thebattalion l wednesday,
october 16, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
OVAL OFFICE WISDOM
football
Former Obama advisor speaks on sacrifice, White House experiences Homer Segovia The Battalion
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n a lecture at the Annenberg Presidential Center Tuesday night, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, David Axelrod, spoke on his experiences with the Obama administration. Through anecdotes, Axelrod explained what it took to work in the Oval Office and what it means to be a public servant. Axelrod said the responsibilities of being in the Oval Office became apparent on inaugural day, when he was informed there could be a potential terrorist act in Washington. Axelrod said his family was going to church with the Obama and Bush family that day. “When my wife and my son left, I wanted to tell them not to go, but I was told not to say anything and I didn’t,” Axelrod said. “So even before we took office, I got a sense of what the burdens and responsibilities of leadership were.” Axelrod said he was forced to put his personal life and needs aside at times to perform as an effective advisor. Despite almost going bankrupt when health insurance wouldn’t cover his daughter’s health condition, Axelrod said it was his job to advise the president against the current health care reform. “I understood the need for health reform in a very personal way, but my job was to give him the political advice,” Axelrod said. Reduced to tears the night the health care package passed, Axelrod said he thanked the president as a father and on behalf of the millions of Americans who wouldn’t experience the pressures he had personally felt. “[Obama] put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘Well, that’s why we do the work,’” Axelrod said. “That stuck with me. That’s why See Axelrod on page 3
Yomi Adenuga — THE BATTALION
Head coach Kevin Sumlin says Auburn has “new energy” as it travels to A&M.
A&M sets sights on Auburn Sumlin, players reflect on Ole Miss, turn attention to visiting No. 24 Tigers James Sullivan The Battalion
L David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama and director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, speaks Tuesday at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center as part of the Bush School’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
ast season on the road, Texas A&M exacted a dominating 63-21 victory over Southeastern Conference division rival Auburn, scoring at-will throughout the night on a Tiger squad in disarray under former head coach Gene Chizik. One season later, Auburn prepares for a Saturday visit to Kyle Field under new leadership — Gus Malzahn — and a Tiger team with many of last year’s players. A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin compared Auburn’s current team to last year’s surging Aggie squad, which finished the season 11-2 with an upset of topranked and future national champion Alabama. “They’re 5-1, and they’re ranked 24th in the country,” Sumlin said. “They’re very different than the team we played last year. It’s a bit like where we were last year. They’ve got a new coach, new energy, new players and they’re playing with confidence. It might be the same guys, but it’s a completely different football team from an attitude standpoint.” Sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel and A&M’s offensive system produced 49 points in just over two quarters of play last season, See Presser on page 2
Photos by Jade Bedell — THE BATTALION
echo taps
Sophomore cadet to be honored with ceremony Thursday night Jake Walker The Battalion
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aleb Tate, sophomore university studies major and member of Company P-2, died Tuesday evening from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident, a hospital official said. Corps Commander Eric Gil said Tate will be honored at an Echo Taps ceremony at 10:30 p.m. Thursday on the Quad. Tate was traveling on a motorcycle northbound on Texas Avenue when a convertible, occupied by two people, pulled out in front of
him from Southwest Parkway, according to a press release from the College Station Police Department. CSPD said Tate suffered incapacitating injuries from the collision and was transferred to the College Station Medical Center. The occupants of the convertible suffered non-incapacitating injuries and were also sent to the medical center. Echo Taps is a Corps of Cadets tradition held for national tragedies and to remember current members of the Corps who pass away. It is similar to Silver Taps, but geared more
toward cadets, and takes place soon after the occurrence of the event. During the Echo Taps ceremony, one bugler plays a rendition of “Silver Taps” at the end of the Quad and a second bugler at the opposite end of the Quad echoes it shortly thereafter. Immediately following the ceremony, the cadets return to their dorms in silence. Though the ceremony is tailored more toward cadets, it is open to anyone willing to pay their respects.
graduate student council
Grad students continue push for own wildcat Members urged to oppose Student Senate bill Lindsey Gawlik The Battalion
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he Texas A&M Graduate Student Council (GSC) convened for their bimonthly meeting Tuesday night, where members addressed the Student Senate resolution to denounce the creation of a graduate student wildcat . Ryan Beemer, head of the marketing committee for the GSC and civil engineering graduate student, said he urged GSC members to attend Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting to encourage representatives to vote against the resolution. “The Student Government Association is actually voting on our resolution to try to stop us from having a wildcat,” Beemer said, “So if you were pro-wildcat, then
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I would encourage you to find your senator, since the Student Government Association technically represents us as well, and try to convince them that we should have a wildcat.” Beemer said he encouraged his fellow graduate students and all undergraduates to become more informed about the GSC’s opinion on having a wildcat, as well as the history of the tradition itself. “[GSC President Brittany Bounds] wrote a wonderful guest column about it in The Battalion and [GSC member Kevin Andrews] put up a great video on the history of the wildcat tradition on campus,” Beemer said. “Go on our Facebook and check those out.” Bounds also said GSC members should make their voices heard by joining her at the Student Senate meeting. “If you would like to join me in standing up for the Graduate Student wildcat, I would definite-
thebattalion asks
Q:
Page 2: What teams do you expect to see in the World Series?
campus news Olsen scoreboard Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park will receive a new scoreboard erected prior to the 2014 season, the athletics department announced Monday. The video boards will be the largest in the SEC and one of the five largest in college baseball.
inside sga | 3 Student Senate Student Senate will convene Wednesday to discuss nine bills, including one that calls on Chartwells to credit four meals to students with Fall 2013 meal plans for their facility inspection failures, and a resolution against creating a graduate student wildcat.
Jonathan Sheen — THE BATTALION
Let’s be friends
Brittany Bounds, president of the Graduate Student Council, leads the meeting Tuesday evening in Koldus. ly welcome you,” Bounds said. The meeting also featured guest speakers from the Texas A&M Transportation Services and from the Student Athlete Advisory Committee to speak about AggiesCAN. Texas A&M Transportation Services answered graduate stu-
dent questions on topics such as out-of-town shuttles, biking and how construction will be affect campus parking. Peter Lange, Texas A&M Transportation Services’ executive director, said some problems with transportation will arise,
@thebattonline
See GSC on page 4
10/15/13 11:21 PM