The Justice

Media Credit: Julian Agin-Liebes Democrats Annie Hodges '11 and Paraska Tolan '11 celebrate the victory during a coffeehouse in Chum's. The students canvassed in New Hampshire as a get-out-the-vote effort.

Post-decision

Students' screams and cheers erupted all over campus as the 11 p.m. announcement of President-elect Barack Obama's projected victory flashed across television screens worldwide.

A countdown to the announcement started in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium just after CNN declared that Obama gained 55 projected electoral votes from his win in California. The addition of these votes brought his total over the 270 electoral votes necessary to secure the election.

"It went from the countdown to absolute chaos. There was massive screaming, people jumping on other people, just mass excitement. It was insane in here," said Nicole Smith '11, who voted for Obama absentee in Georgia.

Earlier, the excitement of students in the Atrium had become palpable as their cheers gained enthusiasm with every battleground state that went to Obama.

As students waited in the Atrium for Obama to make his acceptance speech before midnight, Sonja Gandert '09 stared at the TV screen: "I'm just so happy. I don't even believe it's real."

Students celebrating with friends shared Gandert's relief and disbelief about the events of the night.

Mollie Warshaw '09 said she felt "really, really overwhelmed and excited to see what [Obama] is going to do."

She said Obama's victory is "empowering for black people but [also] for anyone who is underrepresented in government, business, society. … It shows people that they can do it."

Anicia Fernandes '10 recognized Obama's presidency as changing history but admitted that, "He has a lot to handle. … I hope he can beat the statistics and beat the stereotype [about his race]."

Some students who did not vote for Obama were equally interested to see whether the new president-elect can live up to his motto of change. Arthur Serer '11, a member of Brandeis Republicans, said, "I'm happy for [Obama]. I'm certainly not crying. I'm excited to see how he shapes up, see if he leaves his mark on history."

Obama's acceptance speech after Senator John McCain's concession addressed some of the students' reactions and thoughts concerning his presidency.

His speech drew upon his promise of progress from the challenges the country currently faces. He insisted that the victory belonged to everyone who shared his desire for change.

"You [helped the campaign] because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime-two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century," President-elect Obama said.

"There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build and threats to meet, alliances to repair," he said.

He concluded his speech with the conviction he has carried throughout the campaign that American progress is not inconceivable. "Where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

Kaamila Mohammad '11 said she is excited about what Obama's presidency means for the country and the world, but hopes "he lives up to the hope he's generated."



9:30 p.m.

CNN currently projects that Obama will win 194 electoral votes and McCain will win 69. Obama or McCain will need 270 to win the election.

CNN projects that Obama will win Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and Ohio.

CNN projects that McCain will win Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wyoming.

According to an article on CNN.com, no Republican candidate has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio.

The races are too close to predict in key states such as Florida, North Carolina Virginia and Indiana. Surprisingly, Arizona, McCain's home state, is too close to call as well.

Ethan Goldberg '12, a Republican from Pennsylvania, said, "The real story is the amount of voters and the excitement and anticipation surrounding this election. 'Wait and see' is definitely the phrase for tonight, with a heavy emphasis on 'wait.'"

At around 8:30 p.m., Vice president of Brandeis Republicans Jeremy Gottlieb '10 and Student Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '10 gave speeches in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

Gottlieb said, "All of us at Brandeis, whether we are Republicans or Democrats, are facing the most exciting and trying point of our political lives."

He said, "I hope everyone on this great night recognizes the importance of persistence, determination and drive."

Ansorge spoke about the importance of young voters in this election. "The youth vote is finally being recognized as a force and no longer ignored as apathetic," he said.

Ansorge said, "Regardless of what happens tonight, what is important is that we all remain active and motivated, that we all remain vigilant and informed citizens."

When certain key states such as Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio were decided, the crowd of students who had gathered in the Atrium to watch CNN's election coverage erupted with cheers of applause in support of Barack Obama.

Massachusetts voted in favor of not reducing the state personal income tax, easing criminal penalties for possession of marijuana and prohibiting dog racing.

Judith Simons '10 of Massachusetts was thrilled about the results of all the questions on the Massachusetts ballot, especially regarding the income tax. She said she was as nervous about Question 1 as she was about the election. "I was most nervous about what it would do to public schools in Massachusetts," she said.

Serer said, "I really don't mind much if Obama wins. I don't think the country is going to go into a state of despair" if McCain loses.

Prof. Seth Coluzzi (MUS) of New York, who just moved to Waltham after spending time living in Australia, watched the results in the Atrium. Coluzzi, who voted for Obama in Waltham, said people overseas tend to be liberal and are leaning toward Obama.

Michael Perloff '12 voted for Obama in Ohio over Yom Kippur break during early voting. He is "relieved" that Obama won Ohio. "With Ohio, [Obama] has the support of those middle America people," Perloff said.

Jonah Seligman '10, who voted Obama in New Jersey, went to New Hampshire on election day to canvass with Democracy for America. He said that it was "thrilling to be out there" and that there was "excitement in the air." It was "exciting to be around a bunch of people who are excited and involved," he said.



6 p.m.

The New York Times is reporting at this time that Obama is leading in Indiana and New Hampshire with 1 percent of votes reported in each state and McCain is leading in Kentucky with one percent of votes reported.

Preliminary exit polls released at around 6 p.m. by RealClearPolitics.com, a political Web site that combines the averages of multiple polls, show that McCain is leading in Indiana as well as West Virginia and Alaska. The polls show a tie in Missouri, and polls from different sources show each candidate leading the other by one point in North Carolina.

The polls, compiled by various news organizations, show that Obama is leading McCain in contested states Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, Michigan and Florida.

