The Hatchet’s Editorial Board has endorsed Kyle Boyer for Student Association president and Jason Lifton for executive vice president.
Opinions editors Diana Kugel and Justin Guiffré offered their own opinions and commentary to last night’s debate, available here.
Commentary from the opinions editors, op-ed columnists and The Hatchet's Editorial Board
Director of the GW Institute for Nanotechnology Michael Keidar spent the last three years developing a cancer cell-killing medical device that he said could revolutionize the disease’s treatment worldwide.
The problem with growing up is that there is always someone telling us we are not old enough. And yet, you would think that as young adults, we would finally be over it.
What’s not to love about graduation season? It is filled with senior send-offs, family get-togethers and free food.
GWids are the equivalent of students’ social security numbers on campus.
Transfer students do not enroll at GW for the Mount Vernon Campus experience. They come here to take advantage of city life in Foggy Bottom.
As camera flashes flickered over a sea of tassels, two Columbian College of Arts and Science professors urged graduates to cast their fears aside and forge fresh paths to success.
I never understood why people refer to cities as if they were human until I left Sevilla, Spain. My feelings toward leaving my newfound home are so complex, it's as if I am leaving the love of my life.
Vol. 109
An Independent Student Newspaper
Serving The George Washington University Community Since 1904
I’m glad that the Hatchet also noticed that Sammy Lopez has some good ideas.
All in all, decent endorsements. Although I must wholeheartedly disagree that Louis would be talked over in senate meetings. Louis is a forceful speaker, as evidenced by his presentations all this year in the Senate, and I think he would make a great senate chair.
“Unfortunately, he has embraced the joke candidate stigma, and it is important to remember that administrators are watching.”
- When has the SA had a president, embraced or not, that wasn’t a joke?
I respect the Hatchet’s coverage of the election. I have no problem with them endorsing Kyle Boyer for President. What I have a problem with is the way they have portrayed me from the start. I was never given a chance to even compete for the office. Not by the students. Not by the media. The media should not be telling people who not to vote for. The media should not be making decisions for the students.
When my campaign started, I had a solid platform. I knew what I wanted to do to advocate for the students of GW. But shortly into my campaign, things turned negative against me. My squabble with another candidate, the leak about my past to the Hatchet, the constant negative comments made by bloggers and media. I never had a legitimate chance to defend myself and by the time the debate occurred, I lost faith in the election. It became obvious to me that no one cared who was the best candidate, they only cared about who they wanted to win from the beginning.
If the students of GW would have only given me a chance to explain myself, I believe they would have seen the true me. A strong leader who can truly advocate for students because honestly, I have nothing to gain personally from this office. I was running solely to help the GW community. I’m 28 years old. Winning this election would have done me no personal benefit.
But no, I was told I was too old, or too new to the school, or too different to be given a shot. Real leadership does not have an age. Real leadership is not contingent on being in a place for a while. Real leadership goes beyond the differences.
I am the only candidate that truly believes in GW unity. Anyone who knows me can attest that I am a very gregarious and extroverted individual. I don’t care if you’re a Greek, an art kid, a jock, into science, literature, or politics. What I care about is that you’re a person, a member of the GW community. No other candidate can say that.
I do know what GW is about. I do know the issues. During the debate, I was so distraught by the negativity towards me that I simply could not give the answers I knew by heart because I was so sick of how I was being attacked constantly. I’ve said this over and over again. It’s not about knowing the issues by heart, anyone can find out what they are. It’s about selfless leadership ability and knowing how to find the answers.
I am the true candidate for change. I have no connection with the past faults of the SA. I have nothing to gain personally. I am here at GW to serve to the best interests of the student body. So stop looking at me as some outsider who doesn’t belong, but start looking at me with an objective mind.
I know can succeed as President, regardless of what has been said. I am the only candidate that has had the privilege and burden of being a student body president. I am the right candidate for SA President.
Brunner- you sound mad stupid above. The “media” is out against you? You go to GW and its the fucking Hatchet. No one gives a shit what this newspaper says anyways. What “blogs”- Perezhilton? You’re trippin’ man, no pun intended.
