NEWS

President Clinton visits Akron, OH

by Hanna Miller

With all the advertising and outreach Student Senate has been doing lately, they probably expected their phone might be ringing a little more often. But even Senate didn't think they'd get a call from the White House.

The caller offered Senate two tickets to watch President Bill Clinton lead a town meeting in Akron Wednesday. First-year Micah Thorner, who answered the phone, and junior Yvonne Doble took the passes.

Clinton met with 68 residents of Ohio as part of his initiative on race. More than 2,000 ticketed observors watched as Clinton wandered among the particpants, searching out personal tales of racial injustice and varied opinions on affirmative action. Similar discussions are planned for other American cities.

"It was fun," Thorner said. "It was very interesting, but he didn't say anything substanstative. He didn't say anything new."

"Clinton was really very interested in listening," Doble said. "He seemed to be very excited about it."

Akron was chosen as the site for the meeting partly because of Akron's Coming Together program. The program, singled out for recognition by the President, addresses race in the Akron community.

I think Oberlin might work a little bit better," Thorner said. "People in Oberlin are more focused on diversity. It would be more successful at a school like Oberlin."

Calls to the White House regarding Oberlin's chances at being chosen for future meetings were not returned.

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Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 11, December 5, 1997

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