Prof. Mingus Mapps (POL) said that more than 100 million people have cast ballots so far, out of a projected 135 million ballots. He said this election cycle should turn out the largest number of voters the United States has ever seen.

He said the whole process was run by volunteers, so it's "not entirely surprising that there should be minor [mechanical] breakdowns."

The election will not be tight enough to allow technological glitches to change the outcome, Mapps said.

He said five swing states, including Florida and Ohio, might be too close to call tonight, but "even with major problems in all five of those swing states, Obama should still walk away with the presidency."

Obama has done an "amazing job of mobilizing and energizing young people and African Americans," Mapps said. He said the Republicans have had a difficult year because of the War in Iraq and the economic crisis.

CNN reported this evening that exit polls show that 62 percent of voters said the economy was the most important issue in this year's presidential election. Iraq was the most important issue for 10 percent of voters, and terrorism and health care were each the top issue for 9 percent of voters.

Jonathan Wallace '11 voted absentee for Pennsylvania. The most important issue for him in the election season is that the United States does not get invaded by Saudi Arabia, he said. Jeremy Siegel '12 voted for McCain and said an important issue for him is the president's "ability to run the country."

For Ilana Sidorsky '12 and Jane Becker '11 who both voted for Obama absentee in New Jersey and Connecticut respectively, the most important issue is the economy, which Sidorsky said "kind of sucks now."





1:30 P.M.

The polling stations are packed with voters. Election officials across the country are proclaiming that there is a record turnout, according to CNN.

The New York Times reported that "lengthy lines, hour-long waits and overflowing parking lots were not unusual. Some voting experts and campaign advisers predicted that some 130 million voters would cast ballots, which would be the highest percentage turnout in a century, and would shatter the previous record of 123.5 million people who cast ballots four years ago."

Obama traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he met with voters, and helped make phone calls for his campaign at the United Auto Workers Local 550 Union Hall. Indiana, according to CNN, has not voted for a Democratic president since Lyndon Johnson n 1964, but Obama's efforts there have put him within grasp of victory. He is currently tied with McCain at 48 percent for each candidate.

There have been some problems at the polls, including, according to the New York Times, including jammed scanners in Florida and rain-soaked ballots in Virginia that affected the scanning. In addition, there were several voting machines in east Philadelphia that were too far from an electrical outlet to work.

McCain is currently visiting New Mexico and Colorado, two states where Obama leads but McCain hopes to ultimately prevail. New Mexico and Nevada both voted Republican in 2004, but Obama currently leads by five points in Colorado, and seven points in New Mexico, according to the New York Times electoral map.

The feeling from many voters in the Brandeis student body at this time is that Obama will be victorious. "Obama is going to win when the polls close in California at 11:00 p.m eastern time," predicted Mike Forman '10, who wore Obama apparel.

The notion of Obama's potential victory is extremely exciting for the students who support him.



"I'm feeling really good. I am watching the election results tonight with the Democrats and I really feel Obama will win," said Rachel Feldman '11, who sat in lower Usdan wearing an Obama shirt. She plans to watch the results in the Shapiro Campus Center tonight.

Republican students seemed slightly less confident. Doreen El-Roeiy '12, said that she only thinks McCain will win if he has a "huge turnout of loyal supporters."



11:00 a.m.



As Illinois Senator Barack Obama cast his vote this morning, other voters faced problems exercising their democratic right. Early this morning, CNN.com reported that voting machines were down in counties in Indiana and Virginia, two states where polling has been tight.

Prof. Thomas Shapiro (HELLER), whose academic focus is on racial inequality in public policy, explained how mechanical problems do not tell the whole story when it comes to unequal access to the voting booth. He explained that an unequal two-class system can exist on Election Day, with different preconditions existing in different districts depending on which group has the most influence . "Things run much more efficiently, there are more machines per voter and more assistants to handle people in those communities where those in power want the vote to get out quickly and you can suppress or dampen the voter turnout by having long lines … [if] you have machines that don't operate or you have fewer machines."

The New York Times reported unethical tactics with voters in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland reporting that they received automated phone calls with incorrect information about polling. Voters from Colorado and New Jersey reported not receiving confirmation of their voter registrations or absentee ballots.

Rachel Goldfarb '11 from Alexandria, Virginia said she "heard there were problems [with the machines] and it was surprising … because I think it was in a Democratic area."

Allyson Goldsmith '10 from Lexington, Virgina said she just heard about problems with long lines. "This is new, Virginia doesn't usually have a really high voter turnout rate."

Some Brandeis students were worried about being able to vote. "I'm thinking I'm going to have to leave my last class early because I'd like to be able to vote by 7," Amy Tsao '10 said. "I think the lines are going to be really long and we're going to have a lot of turnout."

Wearing an Obama cap and an "I voted early" button, Reed Scharff '08 and his friend Jake Singer '08 relaxed on the couches in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium.

"This is a very emotional day for me. I've been campaigning for Obama for over a year," Scharff said. " I remember working at the caucuses [in Iowa], and this great feeling of hope and renewal of Democracy was just spreading throughout the whole city of Davenport … And I think that that feeling has spread throughout the whole country and it's going to be a good day for everybody." Scharff voted for Obama absentee in Arizona, Senator John McCain's home state.

Singer said he had been undecided throughout the campaign. "As I was opening [the absentee ballot] up I was planning on voting for McCain up until that point, and then as I was putting pen to paper I saw the word[s] Sarah Palin under his name and I actually couldn't do it, and so I voted for Obama [in] the end." Singer voted in Palm Beach County, Florida.


-Reported and compiled by Alana Abramson, Anya Bergman, Miranda Neubauer, Nashrah Rahman and Jillian Wagner

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools