Clinton pushes Beijing plan I
WASHINGTON (AP) -
President Clinton asked Congress
on Wednesday to approve a major
trade agreement with Beijing, say
ing it offers the most significant
opportunity for positive change in
China since President Nixon’s his
toric visit three decades ago.
“We can work to pull China in
the right direction or we can turn our
backs and almost certainly push it in
the wrong direction,” the president
said as he submitted legislation to
establish permanent normal trade
relations with China.
The measure would scrap
Congress’ annual, contentious
review of China’s human rights and
trade record.
The promise of permanent trade
privileges was part of a market
opening deal under which China
pledged to cut import barriers on
American goods and services in
return for U.S. support for China’s
entry into the World Trade
Organization
China’s trade status is one of the
biggest battles facing Congress. It’s
an issue complicated by election
year politics and an alignment of
strange political alliances linking
Clinton with Republicans and their
business allies against Democrats
and their supporters among orga
nized labor, environmentalists and
human rights groups.
The White House argues that
open trade with China would be a
bonanza for American companies
and workers, tearing down barriers
that have prevented U.S. firms from
competing in the world’s most popu
lous country.
Women’s Week 2000
Celebrating the Beauty in all of Us...Broadening Our Vision
Tomorrow:
“The Change: Traditional and nontraditional
approaches to perimenopause and menopause”
Brown bag lunch and panel discussion with educational
exhibit about attitudes towards menopause. Speakers include:
Pat Tetreault, Sexuality Education Program Coordinator,
University Health Center; Nancy Goff, Menstruation
Educator; and Carol Greenlee, RN, MSN and certified
midwife. Nebraska Union (room to be posted).
11:30 a.m.-l pm, March 10.
Co-sponsored by the Women’s Center, University Health Center and the
Employee Assistance Program.
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__I_ J
-ASUN ELECTIONS
‘It hasn’t really sunk in yet that I lost.’-Heath Mello
Heather Gienboski/DN
EMPOWER’S FIRST VICE PRESIDENTIAL candidate, Cecily Rometo, second vice presidential candidate, Mike Butterfield,
and sophomore Cami Shreve comfort each other after hearing the results of Wednesday’s election. Empower failed in its
bids in the presidential and first vice presidential run-off and the second vice presidential run-off.
Empower pledges support j
ByJillZeman
Staff writer
Empower first vice presidential
candidate Cecily Rometo kept a straight
face as she heard the results of
Wednesday’s ASUN run-off election.
“We lost,” she told a small group of
supporters.
Presidential candidate Heath Mello
arrived late to Empower’s post-election
party at Mainstreet Cafe, 1325 O St.,
because he was in an Association of the
Students of the University of Nebraska
meeting.
When Mello arrived at the party, he
said he was shocked at the results of the
election.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet that I
lost,” he said.
Though they were disappointed,
both Mello and Rometo expressed their
best wishes toward A-Team’s presiden
tial candidate, Joel Schafer, and first
vice presidential candidate, Riley
Peterson, who won the election with
1,081 votes to Empower’s 857 votes.
“I want to congratulate Joel; he’s a
good guy,” Mello said. “I hope he real
izes he’s giving a year of his life to the
university.”
Rometo echoed Mello’s sentiments.
“I’ve worked with Joel and Riley,”
she said. “It’ll be fine next year.”
Mello also said he, Rometo and
Empower second vice presidential can
didate Mike Butterfield are willing to
help Schafer and Peterson.
“We care more about the organiza
tion than the parties,” Mello said.
Rometo said that although she was
surprised at the results, she was still
pleased with Empower’s campaign.
“I’ve met so many people, and I feel
we’ve maintained our integrity,” she
said.
Although Empower did not win the
election, the party still brought up sever
al important issues, Rometo said.
“The issues we brought up are out of
the betterment for ASUN, which is why
I ran in the first place,” she said.
Rometo said she was disappointed
but still managed to keep a sense of .
humor.
“I’ll have time to write my thesis L
next year,” she said.
Many members of Empower felt the
Daily Nebraskan’s coverage was biased
and had a negative effect on the cam
paign, Mello said.
Mello said he realized a few weeks
ago that he thought the Daily Nebraskan
didn’t support his party.
“The DN got what they wanted,” he
said.“They wanted a candidate to win,
and he won.”
Mello said he felt in this year’s elec
tion, candidates’ ideas didn’t seem to
matter.
“My advice for anyone thinking to
run next year is to not worry about being
involved or having any leadership
skills,” he said.
“Just do what you want to do.”
Ellis ekes past Butterfield for win
From staff reports
Mike Butterfield said there was no
way he could have predicted what hap
pened Wednesday night.
He wasn’t expecting to lose in the
ASUN run-off election, he said. But he
did.
And so did his running mates,
Empower presidential candidate Heath
Mello and first vice presidential candi
date Cecily Rometo.
Impact candidate Amy Ellis defeat
ed Butterfield for the office of second
vice president. Ellis received 49.52 per
cent of the vote, only 45 votes more than
Butterfield’s 47.22 percent.
A-Team candidates Joel Schafer
and Riley Peterson beat out Mello and
Rometo in the election for Association
of Students of the University of
Nebraska president and vice president.
Butterfield met with other
Empower supporters at the Main Street
Cafe, 1325 O. St., on Wednesday, while
Ellis stood in a Nebraska Union hallway
outside of the ASUN senate meeting.
Butterfield said he was disappoint
ed with the results.
“I’m pretty shocked and upset about
it,” he said. “I had no idea.”
Ellis had a decidedly different reac
tion. Just after hearing the results, she
was literally jumping for joy.
“I am so excited, so amazingly
excited,” she said.
Ellis said this week was difficult.
Along with the stress of the run-off, she
also had five tests, she said.
“We spent most of the day ... just
trying to breathe,” she said.
Butterfield said the defeat hit him
extra hard because his party, Focus, lost
last year in a run-off too.
“We all worked very hard, but I
guess obviously the majority of students
thought someone else could do a better
job,” he said. “That’s why they call it
democracy.”
Ellis said she was ready to take
office. *
“I have lots of people to represent, .
and I plan on doing it well,” she said, f
Staff writers Veronica Daehn, !
Katie Mueting, Sara Salkeld and Jill g
Zeman contributed to this report.
