4 AQUINAS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2008

Editorial Board Serving The University and Cecilia Baress Editor in Chief Matthew Vita Managing Editor community since 1931 Robert Swinton Forum Editor McCain article sparks controversy, incites confusion A recent decision defense for publishing the story. political affiliation needs to be York Times they made as poor a criticism from fellow journalists, by the New York However, there is no reasonable put aside in order to fully realize choice in hiring Bill Keller as they and damaged its credibility as Times to publish defense for what the New York the damaging effects this story did when they hired Jayson Blair. well as the integrity of journalism an article accusing Times did. has had not only on McCain, but It is unacceptable for the execu- today. Was it really worth it, Mr. Sen. John McCain, The paper put its credibility and more importantly, on journalism tive editor of Keller? the unofficial yet the integrity of the entire field of as a whole. to find it appropriate when report- As for McCain, the story could inevitable Repub- journalism on the line by publish- One of the most basic rules of ers make such outrageous accusa- have ended his political career lican presidential Sheri ing this story. journalism is that, as a reporter, tions without a shred of proof. if readers were as gullible as the candidate, of having First, the reporters accused the one must be able to substantiate It is particularly upsetting that New York Times had hoped. It is an affair with lob- Flannery Republican presidential candidate a story. The New York Times failed the New York Times acted so reck- hard to resist asking why the New byist Vicki Iseman Staff of having a romantic relationship at doing this. lessly because, in a sense, the York Times would endorse Mc- eight years ago has Writer with a lobbyist in 1999 based sole- It is unquestionably irrespon- paper is seen as the standard for Cain, sit on this “scandal” story for caused quite an up- ly on anonymous sources. sible to publish a story about a journalism excellence in this coun- a couple months, and then release roar to say the least. Second, the timing of the ar- leading presidential candidate on try. it when McCain was guaranteed This infamous 3,000 word ar- ticle seems questionable, espe- the front page of the most pres- The New York Times public edi- the Republican nomination. ticle was published on the front cially since the New York Times tigious newspaper in the country tor Clark Hoyt released his opinion But, that is just a theory, al- page of the paper on Thursday previously endorsed McCain while when that story is based on noth- on the decision to print the story. though a plausible one at that. and has yet to stop receiving at- working concurrently on the sto- ing more than hearsay. “The article was notable for Who knows why the New York tention. ry. Executive editor of the New what it did not say… The Times Times did what it did. With over 2,000 comments on Now, it is no secret that the York Times Bill Keller defended his did not offer independent proof,” The bottom line is that the deci- its Web site from Republicans, New York Times has been accused decision to run the story because Hoyt said. sion to print the article was wrong Democrats, Independents and the of having a liberal bias in its re- he said that, “the story speaks for In its decision to run the article, and the paper should retract its politically apathetic, the New York porting. itself”. the New York Times angered the accusations before it embarrasses Times shuffled to find an adequate However, for a moment, all Someone needs to tell the New general public, received heavy the field of journalism even more. Scheduled debate leaves out Game Day t-shirts bring female Democratic candidate sense of pride to Royals By Steph Ramírez criticize her experience when her argue that she has no chance to Running on a be—Royals basketball, lacrosse, treadmill in the baseball, hockey, or rugby. This Contributor opponent has little to none. People win the nomination. This is simply hate her for not being feminine not true. Murray Royals was the shirt, we imagined, that “The personal is political.” I enough. They hate her for policies I am not positioning myself Room last week, every Royal would proudly wear have heard several politicians that, when supported by males in against Obama as the Democrat- a peculiar piece of as we cheered on our friends in usurp this phrase in the current other states, receive praise. This ic nominee. I am pointing to the clothing surprised their respective contests. And presidential debates. Among the sexist media attention threatens evidence of misogyny our very me. yet here I was wearing that very I had had a shirt and not on a game day. nominees, I find one with whom Sen. Clinton’s ability to win the campus. Do you find the problem Chris mentally exhaust- And others were wearing them I can make a personal connec- Democratic nomination. If you do with Hillary, Molitoris tion. Thank you, , not see misogyny on the screen, and , to be ing day, and as too. As I continued running, for providing me with evidence take a look at our campus. As it her campaign tactics or her gen- a way to tip the Staff thinking about our similar t-shirt of women’s equality in the politi- turns out, the same observations der? Perhaps you could not find scales and get Writer choices, I witnessed another in- cal arena. By putting theory into can be made. anyone to represent Ms. Clinton. some physical ex- dividual enter the room wearing action, you demonstrate women’s A debate, hosted by the College Did either the College Democrats haustion into the day as well, I the Game Day t-shirt and jump political clout. Democrats and the College Re- or the College Republicans contact decided to commit an act of ex- on a treadmill. But, wait. Something does not publicans, is to be held next week. women’s studies classes, the Jane ercise. As I approached my third mile match up. The misogynist tone The stars— and Kopas Women’s Center, or any po- That morning, I packed a and the monotony of the tread- of Hillary-hating runs contrary to John McCain. Already I am burst- litical