SA Runoff Voting Open, Candidates to Appear on WRGW

Students can vote for SA President in a runoff between John Bennett and Ashwin Narla today and Thursday.

The two remaining candidates face off after finishing first and second in the general election race for president separated by just 130 votes. Bennett received 1,748 votes (36%), Narla 1,618 (34%), neither crossing the 40% benchmark for locking up the nomination. Bennett and Narla also spent the most money of the five presidential candidates on their campaigns: $975 and $920, respectively, according to the candidates.

Both candidates are juniors.

Bennett comes from the SA, serving most recently as chair of the senate finance committee responsible for doling out funds to student organizations. Narla has not worked in the SA. He served on Colonial Cabinet, led an Alternative Breaks trip to New Orleans and worked for GW University Hallmark Events as a summer assistant.

Tune into the WRGW News at 6 tonight to hear from Narla and Bennett at www.gwradio.com and check back for our live election results coverage Thursday at 9 pm.

2012 Student Media SA Debate

Miss last night's SA EVP and President debate? Replay the WRGW live stream below:

2012 Student Association - Student Media Debate by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

You can find out more about the candidates here.

And vote for your favorite here on Wednesday or Thursday.

Huntsman Brings Campaign to GW

John Huntsman, Jr. discussed his economic and foreign policy with students.

Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman spoke before a packed Jack Morton Auditorium Tuesday night, marking the first visit by a 2012 presidential candidate to the GW campus since President Obama's in April.

The former Utah governor and ambassador to China spoke on fixing an ailing economy, reducing the "heroin-like addiction to foreign oil" and strengthening diplomatic ties with allies like Israel and India.

"All I want... is a foreign policy that says we're going to lead with economics," Huntsman said.

His plan for economic recovery would include the repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act and "Obamacare," a focus on domestic natural gas production for transportation and the adoption of a flat tax like the one his "good friend Rick Perry" talked about earlier in the day. He criticized President Obama's handling of the economy, including bailing out businesses seen as too big to fail.

"Capitalism without failure is not capitalism," Huntsman said.

Huntsman vocalized his support for continued counter-terrorism initiatives, claiming, "We must remain vigilant." But he also announced that he would bring home the 100,000 troops currently serving in Afghanistan.

Looking towards the general election, Huntsman attacked President Obama's "hope" campaign as a message of style over substance.

"You can win on a mantra, that don't mean you can lead," he said.

Though critical of the current president, Huntsman made no apologies for leaving his job as Utah governor to accept President Obama's nomination for ambassador to China.

"I worked for President Reagan, I worked for President Bush, I worked for President Bush," he said. "I'm of the firm belief that when your president asks you to step up and serve in a time of war, during a time of economic hardship, you stand up and put your country first."

Jack Morton quickly reached its 260 person capacity for the College Republicans-sponsored event. CR members could RSVP for priority seating prior to the event, while coordinators granted non dues-paying members entry on a first-come, first-served basis.

Huntsman spokesman and GW alumnus Tim Miller said his candidate does well with youth voters because of the sense that he includes them in the debate on topics such as the national debt.

"He's doing a lot of college visits," Miller said. "He has a positive message that resonates with young people."

Following the speech, students swarmed to the front of the auditorium, clamoring for a picture with the presidential candidate.

"I liked how moderate he was," GW senior Veronica Brown said. "He really spoke to me as a less right-wing Republican."

Despite polling below 2 percent in most national Republican primary studies, Huntsman maintains a focus on youth voters. He appeared on the popular Colbert Report Monday and jokingly requested that Stephen Colbert join him as his vice presidential running mate.

Huntsman is the second 2012 presidential candidate to campaign at GW this year. President Obama revealed his budget deficit reduction plan in the Jack Morton Auditorium shortly after announcing his candidacy in April. Republican candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich both came to campus in February, several months prior to officially announcing their runs for the Republican presidential nomination.

"I don't think this is his year," GW sophomore Daniel Ceisler said, "but I don't think this is the last we'll see of Jon Huntsman."

- Joseph Rabinowitz

President Obama to Address Nation's Students on Wednesday

President Obama will deliver his annual back-to-school address this Wednesday at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School.  The speech will allow the president the opportunity to speak to students not just in the District, but across the nation as well.  This is the third year that the president will make a speech addressing the nation's students.

In a press release, Press Secretary Jay Carney said that in past speeches, the president encouraged students to study hard and take responsibility for their education, and urged them to set goals and be the authors of their own destinies.

Critics of the president's speech took issue with his addresses to students in the past.  In 2009, some parents threatened to remove their children from class during the speech, while others saw it as nothing more than political rhetoric.

This year, Banneker made Newsweek's list of America's Best High Schools.  Ivory Sherman, a 2008 graduate of Banneker, said she is glad to see the President reaching out to public schools.


"Many have said that Obama delivering his back-to-school speech is his way of pushing his political agenda, but I disagree," Sherman said.  "President Obama should be applauded because he is reaching out to future generations, which should be done more often."

One teacher who spoke on conditions of anonymity said that lots of students are anticipating the speech.


