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. 12, ISSUE 579 November 15, 2008 $1.25 GREECE: 1.75 EURO Four Greek American L100 Women Win or Retain Announces Seats in U.S. Congress Funding By Evan C. Lambrou away from big oil companies and Freeze Special to The National Herald given to renewable energy develop- ment instead. She also favored NEW YORK – Four Greek American timetables to bring troops home Financial Crisis Cost women, all of them Democrats, from Iraq, while Mr. Porter op- joined three Greek American con- posed timelines for the unpopular The Organization gressmen in winning election or re- war. election to the United States House Ms. Titus, 58, said she plans to $15 Million in Losses of Representatives on Election Day. emphasize policies on renewable Two are Greek by birth, both from energy and education, and said she By Theodore Kalmoukos Nevada; and two are Greek by asso- will try to pursue committee posi- Special to The National Herald ciation. tions in those arenas. She also said Nevada State Senator Dina Titus would like to help develop a na- BOSTON – Leadership 100, an af- defeated Republican Incumbent tional portfolio standard for renew- filiate endowment fund corpora- Jon Porter to take Nevada’s 3rd able energy, and said the No Child tion dedicated to supporting the Congressional District; Congress- Left Behind Act needs to be revised. ministries of the Greek Orthodox woman Shelley Berkley easily won Mr. Porter said he still believed Archdiocese of America, an- re-election in Nevada’s 1st Con- he had a chance to remain in office, nounced that it will temporarily gressional District; Congress- but conceded that he was an under- cease funding various programs woman Niki Tsongas ran unop- dog after 40,000 voters registered and services offered by the Arch- posed in Massachusetts’ 5th Con- as Democrats. diocese, citing the ongoing eco- gressional District; and Suzanne Mr. Porter used negative cam- nomic crisis, which has cost the or- Kosmas soundly beat her opponent, paigning tactics. Ms. Titus charac- ganization $15 million in losses. a three-term incumbent with ties to terized his television ads as blatant- In a statement to The National disgraced former lobbyist Jack ly false. “They were nothing but AP PHOTO/DENIS FARRELL Herald, Leadership 100 Chairman Abramoff, in Florida’s 24th Con- lies, but when you’re in public life Greek Human Rights Hero's Birthday Stephen Yeonas said that the orga- gressional District. you don’t have real access to libel nization was doing well and that its DINA TITUS and slander protection. The only George Bizos, left, arrives for his 80th birthday party with former president Nelson Mandela, right, in membership was growing. “The on- Two years after losing her gu- way we’re going to get over this Johannesburg Wednesday Nov. 12, 2008. Few lawyers are considered to have done more to challenge the ly problem that we have, much like bernatorial bid to Jim Gibbons, Ms. negative campaigning is to defeat apartheid government than George Bizos, lifelong friend of Nelson Mandela. Bizos fled Greece in 1941 any other endowment fund, is that Titus beat Mr. Porter, the only rep- him,” she told voters. with his father, who had helped seven New Zealand soldiers escape German-occupied territory. Bizos the cash in our fund has fallen be- resentative Nevada’s 3rd district As she talked to civic groups and helped shape South Africa's constitution and continues to be a passionate human rights activist. low the level of contributions com- had ever known, in a hard-fought went door to door, Ms. Titus told ing in from our members,” he said. campaign 47-42 percent. potential voters that the lack of reg- Specifically, Mr. Yeonas said that Rep.-Elect Titus, longtime ulation favored by Mr. Bush, and “last year our fund had $68 million, leader of the Nevada State Legisla- supported by Mr. Porter, led to the and as of October 30, 2008, we cur- ture’s Democratic minority, fol- country’s financial meltdown, in- rently have $53 million.” Com- lowed President-Elect Barack Oba- cluding the foreclosures which hit Podesta Heads Up Obama Transition menting on the endowment's re- ma’s strategy in his victorious cam- Las Vegas pretty hard. cent losses, Mr. Yeonas noted that paign against U.S. Senator John Jon Ralston, who wrote Ms. Ti- By Evan C. Lambrou solidly blue-collar background – his Avenue, and in the world of public “we're not the only ones; all en- McCain (R-Arizona), repeatedly tus’ political obit in the Las Vegas Special to The National Herald father worked in a factory for 50 policy institutes. Under Clinton, he