Transcript |
No Win for
Britt in SF
By United Press International
Democratic Party activist Nancy Pelosi
captured the most votes among 14 candidates in a San Francisco congressional race to succeed the late Rep. Sala
Burton but failed to net enough votes to
avoid a runoff. Her runoff, however, will
not be against second-place winner
Harry Britt.
Voters went to the polls to select a
successor to Burton, a Democrat who
died Feb. 1 of cancer. The two strongest
candidates, both Democrats, were
Pelosi, 47, and San Francisco Supervisor Britt, 48, who is homosexual.
Pelosi collected 38,021 votes, or 36 percent, to become the Democrat in the
runoff. Britt, formerly of Port Arthur,
Texas, had hoped to become the first
openly gay person elected to Congress.
He received 34,031 votes, or 32 percent.
But lacking a clear 50 percent win,
Pelosi was forced into a June 2 runoff
against the top Republican vote-getter,
Harriet Ross, and four minor party candidates.
Before her death, Burton endorsed
Pelosi. She also drew support from San
Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein,
California Assembly Speaker Willie
Brown and other Democratic leaders.
Democratic Supervisor Bill Maher
had 14,914 votes, or 14 percent, and
three other Democrats received a total
of 10 percent.
Ross had 2,922 votes, or 3 percent, to
defeat three other Republicans for a
spot in the runoff.
Other candidates criticized Pelosi
throughout the election for her wealth,
her ties to influential politicians and the
fact that she has never held an elected
office.
Pelosi, a former state Democratic
Party chairman and successful party
fund-raiser, said she is qualified for the
office because of her community work in
San Francisco and her familiarity with
local and national politics.
Pelosi is the daughter of former Maryland congressman and Baltimore
Mayor Thomas D'Alesanctro Jr.
Analysts say much of Pelosi's popularity stems from the endorsement by
Burton, who died of cancer shortly after
being sworn into a second term. As a
result, voters associate Pelosi with the
popular congresswoman and her husband, Rep. Philip Burton, who held the
congressional seat from 1964 to until his
death in 1983.
While in Congress, the Burtons
amassed a liberal coalition of minorities, union members and environmentalists who dominated the city's politics
and were called the "Burton machine"
by Democrats and Republicans alike.
Britt was considered Pelosi's closest
contender because of his strong support
from the city's gay community, which
makes up a substantia] percent of the
district's eligible voters.
Voter turnout was higher than
expected and election officials credited
heavy media coverage and the switch to
daylight-saving time for the number of
voters.
The final election is scheduled for
June 2.
California's 5th Congressional District encompasses 85 percent of San
Francisco.
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By William C. Trott
United Press International
Appearances by Bob Geldof, Elton
John, Boy George and George Michaels
highlighted an AIDS-fighting benefit at
London's Wembley Arena in what was
a night of musical comebacks.
Michaels, making his first solo
appearance since the demise of Wham,
drew a huge ovation when he took the
stage.
John sang a couple of rousing songs
in his first appearance since throat
surgery and the annoucement of the
breakup of his marriage.
Boy George sang his hit "Everything
I Own" and told the crowd, "This is the
first time I've sung for 2 years."
Much of accompaniment was provided by the Super Group—John Ent-
wistle of the Who, Andy Summers ofthe
Police and drummer Zak Starkey, son of
Ringo Starr.
For the finale most of the stars got
together, threw condoms into the crowd
and sang "Stand By Me."
The show raised $180,000 from ticket
sales and organizers expect more from
donations when the concert is seen by
an estimated 100 million people on television.
China Says It
Has First AIDS
Victim
BEIJING (UPI)—A Chinese man who
lived in the United States for more than
10 years has died of AIDS in southern
China, becoming the country's first
native victim of the disease, the official
Xinhua News Agency reported April 3.
Xinhua said the 34-year-old victim,
whose relatives refused to allow him to
be identified, fell ill early last yearin the
United States where he had been working in a restaurant since 1975. He had
previously lived in Hong Kong for about
three years.
The man was admitted to a New York
hospital, but his condition failed to
improve. In November, he returned to
his hometown in southern Fujian Province for further treatment.
"Although he received adequate care
in a Fujian hospital, he died of AIDS on
March 26," Xinhua quoted a Health
Ministry official as saying. "This is the
first AIDS case ever diagnosed by Chinese experts," he said.
Hospital
Recommends
Death Penalty
TAIPEI, Taiwan (UPI)—Taiwan's
most prestigious hospital Tuesday
recommended the death penalty for
AIDS carriers, who knowingly infect
others and penalties for doctors who fail
to report cases of the disease.
Dr. Wang Cheng-yi of the Taiwan
University Hospital called willful AIDS
infection "tantamount to murdering
and thus should be punished accordingly."
Doctors who fail to report cases of
acquired immune deficiency syndrome
should be fined at least $290 and face
-other penalties, he said.
There was no immediate indication
how the government would react to the
suggestion. Taiwan has only one confirmed aids case and the patient, a
homosexual businessman who traveled
abroad often, died in Taipei half a year
ago.
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