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Through Their Eyes STORIES BY MELISSA DELOACH WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY JESSICA CERVANTEZ
SUPPORT HIGH FOR LAURA BUSH People can really tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps, said Roberta Myers of Millersberg, Ohio, about President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush. Throughout the presidential campaign, Bush often thanked his wife for her support. Aside from support for her husband, she has remained active raising her twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, both 19. Sue and Roy Johnson of Dallas met the Bush family when the girls entered elementary school. Sue Johnson said the first lady volunteered in the library by reading to children and helping in any way she could. “We were unaware she had a masters degree until recently,” said Sue Johnson, a former music teacher at Preston Hollow Elementary School in Dallas. “She would even come to all the PTA meetings.” Unlike her predecessor Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush has said she will follow in the direction of more traditional first ladies like her mother-in-law Barbara Bush. A former librarian, Laura Bush is expected to promote literacy. “She is so different than Hillary,” said Jenie Boley of Fairfax, Va. “She has so much affection toward her husband. The Clintons had an artificial front. Laura is so down to earth and natural.” Due to the contention surrounding the election, chances are the first lady will have to endure listening to derogatory remarks made about her husband. “I get tired of listening to (Jay) Leno and (David) Letterman continuing to crack jokes about the DWI,” said Mary Lee Boisseau of Danville, Va. “What part of having no drinks in 14 years do they not understand?” And with the confirmation hearings wraping up — especially from the debate of Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft — it is going to be difficult for the criticism to stop, Boisseau said.
CARRIER GIVES 50 YEARS OF SUPPORT, BUTTON MAKING Marlene Carrier has been involved with the Republican Party since she was 16 years old, walking door to door helping it campaign for Dwight Eisenhower for president in 1952. Since then, she has held almost every voluntary position at the county, state and national level and was a delegate for three national conventions. But the Mercer County, Pa., native describes herself as a little “cog in the wheel.”
“A little one,” she said. “And I’m not any big shot. My husband was a truck driver, and I raised three kids at home, as well as a home business.” Yet she still found time to volunteer for the Republican Party. In 1980, Carrier worked for former President George Bush in his unsuccessful run for the republican nomination. Three days before the election, she received boxes of campaign material — literature, buttons, signs and bumper stickers. But it was too late to use. “So I put it aside for a while,” Carrier said. “I stashed the boxes at my house for eight years. I knew he would run again.Eight years later I could put it to good use. “I hauled my stuff out, and we put hats on with the George Bush bumper stickers, the George Bush buttons and put the George Bush signs in the window. He was finally elected.” In addition to her volunteer efforts, Carrier also designs campaign buttons. Part of her collection is even on display in the Smithsonian Institution. Even though she has been active in the Republican Party for more than 50 years, Carrier said she does not plan to stop volunteering. “We need the rich people to foot the bill, but they can’t do it without us,” she said. “And sometimes they forget that, not that I let them.”
ROTC MEMBERS VOLUNTEER AT INAUGURAL ACTIVITIES, GAIN EXPERIENCE Despite the fact that only two of the 23 ROTC members who traveled to Washington to participate in 2001 Presidential Inauguration actually saw the ceremony, the group agreed the trip was the opportunity of a lifetime. “The patriotic feeling and pride of being part of something so special made me proud to be an American,” Senior Prior Wing Cmdr. Monica Dziubinski said. “The fact that I was actually there and was able to relate to parts of the speech will always be memorable.”
Hawkins said although the group did not get to volunteer at the Inaugural Parade or see the inauguration up close, the real value of the experience was just being in Washington. Ushering at the Black Tie and Boots Ball Friday was the highlight of the weekend for many of the cadets. “I had never seen so many celebrities,” Hawkins said. Hawkins said two cadets had the opportunity to meet Gen. Mike Ryan, who is chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. People from Gov. Rick Perry to the Beach Boys attended the ball, Dziubinski said. “Just walking in my uniform at the ball gave me a sense of pride,” Cadet Chesley Fowler said. “I won’t remember the exact words years from now, but I had the opportunity of a lifetime; not many people get that opportunity.”
HENNINGER SETS HIGH GOALS FOR INVOLVEMENT Karin Henninger recently turned down an opportunity
to run for city council. Instead she decided to enroll in college.
In August, she was the youngest delegate at the Republican National Convention. She found out she would be a delegate the day before she graduated high school. At the convention, Henninger had the opportunity to voice the views of a high school graduate in a room full of delegates twice her age. “People really listened to me,” she said. Henninger has been trying to promote the message that every vote counts. After the convention, she could do what she stressed others to do: vote. “My parents told me that if you don’t exercise the right to vote, you can’t exercise the right to complain,” said Henninger, a freshman at Pikes Peak Community College. Henninger has been active in politics since she was 6 years old. Her mother took her to the precinct caucus meetings because it was cheaper than getting a baby sitter. Henninger said election night was the hardest experience for her because her friends questioned her involvement in the party. Five weeks passed and her friends continued to doubt their vote counted. “They have difficulty understanding,” she said. “The system failed, and I still support it.” Although Henninger did not receive tickets for any inaugural week events, she wanted to come to Washington, D.C., to support the party that she has grown to love. “I’m going to be president one day,” Henninger said.
OTHER COUNTRIES KEEP CLOSE WATCH ON 2000 ELECTION WASHINGTON — As George W. Bush begins his first days as president, Americans are not the only ones keeping a close eye on the commander in chief. Because President Bush assumes the leadership of the most powerful country in the world, reporters from abroad are setting up offices in Washington, to keep tabs on the president. Matti Jäppinen, a correspondent for the Finnish newspaper ILTALEHTI, has followed every American president since Jimmy Carter. He said Finland, like other countries, looks to the White House for leadership. “Whatever the president does ultimately affects everyone in the world,” he said. “World leaders are concerned that Bush will not be able to govern.” With the selection of Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell, Jäppinen said Bush has proven he can bring a talented group of people together. But until Bush sets his agenda, it is too close to call. Fabienne Sintes, a reporter for France-Inter, France’s equivalent to “National Public Radio,” also will be observing the changing of the guard. Sintes said she is interested to see how it will differ to have a Republican back in the White House. Sintes spent much time in Florida during the election saga. Although people are still upset about the election turnout, they are finally accepting the reality, she said. “It’s interesting to see that people have such faith in the Constitution,” Sintes said. “But they also respect the Constitution. In France there would have been a major revolution if this had happened.”
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