European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes sunday april 12, 1992 w. Virginia senator backs Clinton Perot to decide in june whether to run by Cox news service Washington sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia endorsed Bill Clinton on Friday As Texas billionaire h. Ross Perot hinted at a formal announcement in june of his Independent White House bid. A it is time for democrats to put the bloody fights the charges and attacks the innuendoes and the diversionary scuffles behind us a Rockefeller a Democrat declared at a Capitol Hills news conference. But when asked whether former California gov. Jerry Brown should concede the party s nomination to Clinton Rockefeller replied a a that a up to Jerry  Brown campaigning in Virginia which holds presidential preference caucuses this weekend continued to protest an Abc to report that he allowed aug use in his Home when he was governor in the 1970s. A it seems like something political a he said Friday on Abc tvs today. Arid later in Richmond he denounced the charges As Quot false malicious and  before Brown left to attend a weekend convention of the California democratic party aides said he is considering filing suit against Abc charging defamation of character. Most democratic leaders concerned about voter distrust of Clinton have been slow to endorse the Arkansas governor even though he has More than half the 2,145 delegates needed to win the nomination on the first ballot. Rockefeller a endorsement was aimed at breaking up the logjam of 772 a super delegates a mostly Federal and state officials a who Are uncommitted and turning the party a attention on president Bush. A i believe Bill Clinton will be an absolutely great president a Rockefeller said. A i know Bill Clinton embraces the values americans hold As their  Rockefeller said he was a not even thinking about the possibility that Clinton might pick him As a running mate. A Atli at a the last thing on my mind a he said. A a it a the Only Down Side of having this kind of press  unflattering disclosures about Clinton during the democratic primaries have created serious doubts among voters that he has the integrity to be president according to exit polls. The doubts Stem largely from his Lack of Candor about alleged adultery evasion of the military draft during the Vietnam War and experimentation with marijuana As a College student. Perot following a speech to a conference of newspaper editors in Washington volunteered that he had never used illegal drugs cheated on his wife or cheated on his taxes. A aspirin is about As Strong As it gets in my life a he quipped at one Point during his appearance at the american society of newspaper editors. Perot told reporters that efforts to get him on the ballot in All 50 states for the nov. 3 general election Are a going very Well so  asked about a formal announcement he replied �?o1 think it will probably be done in  billionaire h. Ross Perot discusses issues with newspaper editors in Washington. In his speech Perot condemned the gridlock in Washington but outlined Only sketchy proposals for eliminating the Federal governments budget deficit. He said he could save $180 billion by eliminating waste and fraud $100 billion by ending special interest influence $100 billion by requiring Europe and Japan to reimburse defense costs and $20 billion by eliminating social Security and medicare benefits for the wealthiest americans. Perot tried to avoid questions about whether he belonged to any private clubs that discriminate but eventually acknowledged membership in a a couple of clubs from which he will resign if he decides to run for president. As for running Perot said a a in a not driven to do this. Matter of fact the More in a in it the less interesting it  workers accused of getting fitness Perks by William j. Eaton los Angeles times Washington a in the latest Salvo in the rapidly escalating War against Perks a Republican congressman charged Friday that the executive Branch is paying for memberships in private health clubs for scores of Federal employees at a Cost of nearly $1 million a year. In addition said rep. Scott l. Klug r-wis., Many of these employees Are allowed to leave their jobs to get their exercise without being docked for vacation or personal leave. A the general accounting office estimates lost work time for push ups and sit ups could be costing tax pay. Ers a staggering $379 million a year a Klug said in a statement. Perks have become a sensitive Issue on Capitol Hill since the House Bank scandal created the impression that members of the House of representatives could write unlimited overdrafts on their checking accounts without penalty. As part of an Effort to Cut Back on congressional excesses the leadership announced recently that members would be charged $400 a year to use the Senate and House health clubs a fourfold increase from the previous $100 fee. In his announcement of a Gao Survey of executive Branch practices Klug said that 15 Federal agencies acknowledged paying for 305 memberships in fitness centers at private spas or Public Parks at an estimated Cost of $969,471 a year. The Gao also found that 11 percent of the Federal work Force a More than 250,000 people a now use health facilities in government buildings where they work. Klug and other members of Congress have written to Constance Barry Newman director of the office of personnel management demanding a halt to government payment for private health club memberships. They also asked her to Stop the practice of allowing employees to go to fitness centers without using their annual leave to do so. Questioned by members of the Senate appropriations committee on executive Branch practices White House budget director Richard g. Darman took a cooperative stance. Rather than resisting congressional attempts to curb executive Branch Perks such As cars and Drivers assigned to some officials and elegant dining rooms for senior staff aides Darman said the office of management and budget would Quot race lawmakers to see who could eliminate them first. . Students can t find a nickname to cheer about grand Forks . Api cheerleaders wont be shouting a neither neither Rah Rah Rah a during football games this fall even though students choosing a new High school nickname voted for a neither of the  administrators at grand Forks Central High school faced with student opposition to the two finalists a bulldogs and knights a said Friday that they would keep looking for an acceptable nickname. A i think it la be open to anything at this time a said associate principal Jim Stenehjem. A the students said they wanted a new name. They just did no to want  in thursdays vote 57 percent of the 569 students chose a neither of the  Twenty two percent voted for bulldogs and 20 percent voted for knights. The schools original nickname redskins was dropped As offensive to american indians. But one student said both of the proposed replacements were sexist. A because in a a girl and i play basketball and volleyball i  want to be called a female dog Quot Beth Myers said. A and there Isnit a name for a girl Knight so in a glad we re going to Start Over with the  others said nostalgia and tradition played a part in the vote. Quot its hard to replace a name everyone believed in so much a Jennifer Peterson said. Space junk turns out to have earthly origin Emporia Kan. A a piece of burned Metal that scientists thought might have been part of a russian Booster rocket actually was placed near a Highway by a Turnpike worker As a joke an official said Friday. The Metal which measured about 1 foot by 1 foot and contained two red cyrillic letters was found tuesday near interstate 35, about 120 Miles Southwest of Kansas City to. Scientists who examined the scrap believed it was from a Booster rocket launched from Russia on tuesday. They said it probably travelled through the Earth a atmosphere before slamming into the Kansas Prairie. But Lisa Callahan spokeswoman for the Kansas Turnpike authority said Friday that a Turnpike worker had admitted putting the object by the Highway. A a we re going to handle it internally. We re deciding now whether there will be a suspension or something a she said. If the practical joker Hadnot come Forward scientists would have Learned of the hoax on monday when an analysis of the piece was completed said Max Ary who Heads the Kansas Cosmos phere and space Center. Ary said the person did a fairly Good Job of making the Metal scrap look real. But he Wasny to Happy about the hoax. A it makes it very difficult when legitimate claims do arise a Ary said in a statement