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19 October 2006

Ruth Campbell, Staff Writer. "Crowd reacts favorably to Gorbachev appearance"

To say people were impressed with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to the Permian Basin might be an understatement.

     "It's shaking hands with history," UTPB professor Tom Parks said after a photo opportunity at the CEED building Tuesday. Gorbachev had a news conference beforehand where he talked to local media through an interpreter. "I told him we need him back on front stage."
     A letter from George and Barbara Bush was read expressing their regrets for not being able to join him on stage at the lecture. Special recognition was also given to Jenna Welch, mother of first lady Laura Bush, who was in attendance.
     Mark Fury, with the JBS Institute, said he drove the Nobel Peace Prize winner around and cooked for him.
     "He's very warm and friendly. He is enthusiastic about meeting people and talking to them about the situation in the world and Russia. He is curious about Texas and where George Bush lives," Fury said.
Mike Campbell, senior vice president of General Atomics, which is working with UTPB on a high temperature teaching and test reactor, said he is a "big fan of Gorbachev."
     "(He) was a leading historical figure in the last part of the 20th century," Campbell said.
     Astghik Nalbandyan of Odessa was among a group of Russians who attended the lecture. She said Gorbachev would not talk as openly if he was still the Russian president.
     "He was pretty honest. We agreed mostly with what he said," she said.
UTPB Assistant Vice President J. Tillapaugh said the talk was interesting, stimulating and frank.
     "Gorbachev has a terrific sense of history and place. He certainly knows a lot of people were involved and appreciates the leadership in this country that helped," Tillapaugh said.
     Tom Owens of Midland said politicians are universal. "They love to talk about the past and say nothing about the people they rely on," he said.
     Dick Gillham of Odessa said the lecture was very interesting and "it's always nice to here the other side of the story. I felt he expressed himself eloquently," he said.
     John Kennady of Lenorah bought some of his family to the lecture.
     "I thought it was great. What a wonderful thing to have someone of such prominence come to Midland," Kennady said.
     His 12-year-old son, Jack Kennady, said he thought Gorbachev brought out some good points.
     "I thought he was humorous at times but serious at others," he said.
     "I thought it was really good. I was very impressed," said 20-year-old Midlander Callie Harryman. She added she didn't know who Gorbachev was until he began speaking.
     Joyce Wilson, who was formerly with the JBS Institute, said the evening was surprisingly enjoyable.
     "I learned he had a sense of humor and that was delightful. It was pleasant to hear him speak of world peace because that represents the way we all feel," Wilson said.
     Gorbachev spoke at the Chaparral Center in Midland as part of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute's Distinguished Lecture Series. JBS is part of University of Texas of the Permian Basin.