science classes prior to the small bag with some clothes mill kicked in, I looked around what I would expect in 2008. Turn ing with questions as to the logic arrangement of this debate? that I could change into after and was emboldened by the on any news station covering the behind the planning of this event. Apparently not. my two o’clock class—sweat- symbolic choice of clothing in Democratic primaries to find the Did Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton If you had, boys, you would pants, shorts, sweatshirt, and a the room, realizing that maybe proof. drop out of the race? Did I miss have found me. So Dear Mr. Riz- t-shirt. I really did not think too today was a “game day.” People hate her laugh, her style, the Pennsylvania primaries? Why zo and Mr. Desch, Sen. Clinton is much on my choice of clothing, I wore the Game Day shirt her weight, and her rhetoric. They did you not include Sen. Clinton definitely in. Grab an extra chair. I as I was going to the gym, and that day, because it was on the in your mock debate? You cannot will see you on the 6th. I picked a t-shirt from the top top of my drawer, but every time of my drawer, which happened I wear it, I feel a sense of pride to be the Game Day t-shirt. This and power emanating from the shirt should be familiar to most shirt. Maybe I feel this way be- Obama leaves much to be desired here at Scranton, considering cause I recall the over two thou- since Midnight Madness last sand Scranton undergrads filling would endanger the American to happen. Francis Gradijan semester, we have handed out the bleachers in the Long Center economy and refuse to work for Bush made a huge mistake in International Content Editor over four thousand shirts—and at Midnight Madness, all wear- compromise. He has rarely worked handling the Iraq war, because we still have more. So if you do ing the purple Game Day shirt. Barack Obama (D-IL) is a di- for compromise. Compared to now Obama’s withdrawal would not have a Game Day shirt, you Or maybe this sense of power vider, not a uniter. For 2007, he John McCain, who broke with his allow Iran to basically annex Iraq might consider attending the comes from the knowledge that ranked as America’s most left- party to vote with Democrats 22% as a satellite state, thousands last remaining Royals’ and Lady practically everyone at Scranton ist Senator, even more to the left of the time and who received only of Iranian fighters have already Royals’ basketball games. owns this Game Day shirt. It is than Socialist Sen. a 60% conservative rating in 2007, poured over the borders. Even Anyway, I placed the shirt in an article of clothing that draws (I-VT), according to the National according to the National Journal worse, the Kurdish Autonomous my bag and went on with my us together, and makes us one. Journal. If you consider yourself Obama toed the Democratic party Region is in danger of secession, day—nothing too peculiar about We wear the Game Day t-shirt an independent or someone who line 97% of the time, according to especially if the Iraqi central gov- the story yet. not only when our friends have thinks the parties should be bal- Votesmart.org. ernment collapses. If all Kurds But that afternoon, after I a scheduled game, but when we anced and cooperate, Obama is Obama supports full troop were in Iraq, that would be fine. changed into my gym clothes have an important test that we not your person. Obama still sub- withdrawal from Iraq by 2009. But they’re not. Millions of Kurds and began running on the tread- have been studying for and we scribes to a failed Socialist world As for full withdrawal from Iraq are in southern Turkey, and Tur- mill in the Murray Royals room, require extra concentration. view that even Europe has left be- being a good idea, that is sort of key recently sent troops into Iraq I saw many others wearing the We wear the shirt when we hind, with the election of Angela difficult to defend. Part of his ra- to stop Kurdish terrorists from same Game Day shirt that I are going through some tough Merkel in Germany and Sarkozy tionale is there is too much loss of blowing up Turkish civilians. wore. I was not too surprised, times with family or friends and in France. Chillingly, Obama is to life in Iraq. American withdrawal, at best, considering the amount of Game we need the extra support. the left of even Ted Kennedy. Al- I suppose American lives are will bring de facto fragmentation Day t-shirts in circulation, but We wear the shirt when we though Hillary Clinton is a much more important than little brown of Iraq into Kurdish, Sunni, and on this particular Wednesday, run for five miles and we need worse speaker, in actions, she is a Iraqi lives, so I guess it is all right Shiite regions, as Moktada Al-Sa- neither the Royals nor the Lady the motivation. much better uniter than Obama. to let them kill each other in sec- dr’s Al Mahdi army breaks its Royals had a game scheduled. In And most of all, we wear the On issues such as Iraq, Health tarian violence. But American turns out, a bunch of people just shirt when we want to show ev- Care, spending and taxes, Obama withdrawal will allow other things Please see “UNITER” page 10 felt like sporting the Game Day erybody else that we are Royals. t-shirt. So whatever endeavor you FORUM POLICY But why? might be conquering throughout In creating the Game Day t- the day, find solace in our com- The content of Aquinas is the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief and Executive Staff, and does not necessarily reflect the views of The University, its staff shirt, the group that originally munity here at Scranton, for this or faculty. planned Midnight Madness con- is where the Game Day shirt de- The University adheres to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for its student editors. ceived of a shirt that would be rives its power. All letters become the property of Aquinas and will be considered for both print and online editions unless the writer explicitly states otherwise. worn specifically on a “game Take pride in your place, and Aquinas will not print anonymous or pseudonymous letters, except in unique circumstances. day,” whosever game that might make every day your game day.