"I'd say we're excited to have the president visit, but I think he gets more out of this- an urban public school backdrop- than we get out of it," the teacher commented.  "I think kids will remember he was here and that they saw him, but I doubt he'll encourage kids to stay in school here more than they already do anyway."

Democrats & Republicans Debate Health Care

President Obama hosted a bipartisan discussion on healthcare reform Wednesday afternoon. Top congressional leaders from both parties gathered at the Blair House for seven and a half hours in an attempt to hammer out the key differences preventing the passage of comprehensive reform.

Barack Obama, who had laid out his ideas in an online bill posted Monday morning, took on the role as moderator in chief. The president was sandwiched in between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on his left and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner on his right, while the two parties filled the room on their respective sides.

The style of the debate was simple: Democrats and Republicans, called on by their leadership, spoke their mind and responded to opponents in a back and forth dialogue.

Democratic leaders highlighted the main aspects of the House and Senate bills passed last year, citing cost control measures, lower premiums, greater choice, and deficit reduction.

Republicans countered with their recent themes, criticizing the bill for its expansion of government, backroom deals, and public outrage against the measure.

Come to the 1st Annual WRGW News - SA Debate!

THIS FRIDAY, February 19th from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Marvin Center Amphitheater (3rd floor). Doors open at 6:45 p.m.

The evening will be moderated by WRGW News Director Jared Pliner and Assistant News Directors Dan Keylin and Alex Laska.

Submit candidate questions via the e-form located on this page!

You can also listen to the debate LIVE via www.gwradio.com/listenlive!

Bindleglass vs. Polk?

J.E.C. removes Boyer from ballot. Pending possible student court appeal

President's race may come down to #2 and #3 finishers.

Just two votes separated Kyle Boyer from the Student Association Presidency. Now there is a high probability that he may not become President after the Joint Election Committee removed the front runner from the ballot after failing to properly disclose campaign expenses. The J.E.C. then found Boyer in violation of campaign finance rules by spending more than the $1,000 limit for Presidential candidates.

Julie Bindleglass who came in second place with 942 votes (23.1%) was slated to face Boyer in a run off election March 11 and 12. Boyer who garnered 1630 votes (39.9%) was confident he would win the run off, going so far as to claim a mandate from students.

If the decision stands Bindleglass will face Sophomore Nick Polk in a run off election set for March 25-26. Polk who garnered 16.7% of the vote tells WRGW he is, "Saddened by the circumstances but I look forward to continuing to share my ideas with the student body."

A special meeting of the student association on March 10 saw the postponement of the election. A student unaffiliated with either campaign had filed allegations of campaign violations with the J.E.C. and enough probable cause was found for the S.A. to delay the election. Had Boyer been removed from the ballot within 24 hours before election postponement Bindleglass would have ascended to the Presidency by default despite coming in a distant second in the initial election.

The winner of the March 25 - 26 election will join Executive Vice President Jason Lifton who won a decisive victory with 2251 or 58% of the vote. Students may vote online at http://www.gwelection.com

- Jesse Regis

photo credits: Jenn Neuner, WRGW

Fmr. Secs of State discuss issues before students, dignitaries

[caption id="attachment_567" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="From Left: SMPA Professor Frank Sesno, Secretaries Warren Christopher, Henry Kissinger, Madeline Albright, James Baker, and Colin Powell. Not pictured - CNN's Christiane Amanpour"][/caption]

A conversation with five of the most influential decision makers of our time took place earlier this afternoon in Lisner Auditorium. The event dubbed, "The Next President, a World of Challenges" was meant to spark a public discourse surrounding the issues that face the United States.

Former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright, Colin Powell, James Baker III, Warren Christopher, and Henry Kissinger graced the stage for the ninety minute event moderated by CNN Special Correspondent and GW Professor Frank Sesno along with Christiane Amanpour, CNN's Chief International Correspondent

The event covered an array of subjects including the economy, global warming, and the situations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Georgia, Darfur, and the role of the media in public life. Generally, the secretaries were in agreement over the issues. Among these topics was whether to engage perceived enemies like Iran. Albright summarized the consensus by saying, "You need to engage with countries you have problems with," but also warned against pushing too hard against the Middle Eastern nation saying that it may only rally anti-American support behind the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Quarrels arose over issues like Darfur where the secretaries sought to stymie the genocide occurring in Africa, but stopped short of demanding action because a response allegedly would not benefit American interests and would stretch American resources thin.

Despite being within fifty days of a general election, the secretaries only briefly touched upon the actual candidates, and instead focused on one of two lenses - the role of a 21st century America in a globalized world, and how America would engage it's enemies and allies to resolve the problems circumventing the globe.

While the event was meant to be a dignified gathering of students, diplomats, and foreign dignitaries, Secretary Baker, who served President George H.W. Bush, humorously claimed the solution to Global Warming was to kill all the world's cows because their methane riddled farts contribute to global warming. Meanwhile, in an assumed jab at Alaskan Governor, and Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, Secretary Albright claimed that Global Warming occurs everywhere except in Alaska. Both were rare light moments in an afternoon meant to transcend partisan lines and offer the next President of the United States guidance in a rapidly changing world.

The event will air on CNN beginning September 20th at 9pm.

- Jesse Regis