Sarbanes, Bilirakis and Space Win Races the Fragile Treasures Of

O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans A WEEKLY GREEK AMERICAN PUBLICATION c v www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 10, ISSUE 474 November 11, 2006 $1.00 GREECE: 1.75 EURO Sarbanes, Crist Wins in Florida, Bilirakis Arnold Tops Angelides, And Space Snowe Takes 3rd Term Win Races Six out of Ten Greek American Candidates Win Handily in Bids for Federal & Statewide Seats Three Greek American By Evan C. Lambrou moderate who has shown an inde- Candidates Take Seats Special to The National Herald pendent streak in Congress has now been undefeated in three Senate In the House of Reps NEW YORK – With Democrats tak- races, eight congressional bids and ing control of both houses of Con- three runs for the Maine Legislature. By Dimitri Soultogiannis gress and snatching 20 out of 36 gu- She told supporters in Portland Special to the National Herald bernatorial races across the land, all that she plans to continue working to four Greek American candidates for find middle ground to reach solu- BALTIMORE – Three Greek the United States Senate and House tions to problems, including getting American candidates trounced of Representatives won their bids for American troops back home from their opponents, easily taking seats federal seats. Iraq. in the United States House of Rep- But only one of the four seeking “I’m more determined than ever resentatives on Election Day. governorships managed victory. to build the political bridges neces- Two of them, John Sarbanes of Of the two who were seeking sary to do what is right for Maine Maryland and Gus Bilirakis of Flori- non-gubernatorial statewide seats, and America,” she said, vowing to da, are following in their fathers’ one won, and the other lost. represent all Maine residents, “in- footsteps. One of them, Democrat Of the ten major Greek American cluding those on the political right, Zack Space of Ohio, is new to the candidates, only three were Republi- the political left or in the middle.” Greek American political scene. cans. Bucking the nationwide anti- While Republicans and Democ- JOHN SARBANES GOP trend, all three Greek American rats fought bruising battles in many The constituents of Maryland’s Republicans won their respective states, the outcome of Senator 3rd Congressional District sent a races. With more than 80 percent of Snowe’s race in a traditionally blue clear message this past Tuesday: precincts reporting this past Tuesday state was never in doubt. They want Democrat John Sar- evening, November 7, U.S. Senator Neither of her competitors, Jean banes to be their next representa- Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, a Re- Hay Bright, an organic farmer and tive in the House. Mr. Sarbanes publican, was re-elected to her third longtime Democratic activist, nor took 133,689 votes, 65 percent of Senate term, mopping the floor with William Slavick, a retired university the total. His Republican opponent, her opponent 73-21 percent, grab- professor and peace activist, was John White, managed to collect AP/JOEL PAGE bing 327,882 votes against her De- able to gain traction against the well- just 66,997 votes, 33 percent. U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, left, joined by her husband John McKernan, right, reacts to sup- mocratic opponent’s 93,271. financed and popular incumbent. In Mr. Sarbanes will be occupying porters’ applause this past Tuesday, November 7, in Portland, Maine. Snowe, a Republican, trounced her OLYMPIA J. SNOWE campaigns for the House, John Sar- the same Congressional seat once opponent and easily survived the Democratic backlash which swept the country in winning re-election to It was Senator Snowe’s 14th con- held by his father, U.S. Senator Paul her third Senate term. secutive victory. The self-described Continued on page 3 Sarbanes, who is retiring this year after 30 years in the U.S. Senate. Voters, family and friends of John Sarbanes gathered at Camden Yards Club in downtown Baltimore to watch the election results and, The Fragile Treasures of Mount Sinai ultimately, to celebrate Mr. Sar- banes’ victory. Father proudly intro- By Suzanne Muchnic darkness in the Greek Orthodox Commandments and God revealed duced son to the public: “John is a Los Angeles Times basilica at the heart of the Holy himself in the Burning Bush. Conti- hard working man, and he deserves Monastery of St. Catherine. A few nuity and tradition are watchwords this seat,” Senator Sarbanes said. SINAI, Egypt – Sunrise is spectacu- candles provide just enough flicker- at Saint Catherine's, the world's The results coming back from lar public theater on Mount Sinai. ing light for monks to read from an- oldest continuously operating Maryland’s 3rd Congressional Dis- Hours before dawn, tourists and cient