Election Day Wake For Murphy Staffers

BOSTON--Where do you go when it's all over? How about when it's been over for two weeks, and the thank-you's have all found their way into loyal supporters' mailboxes; when the campaign literature and buttons are packed up in boxes; when the hopeful and cheery slogans begin to sour?

Campaign Notebook

Well, if you were with the Evelyn Murphy campaign last night, you went for a beer. And more beer.

Last night, as the results for the primary election--in which Murphy was no longer a contender--rolled in, her staff and volunteers gathered at Perry's Saloon in the basement of Murphy-consultant Michael Goldman's State Street office building. (Goldman incidentally was out pulling for his other client, successful attorney general candidate L. Scott Harshbarger '64. But that's politics.)

There were no pricey hotel-cocktail tickets, no gourmet cheese spreads, no big bands and colorful balloons like those at the Park Plaza. Instead, the staffers were buying one another beers, and snacking on goldfish crackers as they shot cynical comments at the proceedings on the TV screen.

"It's the Red Sox' fault we lost," shot one campaigner. Others were less tame in their comments, smearing the politicians on screen with expletives and harshly personal comments.

The conversation, peppered with biting witticisms, focused on the future of Massachusetts (dismal, they said) and on their own job prospects (not great). Many said they will probably stay in politics, despite their current disillusionment. Some swear they will move out of state if Democratic candidate John R. Silber is elected governor.

"This is so much worse than I ever imagined," said Don Marshall, assistant to Murphy's campaign manager. "People may have believed that this could happen in another state, but not in Massachusetts," in reference to Silber's upset victory. Marshall is now threatening to move to New Jersey.

Being a "time of soul-searching," as one staffer called it, several sought to justify why they are even in the business.

"I'm not a hack," said Deputy Campaign Manager David H. Darman. "You're not a hack unless you're making a lot of money, and since I've been in politics I've made poverty wage. But I guess I'm stupid, addicted, or both."

"If someone offers me a job, I might just take it," he said. But no offers were coming in last night.

"I'm really disappointed," said staff volunteer Pilar C. Olivo '88. "I wanted to vote for Evelyn Murphy but felt I couldn't because I wanted to vote against Silber, so I went with Bellotti."

Ironically, Murphy wasn't even at her own party. Having dropped out of the race two weeks ago, Murphy made it through the revolving door of politics and onto the TV as an expertcommentator on the primary returns. The smallcrowd in the bar still cheered when she appearedon screen. And as the numbers were tallied at onepoint, they applauded Murphy's meager 3 percent.

As the final results became clear, severalstaffers headed over to the Bellottiparty--quickly becoming a consolation party--tocommiserate in their misery.

Others lingered on for one more beer, sittingperhaps until the bar closed down, and then theyheaded home. For once, they all had time enough tosleep