dowment funds have lost money in painting her opponent largely as a Sun after she lost to Mr. Gibbons in years – and will be 60 years of age had also served as staff secretary this crisis. We are in much better clone of President Bush. 2006, marveled her revival: “It’s NEW YORK – In preparing for his by the time the country’s first and deputy chief of staff, and was shape than most of them.” “I am so excited to be part of his- over. Dina Titus is a walking politi- move to the White House, Presi- African American President is an aide on Capitol Hill to Senators When asked if there was any tory in the making; to be part of the cal corpse and only a miraculous dent-Elect Barack Obama is draw- sworn in. Tom Daschle of South Dakota and way to have safeguarded against change that is sweeping the coun- makeover can revivify her,” he ing water from a familiar well: the Mr. Podesta is now co-chairing Patrick Leahy of Vermont. these losses, Mr. Yeonas responded try,” Ms. Titus told supporters at the wrote on November 29, 2006. Clinton Administration. Mr. Obama the Obama-Biden Transition Pro- He is now president of a liberal that “unfortunately, even the Rio, where Democrats were cele- “Notice of retraction: The state- is borrowing Bill Clinton’s former ject. He is also said to be under con- research group he founded in smartest investors in America – in- brating big wins locally and nation- ments made in the Las Vegas Sun chief of staff, Greek American John sideration for another senior posi- 2003, with help from Hungarian- cluding the people on Wall Street – ally, crediting her win partly to Mr. two years ago are not accurate. Di- D. Podesta, to head the transition tion, perhaps Energy Secretary, al- born Jewish American financial did not manage to evade the crisis. Obama’s field operation, which she na Titus’ rebirth is nothing short of between now and Inauguration though as of last Sunday, Novem- wizard George Soros and other fi- What is happening to our economy called the best she had ever seen in remarkable… Her career not only Day this coming January. ber 10, he said he had no plans to nanciers. has not taken place since the crash 20 years of politics. is not over, it is beginning a new Mr. Podesta was born to an Ital- accept a position in the Obama Ad- After the Clinton administra- of 1929. Ms. Titus’ positions differed phase… The Sun regrets the error – ian American father and a Greek ministration. tion, Mr. Podesta initially worked As a result, Mr. Yeonas ex- starkly with her opponent on the is- American mother in Chicago on Mr. Podesta has extensive expe- plained that until the money in sues. She wanted tax breaks taken Continued on page 7 January 15, 1949. He rose from a rience at both ends of Pennsylvania Continued on page 5 Leadership 100's fund returns to the level it is supposed to be at, the corporation will not be able to dis- burse grants. Citing the reason for this decision, he said “when we re- cruit a new member, we tell him Being Born in Kokkalis, Greek Entrepreneur Honored in New York that his contribution will never be touched, and that the only funds Greece may By Aris Papadopoulos that we will hand out in sponsor- Special to The National Herald ships are those generated from in- terest on the principal and stock Not Make ATHENS – Greek technology dividends.” mogul and Olympiakos FC Presi- dent and majority owner sat down Continued on page 7 You Greek for an interview with The National Herald, after his arrival in New By Nicole Itano York, where he was feted by Hel- Christian Science Monitor lenic Public Radio-Cosmos FM for his passionate advocacy of Hel- ATHENS, GREECE- When Athina lenism. The award gala dinner, Skeadas Made Bontigao walks down the streets of which took place on Wednesday, this city of her birth, most Greeks November 12 at the Harvard Club Philoptochos don’t see a compatriot, they see a in New York, was chaired by New foreigner, a xenos. Sometimes, es- York State Assemblyman Michael pecially lately, police stop her and Gianaris and emceed by Soterios President ask to see her papers. On the bus, Johnson, host of National Public she hears old ladies complain about Radio's “Morning Edition” on “all these dirty foreigners” coming WNYC. By Theodore Kalmoukos to their country. They’re looking at The wealthy technology pio- Special to The National Herald her. neer, who is founder and Chairman Ms. Bontigao has lived all her 18 of the Intracom Holdings and IN- BOSTON – The National Philopto- years in Athens, but she has an TRALOT, the largest Greek multi- chos Society of the Greek Orthodox Asian face and Filipino parents.