Leadership is not the issue here- this isn’t high office where these decisions seriously affect students that much. We’re not going to war or passing a stimulus bill. The president is a good advocate and thats about it.
I’m going to file this under long-winded rants from semi-literate morons who should never have been allowed into this school in the first place.
George, you clearly do not know what you’re talking about. In the debate last night you were completely unable to describe your platform aside from vague issues like “dining” and “metro discounts.” You kept returning to your experience as a former student body president- which is all well and good- except that a large research institution in the middle of Washington D.C. is much, much different than a small college in upstate New York. If previously having held the position of student body president was all that was needed to lead the SA, then you should have been made president the second you stepped on campus.
George, you can’t answer questions, you constantly portray yourself as a victim, and you’re a serious facebook creeper. Oh, and would please stop making every post a soliloquy on the privilege and burdens of public service. This is the SA here, not the U.N.
I believe the Hatchet endorsed Casey Pond for president twice before not endorsing anyone last year. That’s quite a track record. Not.
I love how Sammy Dipshit can wear sunglasses through the entire debate and give answers like “burrito,” to the question “If you could not vote for yourself, who would you support?” and still be portrayed in a better light than someone who has overcome drug addiction, served in the military, and presided over a student body in the past.
Also, as one questioner from the audience pointed out last night, communication is a two way street, and Kyle Boyer should not be allowed a free pass with his “I didn’t know about the Unity Ball until I received a flyer in my mailbox” line. What a crock of shit.
Julie is a calculating politician on the level of Obama. I loved the question from last night, “Would you be willing to fight for students’ ability to smoke on campus?” Only one or two candidates raised their hand initially, and after the other candidates had a chance to mull it over, they began to raise their hands like a line of dominoes, with Julie finally raising hers after what seemed like several hours. Give me a (smoke) break.
Jordan, Nick, and George were the only ones who seemed capable of forming complex thoughts.
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’d like to throw in the fact that Louis Lavarone seemed pretty goddamn pretentious for someone who is here “entirely on financial aid and scholarships.” I agree, Goodland was making an ass of himself, but you didn’t have to nod in sarcastic agreement as though if think you’re a Kennedy.
Oh wow. Right after I make my comment about unintentional “joke” presidents, we get a preposterous rant by George “Joke” Brunner. This is exactly what I meant. GW SA should be abolished.
Actually, the Hatchet’s evp endorsement last year was carried out by the students, as was their endorsement for the run-off. But their job isn’t to be right. Their job is to tell the every-student who the best candidate is.
brunner’s presidency of that community college is like being mayor of wasilla, alaska
The media has been used to promote and trash candidates since elections have been around. Brunner it is a way of life. Life is hard. The better candidate knows how to handle the attacks and how to rebuke any personal attack. I was not able to watch the debates, as I am somewhere else in the world, but watch any public debate in the world and past debates, personal attacks are present. I’m almost sorry for you that you took them personally but you walked into an extremely political school without the know-how to be a politician yourself. Being dragged through the mud is the way of life for all politicians. My only words of advice for you is to grow a set and show the present student body that you have the balls to be a good president.
I am deeply disturbed and troubled by the articles and endorsement of Mr. Jason Lifton. First and foremost, it is paramount to our University that our University President engage in hooliganism in snowball throwing events. To sleep through alarms is frankly a deplorable action that should render the recent electoral voting void. I also do not believe that Mr. Lifton has an appreciation or understanding of the Java programming language which further makes him inferior. While I will give him credit for having a name I can pronounce, I believe that his initiatives will invalidate the Student Association and will lead to the complete erosion of student confidence. If you thought that Jimmy Carter had a crisis of confidence, Mr. Lifton will redefine this maxim. Also, while Mr. Lifton may look like a peanut farmer from Georgia, he lacks the charisma and military credentials to lead his way out of a paper bag, let alone a glorious institution like the Student Association. Our proud traditions and ways of life are being threatened in ways that you cannot imagine by Mr. Lifton’s election. Have you seen him dance?