A small band of frustrated Georgetown Democrats in Sellinger Lounge surrounded an inflatable doll of George W. Bush and began to pummel him, kicking him across the room, punching him in the face and knocking him down. Their actions were all in vain.
“I heard there was a competition to see who could kick Bush the farthest,” Charles Phillip (CAS ‘08) said, while waiting for the election results to come in. “Inflatable Bush is a nice stand-in for the real thing when you need to let loose your frustration.”
Despite their fervor, Bush won another four-year term in office and his party retained control of both houses of Congress.
Jady Hsin (CAS ‘07), Chairman of the Georgetown University College Republicans, celebrated the President’s success.
“Generally, I think that President Bush has scored what strikes me as an impressively broad margin of victory,” he said, “about which the Republicans on campus have heartily rejoiced.”
Hsin also noted the impact this election will have on students either involved in or interested in ROTC programs.
“The president’s reelection is going to determine greatly to where they will be deployed,” he said. “That is, if there were to be a greater commitment of troops to Iraq, which is a possibility.”
“That bears very immediately on the minds on those students interested in or a part of those organizations,” he added.
Scott Zumwalt (CAS ‘06), President of the Georgetown University College Democrats, commented on his party’s situation.
“We need to reorganize,” Zumwalt said. “Our party is going to have to look at ourselves and adjust to a new era.”
Students began to gather in the Sellinger and Village C Alumni Lounges at about 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, as the College Democrats and College Republicans held separate election-night parties.
As the night wore on, the votes began to turn in favor of President Bush. The College Democrats, who kept a tally of votes on a wall in Sellinger Lounge, began to trickle out after Florida was called for Bush.
The Republicans responded to the Florida call with a standing ovation for President Bush and then lost half of their members to a private victory celebration at approximately 10:30 p.m., hours before the official calling of the presidential race.
Many in both camps still watched the coverage well after 3 a.m. The Republicans, whose television was tuned to FOX News, waited for one last state to fall after Ohio was called with the President sitting on 269 electoral votes, one short of the 270 required for a win. Only FOX News and NBC were comfortable enough to call Ohio before sunrise.
“[Kerry’s concession] wasn’t necessary, but it became increasingly unlikely that he could salvage a win,” Professor of Government Douglas Reid said.
Many students urged others to come together around the elected president. Daniel Cardenal (CAS ‘07), a Floridian and a member of GUCR, hoped neither party would gloat about their successes or begrudge their losses.
“We’re all still neighbors and we’re all still friends,” he said.
