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Political Notebook: Fulbright name still carries weight globally Sunday, Nov 18, 2007 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - When foreign leaders and international businessmen learn Sen. Mark Pryor is from Arkansas, the visitors always talk about one legendary politician from the state whose legacy extends worldwide. And, no, it's not the former president. "They'll get a little twinkle in their eye, and they say, 'You're from Arkansas?' and I think they're going to talk about Bill Clinton," Pryor said last week. "But instead, they say 'I was a Fulbright Scholar.'" The late Sen. J. William Fulbright continues to influence the world through an international student exchange program named in his honor. Fulbright, the Fayetteville Democrat who served 30 years in the Senate, introduced legislation to establish what became the Fulbright Program in 1946. Since then, more than 250,000 scholars have received Fulbright grants. Among them were former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, who referred to the program as "the hinge that opened up the world for me." About a dozen Fulbright scholars were on hand last week at the Library of Congress for a viewing of a 60-minute documentary called "Fulbright: The man, the mission, the message." Unlike the scholars, though, a staffer who worked in the projection room of the Library of Congress' small theater must not have been so familiar with Fulbright. On a slide projected onto the screen before the documentary began, the projectionist had misspelled the senator's name as "Fulbrite." That prompted the film's producer, Drew Perkins, to remark that the name "looked like the name of a detergent." And it led to Librarian of Congress James Billington rushing to the projection room to get the mistake corrected when it was noticed by Fulbright's widow, Harriet, as she walked into the room. The film chronicles the senator's life, from his upbringing in northwest Arkansas to his reign as University of Arkansas president and entry into politics. It features interviews with Fulbright, Clinton, and UA professor Hoyt Purvis (Fulbright's press secretary), among others. The documentary is narrated by Garrick Utley, a broadcast journalist and Fulbright scholar. It was commissioned by the J. William and Harriet Fulbright Center. Fulbright served in the Senate until 1974. He was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the duration of the Vietnam War, where he was an adversary of President Lyndon Johnson. The senator died in 1995. Harriet Fulbright said last week the documentary was a "10-year labor of love." It premiered last year. She attended last week's showing along with Pryor, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and James Billington, the librarian of Congress. Lugar was also chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and, like Fulbright, he attended Pembroke College at the University of Oxford in England. Huckabee endorsements Still riding the momentum from his endorsement by actor Chuck Norris, Mike Huckabee has enlisted Norris for fundraising help and given the man his own e-mail address. Or given the Norris legend, maybe the "Walker: Texas Ranger" star just took the address for his own. Norris' pop culture legend has grown in recent years on the Internet as Web users have created "facts" that claim Norris has some sort of supernatural toughness. Norris, from his e-mail address at www.explorehuckabee.com, notes that Huckabee is "Chuck Norris Approved." He asks supporters to give money to Huckabee's presidential campaign, then encourage friends to do the same. "Mike Huckabee is the best person for the job," Norris said. "Mike hasn't lived an isolated, out-of-touch life like so many politicians." Huckabee on Friday picked up the endorsement of Star Parker, the founder and president of CURE, the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education. CURE is a conservative think tank with an anti-poverty mission. Parker, an author and syndicated newspaper columnist, was a single mother living off welfare before she earned a marketing degree and launched a Christian magazine. Meanwhile, another Hutchinson announced support of one of Huckabee's GOP opponents. The campaign for former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., said state Rep. Donna Hutchinson. R-Bella Vista, endorsed his presidential bid. "Gov. Romney is the only candidate in this race who has the experience, vision and values to lead America forward during a time where we face extraordinary challenges," she said. Donna Hutchinson is the ex-wife of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson, who supports Huckabee. Additionally, former Rep. Asa Hutchinson, Tim Hutchinson's brother, has also endorsed the native Arkansan. Donna Hutchinson joins her son, Jeremy, in endorsing candidates other than Huckabee. Jeremy Hutchinson said he backs Fred Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee. Barth named professor of the year Hendrix College professor Jay Barth has been named this year's Arkansas professor of the year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The award is the only one nationally that recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring, according to news release announcing the award. Barth received the state award last week in a ceremony in Washington. Barth, a politics professor, is often the go-to source for reporters seeking analysis on Arkansas political issues. He's the co-author of the definitive book on state politics. |
