NEW YORK — Former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm resigned Friday from his role as GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s campaign co-chairman, hoping to quiet the uproar that followed his comments that the United States had become a “nation of whiners” whose constant complaints about the U.S. economy show they are in a “mental recession.” Gramm, a past presidential candidate, made the remarks more than a week ago. McCain immediately distanced himself from the comments. Gramm said late Friday he is stepping down to “end this distraction.”
Oklahoma: L.A. flight diverted
An American Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles was diverted to Oklahoma City on Friday after a passenger stripped nude and later tried to open an emergency exit door of the Boeing 757 before being subdued by members of a professional soccer team and others, the FBI said. Members of the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer were among those who grabbed the passenger near an exit door, an FBI spokesman said.
D.C.: Lawmaker on terror list
Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta says a mix-up on a terrorist watch list is still wreaking havoc on his air travel five years after the problem arose. The 11-term Democratic congressman wrote to the House Homeland Security Committee this week that he’s still subjected to repeated airport searches and required to present multiple forms of identification. The problem persists even though Homeland Security recently gave him a letter to show airlines that was supposed to clear things up. If it’s still happening to a congressman, he wrote, “you can only imagine what the average American suffers.”
Free speech protects abuse videos
In a setback for the animal-rights movement, a U.S. appeals court struck down on free-speech grounds Friday a federal law that made it a crime to sell videos of dogs fighting and other acts of animal cruelty. All 50 U.S. states have laws against the abuse of animals, the appeals court said, but “a depiction of animal cruelty” is protected by the First Amendment. The ruling overturns a Virginia man’s conviction, the nation’s first under the law. Robert J. Stevens of Pittsville, Va., sold two videos of pit bulls fighting each other and a third showing the pit bulls attacking hogs and wild boars.
Poll finds shift on gays in military
Public attitudes about gays in the military have shifted dramatically since President Clinton unveiled what became his administration’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy 15 years ago Saturday. Seventy-five percent of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll said gay people who are open about their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military, up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993.
Vermont: Sculpture-theft sentence
A man who was part of theft ring that stole $1 million worth of sculptures to sell as scrap metal has been sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison. Roger Chaffee, 32, pleaded guilty in Newport to possession of stolen property and grand larceny and was ordered to serve a five- to 20-year term. According to police, Chaffee and two other people stole 30 sculptures from Joel Fisher’s studio in North Troy last year while Fisher — whose works have been exhibited in New York’s Museum of Modern Art — was out of the country.
Texas: Bible classes approved
The Texas State Board of Education gave final approval Friday to establishing Bible classes in public high schools, rejecting calls to draw specific teaching guidelines and warnings that it could lead to constitutional problems in the classroom. The Legislature passed a law in 2007 allowing Bible courses to be offered as an elective. They are supposed to focus on the history and literature of the Bible without preaching or disparaging any faith.
Grand jury to review fatal crash
Police say a motorist caused a fatal rollover after an illegal left turn, then started an eight-car pileup four hours later by rear-ending a stopped car. Authorities said a grand jury will review the fatal crash and a medical advisory board will review whether Isaac Melvin Milstid, 70, of Houston, should have his driver’s license revoked over Wednesday’s crashes. “To be running at a high rate of speed and not see vehicles stopped in front of him, raises questions on Mr. Milstid’s ability to drive safely,” the Diboll police chief said.
Australia: Pope offers apology
Pope Benedict XVI said today he was “deeply sorry’ for the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic clergy in Australia, describing the offenses as evil and a grave betrayal of trust. “I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country,” Benedict said during a Mass in Sydney. “I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured. I assure them as their pastor that I, too, share in their suffering,” he said.
From Herald news services
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
