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Wednesday, May 21, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Serving West Virginia since 2005
RUSS WEEKS: Not your average Joe
STEWART HALL
Please don't drop me!
Why won't Manchin, BOG end the crisis?
Because when the dominos start to fall, they may never stop
When people across West Virginia find themselves discussing the Manchin-Garrison scandal at West Virginia University -- and these days, there is little else being discussed anywhere -- one simple question always comes up: Why won't they just get it over with?"They," of course, are Gov. Joe Manchin and his WVU Board of Governors, and "it" is the removal, or resignation, of Mike Garrison as president.Indeed, Garrison's departure is a conclusion as foregone as rain in April. So what keeps the governor and the Board of Governors from making it happen, so the university can move on?The answer is probably very simple. The governor and many members of the board are well aware that when the spotlight finally stops shining on Garrison, it will not simply go out. Instead, it will begin to shine on someone else, namely the governor, board chairman Steve Goodwin, chief of staff Craig Walker, counsel Alex Macia -- the list is likely endless, almost as much as the questions still waiting to be answered.Even though Provost Gerald Lang and Dean Stephen Sears were demoted back to teaching positions, the lead domino in this precarious lineup is Garrison, and when he falls, a chain reaction will begin that may not end for many months to come.And so, for the sake of self preservation, those with the power to actually oust Garrison are searching the outer galaxies for reasons not to do so. There are more stories to be told in this case. Lang and Sears almost surely could tell much more than they have, but the deal they were offered -- resign your titles, but stay employed with six-figure salaries -- makes silence golden. And what of Garrison himself? The minute he is no longer wearing the title "president," he may decide to finally talk about the phone calls he didn't receive, or make, when the ball began rolling to create grades for the Mylan Inc. COO and governor's daughter that were never earned (and for courses that were never paid for).To preclude that, a carefully crafted buyout -- including a stringent confidentiality clause -- will likely be signed, sealed and delivered. No matter. What is completely certain is that the truth will come out, sooner or later. There are some stories and events -- actually, most -- that eventually go away, with the players escaping relatively unscathed. This will not be one of them.Too much of the public is tuned into this case. Too many alumni exist who are outraged and will not be satisfied with anything less than complete disclosure. Too many West Virginians -- normally desensitized to scandal in state politics -- have drawn a line in the sand in this case, and want not just the manure cleaned up, but the whole place sanitized and scrubbed clean. As dark and depressing as the whole mess is right now, the silver lining is that this scandal could -- could -- lead to a demand for reforms that might see future generations living in a state not controlled by cronyism and corruption. If that happens, the pain experienced today will be well worth it tomorrow.Is Russ Weeks qualified to be governor of WV?
RUSS WEEKS
Outrage at Manchin is real, but it will only affect him if voters believe they have an alternative they can trust
Leading up to the May 13 primary election, there was much speculation about whether the scandal at West Virginia University would affect Gov. Joe Manchin at the polls.Manchin had a Democrat opponent, little known Delegate Mel Kessler. Even among his friends, Kessler is regarded as a not-ready-for-prime-time player, a one or two issue candidate who has made comments and taken positions seen as extreme even by his supporters.Even so, one out of every four Democrats who went to the polls on May 13 voted for Kessler. That Kessler earned 25 percent of the Democrat vote is not earth shattering, but it is also not to be shrugged off. One can only wonder what the result might have been if Manchin were facing, say, Bob Kiss or Earl Ray Tomblin or even, say, Mike Oliverio. If Mel Kessler can get 25 percent of the Democrat vote against the once-indestructable Mojo, how might a more legitimate opponent have fared? Just a few short months ago, the idea of Manchin being vulnerable against anyone was laughable. That is clearly not the case today. West Virginians are not just outraged at the scandal at WVU, they are increasingly -- noticeably -- agitated at Manchin himself, and no matter how many lengthy statements he issues explaining how none of it is his fault, the obvious and clear facts of the connection to Manchin of all the players are escaping no one's attention. Letters to the editor and blog entries are filled with expressions of outrage toward Manchin, with countless writers weighing in with the notion that Manchin should be sent a message at the polls.But as upset and angry as West Virginians are at their governor, they will not cast him out unless they feel they are presented with an acceptable alternative.The alternative with which they will be presented in the fall is former State Senator Russ Weeks. Is Russ qualified to be governor? If the answer is based on modern political history in West Virginia, the answer is clearly no. Russ is not from a politically connected family. He is not polished or charismatic. He does not hold a university degree. He is unashamed to tell the story of how he dropped out of high school to join the Navy. (He later earned his high school degree while serving his country.) Is Russ Weeks qualified to be governor? Consider his life, and you will understand what an over-achiever he has been:* In the Navy, Russ was trusted with duties and responsibilities that placed the safety and lives of his fellow sailors squarely in his hands, including hazardous duty in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and later navigating River Patrol Boats in Vietnam, where he cruised the treacherous waters of the Mekong Delta, finding himself in the middle of more than one firefight.* During his military career, Russ served as an internal investigator, an instructor, and a recruiter.* Russ retired from his 20-year military career in 1978, and with the help of the G.I. Bill, became a certified carpenter, building homes and eventually becoming a "jack of all trades" for a local coal company. He understands first hand average West Virginians and the challenges families face.* Eleven years later, he became a field rep for a specialty chemical company, honing his people skills and learning more about the issues and concerns facing people across the state.* In 2002, in his first campaign, Russ won one of the biggest upset victories in West Virginia history, defeating powerful State Senator Bill Wooten, doing so through one of the best under-funded grassroots campaigns ever assembled.What qualifies someone to be governor? Connections? Money? Family ties? Personality and charisma? Those are the qualities on which most politicians depend.But what is becoming increasingly clear is that West Virginia is in desperate need of character and integrity, qualities that Russ Weeks has by the bushel. Those who know Russ know one thing about him -- he never, ever lies.If West Virginians get to know Russ Weeks, they will find that not only is he qualified to be governor, he is -- by the standards we need most right now -- extremely over-qualified.Kennedy loved by millions as an icon
MEDIA
FACULTY
STUDENTS
PUBLIC
We'll swing around and try again!
How could we miss a target that big?
No individual is bigger than the university?
MIGHTY JOE AND MIKE
MIGHTY JOE AND MIKE
The news that Sen. Ted Kennedy is seriously ill with a brain tumor has shaken millions of his admirers around the nation and the world.The Kennedy family is iconic to Democrats much as Ronald Reagan is to Republicans, so even GOP conservatives can relate to the heartfelt sadness being experienced by people far and wide.Here's hoping Senator Kennedy beats the odds and enjoys a recovery. He is in everyone's prayers.