean. He was thoroughly checked out during
his 15)88 presidential bid. and is virtually .tbove re
proach (yes. he inhaled). And he has berm a leader on
environmental issues, a definite plus in the quest for
Western votes.
Gore also meets the Republicans head-on over the
issue of family values. He is very pro-family, pro-chil
dren and at the same time (gasp!) pro-choice. If Core
has any potential flaws, they come in the form of Tip
per Core, his wife.
She is very active with children’s issues, certainly
a plus. However, as you may or may not recall. Tipper
Core is also one of the founders of the Parents Music:
Resource Concern (I’MRC). The PMRC was able to con
vince several members of the United States Senate to
spend several days listening to vivid descriptions of
"darling Nikki ... masturbating with a magazine," and
other such politically-charged rock lyrics. The PMRC
was granted the: hearing because Sen. Core could ar
range it. As Vice President Core, the potential for Tip
per to become another Nancy Reagnn is very real, and
must In: regarded with caution.
That said, this new look for the Democrats bodes
well for the future. Both Clinton and Gore an; members
of the Democratic: leadership Council, the emergent
centrist arm of the Democratic: Party and a far cry from
the classic: Sun Francisco liberalism of the past. The
DLC accurately reflects the views of mainstream Amur
ic:a: and under its leadership, the Democrats ure field
ing their strongest ticket in 30 vesars.
And a quick historical note;. Only two vice presi
dents who became president have ever been re-elected:
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) and Theodore Roosevelt
(15X11-1909). Whether George Bush deserves a place at
their side remains to be seen. Al Gore, however, de
serves the chance to try.
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OPINION
But who will answer the big question?
ONAL
SDOM
By John M Clnrke, Jr.
New York H L Mencken
woulil roll over in his
grave if he knew whai
kind of political brood has I men
descending upon the city of
New York in the past few days
It’s time for the 1902 Democrat
ic National Convention, ladies
and gents a la New York
It's a mugger's paradise, a
pimp's dream, an economic
shot to the collective arm of
New York, and a chance for
Gov. Dill Clinton of Arkansas
and Sen. Al (ion1 of Tennessee
to convince the concerned poli
ty that they are worthy of the
presidency and vice presidency
... and even more important,
gaining access to unlimited
rides on the White House jet.
Air Force One
Mencken was spoiled with
the political excitement of the
days of old. from the Great De
pression to the rebellious
movement of the flappers to the
frustration of the Prohibition
Act. During the 1924 Democrat
ic National Convention,
Mencken found himself stuffed
inside the old Madison Square
Garden with various heated is
sues of the time, two of the
most important lining the Prohi
bition Act, u vote-splitting
crack in the Democrats, and the
debate about the condemnation
of the Klu Mux Man. who
made several appearances on
masse throughout the monu
mental 17-dov event.
They were strange days, days
when the media seemed to
have a soul and important rev
elations to share with the pub
lic. The issues were right In
front of the communal oye of
all the voters. Had I been alive
to witness such historical and
political alterations, 1 would be
able to expound on the feelings
of those moments. But my dear
father was not even born in
1924, so I will have to make it
up with this convention.
Much like the obvious issues
of the presidential campaign of
1924, I her campaign of 1992
also has its issues out there tor
all to see. There's no room for
Htt style snow jobs whore is
sues took a hack sent to debate
techniques and personality To
day, the issues are out there,
and the voters want to site some
c hange in Washington
Hut like the proverbial say
ing: "The leaves of the trees
change, but the roots will al
ways remain." so too goes the
antics that will sporadically
roar within the confines of the
convention. The faces and the
Issues may change, but the
Democrats will always weur
their strengths and weaknesses
on their cuffs.
"The conventions will be the
same damned circus wo had in
1984 and 1988," said Stove
Husto, a New York press affili
ate. “They are always com
pletely out of control, chaotic,
drunken, sleazy ami a whole
lot of fun.
"Thero was nothing even re
motely comparable to finding
yourself, on the third or fourth
convention night, at some strip
joint, and right when you fell
your morals have been bruised,
ZANG! you recognize tow or
three delegates from New Jersey
or California. The you don't
feel as bad. and you order an
other."
Yes, to a certain extent con
ventions are highly predictable
these days. They’re like some
massive airplanes stuffed with
every kind of political junky.
And once the plane is put on
automatic pilot and the Great
Gavel opens the first day's pro
ceedings all you have to do is
cheer when everyone elso does.
And when the gavel pounds tho
day to a close, hold on tight to
your wallet and do as delegates
do — get drunk.
But I couldn't very well say
thero will be no surprises at the
convention According to The
New York Times, at 11:05.5 on
Thursday. July 16. there is five
minutes of spontaneous chocr
ing scheduled for the benefit of
nil the Democrats who really
want to gel down, gel weird, get
loud and express their joy with
the candidate in the form of
shrieking war cries.
But at least this circus that
emerges every four years from
Ihe dark and murky depths of
liberal Democracy has a pur
pose It's a time when the party
can pull together as a collective
whole and participate in the
possible election of one of their
own. it's a chance for partici
pants to harness all feasible po
litical desires and attempt to
sell them to their nominated
candidate.
Other than the various ex
cnruiidatcs who have emerged
from the disgraceful abyss of
withdrawing from the presiden
tial race to announce their sup
port for Clinton, the only news
is Clinton's choice for running
mate. Core. But this kind of
news does not really catch my
oyo in any significant way. It
doesn't raise a whole lot of
questions that I am concerned
with.
Jesse, Mario, Brown. Tson
gas, Kerrey, Wilder, Robb or
Shurplon can support or fight
the Clinton/Gore ticket until
they're blue in the face, but I'll
bet none of them could answer
my question
The question that was asked
throughout the media welcom
ing party on Saturday night and
pondered in the dark and cool
bars lined along Madison
Square Garden. The question I
asked Dan Rather as we holpod
ourselves to some chablis at the
Inglenook tent, the question I
whispered to Al Sharpton as I
shook his slimy hand, and the
question Steve Husto asked Pe
ter Jennings us he downed a
plastic cup of beer: "If the walls
of Madison Square Carden
could speak, what do you think
they would say is more of a
joke — the 19112 Democratic
Convention or the Noil Dia
mond concert hero next week?"
John M. Clarke lr. is a student
at the University