Western Kentucky University - Talisman Yearbook (Bowling Green, KY)

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Breathitt responded by warning against the “quick-fix methods” of the Reagan campaign. He said time would prove Carter a good president. On Thursday, Oct. 23, Dr. Richard Marius told a campus audience that the 1980 cam- paign was the dullest in recent history. Marius, the director of Harvard University’s freshman writing program, spoke on the topic of “Writing and Thinking: Rhetoric of the ’80 Campaign” as part of the University Lecture Series. Marius criticized the candidates for offering little besides empty speeches with catchy phrases. He said television has influenced cam- ’ paign speech writers to use short, meaningless slogans that sound good on the evening news. “They simply will not say the specific things we wish they would say — to say how they are going to do what,”’ he said. Marius outlined some of the history of public speaking, noting that before speech-making became something for radio and television, fiery public speeches offered people a form of emotional release. “| don’t object to the process of the media pushing the candidates around,” Marius said, “but politicians are now the creations of public relations.” Modern Americans find emotional release through soap operas, the telephone, and sports, Marius said. He blamed voter apathy largely on the can- didates’ failure to provide meaning to the campaign. “But it’s hard to expect voters to react when they’re given so little substance to react to,’’ he said. Joyce Hooker, a junior from Nashville, Tenn., said she knew very few people who were in- terested in the election. “It seems like people thought they'd heard it all before,’’ she said. ‘‘Campaigns seem to be all the same.” Hooker said there wasn’t enough difference between Carter and Reagan to make people want to get involved. “There was so much talk about a change,”’ she said. “But most people thought things would be the same no matter who won.” Fred Wheeler (J CHAMPAGNE IN STYROFOAM CUPS is part of the Reagan victory celebration at Bowling Green headquarters. The group, which included students and Bowling Green residents, was watching the election returns. — Jim Gensheimer ROLLING UP THE FLAG was part of the work after the polls closed. Hershal D. Porter, a city precinct worker does the job at Potter Gray School late election night. Low voter turnout was characteristic of the election. — Jim Gensheimer 25 Election

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24 Election — Todd Buchanan A landslide om. for the College Heights Herald — asked ques- tions in a format similar to the national debate. In the hour-long debate, Breathitt defended Carter’s record, blaming inflation and unemployment on the Ford and Nixon administrations. Forgy attacked Carter’s economic. and foreign affairs policies, calling them an “abysmal, continual embarrassment.”’ Woods portrayed Anderson as a candidate with courage to make unpopular decisions to deal with the economy. As the debate ended, Forgy noted that the Democratic party had produced many great leaders, but he said Carter was not one of them. SUPPORTERS OF JOHN ANDERSON make their feelings known through this message. The sign, along with posters and bumper stickers were common sights at the Anderson Headquarters on the square. A TELEVISION SET and empty chairs surround Joe Bill Campbell, Warren County Democratic party chairman, and Joe Cook, a Bowling Green resident. The two were the only ones left at Carter Headquarters after the president gave his concession speech. — Jim Gensheimer

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