texts. As the service proceeds, Christian monastery. Built in the trict precincts were pretty straight- pilgrims – on foot or camel – start a the basilica's clerestory windows 6th Century by Byzantine Emperor forward: Mr. Sarbanes was way trek to the 7,349-foot peak, deter- change from hazy gray pillows to Justinian, the walled complex is an ahead of White throughout the day. mined to get there before the show crisp blue rectangles. Icons lining isolated retreat in the forbidding His victory helped Maryland De- begins. When the sun finally makes the walls and, dangling from terrain of south Sinai's barren mocrats retain their 6-2 advantage its appearance, the audience at the columns, begin to glow. Little by lit- deserts and precipitous mountains. in the House. “We are ahead in the pinnacle breaks into applause or tle, the sun gathers force, sending a But change has come with modern game because of you,” Mr. Sarbanes bursts into song. Oohs and ahs ac- dazzling play of light into the or- roads, tourism and technology. told his constituents after entering company the second act, when nately appointed sanctuary. The Some things seem as old as the sun, the room around 10 PM Tuesday light transforms the sky into an icons' gold backgrounds morph in- others as young as the dawn. evening. “America has sent a clear ethereal, golden hemisphere and to auras around images of saints. Bearded monks in long black message: ‘We need a change.’ ” the land far below into a craggy Wayward beams dance on the con- robes read 1,000-year-old manu- Mr. Sarbanes also talked exten- moonscape. tours of bronze candelabra and os- scripts, but they also use cell PHOTO/BRUCE M. WHITE sively about his family’s support Day arrives more quietly, but no trich-shell chandeliers. phones, correspond by e-mail and The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, Egypt. Built by Byzan- “throughout this tough pre-election less dramatically, at the foot of the This is the place where, Scrip- tine Emperor Justinian in the Sixth Century, the walled complex is a period. First of all, I want to thank mountain. Mass begins in near ture says, Moses received the Ten Continued on page 5 welcome retreat in the forbidding terrain of south Sinai’s deserts. my mother, Christine, as well as my father, who’s been behind my cam- paign all the way.” Emotions ran high when Mr. Sarbanes talked about his father, the longest serving U.S. Senator in Maryland’s history. Ted Spyropoulos Elected SAE’s U.S. Regional Head Ithaca Mourns “Somebody once told me, ‘if you can be half a good as your father By Stavros Marmarinos elections in Thessaloniki next Mr. Spyropoulos, who will as- This effort will be even more sig- Favorite Son, was, you will be an excellent politi- Special to The National Herald month. Mr. Spyropoulos, president sume his new responsibilities on nificant, following a decision to cian. And I agree with that. We can of the Hellenic American National January 1, thanked everyone who split the former North & South NEW YORK – “Today, all of us will Council, narrowly defeated Philip offered him the opportunity to give American region into three sepa- Gives him a Continued on page 2 shake hands and get off to a fresh Christopher, president of PSEKA SAE what he termed a “fresh start,” rate entities, he said, stressing that start,” said an emotional Theodore (International Coordinating Com- adding unity in Hellenism will be the U.S. region has an added im- Spyropoulos, amid thunderous ap- mittee – Justice in Cyprus) by five his primary focus. portance because Hellenes around 21-Gun Salute plause from delegates and ob- votes. “Our aim is to bring all Greek the world look to it for direction servers, as soon as his victory in last The other ten delegates elected people together,” he declared. and leadership. E.U. Warns Sunday’s Council of Hellenes as members of SAE’s U.S. Regional He also said that, throughout Mr. Spyropoulos cited volun- By Evan C. Lambrou Abroad (SAE) elections was an- Coordinating Council are Aliki An- the three-day regional meetings teerism as a top priority for the Special to The National Herald nounced, making him SAE’s new dreou, Spyros Garyfallis, Michael held at New York’s LaGuardia Mar- Greek American community, “on Turkey with U.S. Regional Coordinator, suc- Galanakis, Efthalia Catos, Stella riott last weekend, there was ex- behalf of universal Hellenic ideals,” NEW YORK – The Greek American ceeding outgoing U.S. Regional Co- Kokolis, Peter Karavitis, Gus Kar- ceptional cooperation among the which he said involve preservation community is chock full of profes- ordinator Chris Tomaras. alekas, Rev. Nicholas Kyritsis, Ted committees, underscoring his and use of the Greek language, pro- sors, doctors, lawyers, architects, Suspension Mr.

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