With One Year to Go, Campaign Efforts Grow But Undergraduates Are Still Largely Apathetic

In just over a week, the 1992 presidential election will be one year away. And at Harvard, the campaigning has already begun.

Two Democratic candidates have spoken on campus in the last month--Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey and Eugene McCarthy. Another contender, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, is coming to the Kennedy School on Wednesday.

In recent weeks, student groups have sprung up on campus in support of candidates Kerrey, Clinton, former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas and Iowa Sen. Tom R. Harkin.

Also, four student groups have sprung up in recent weeks to support a candidate.

But among the general undergraduate population, students for the most part have not decided whom to support.

Many students interviewed say that they and their classmates are apathetic about the race, and that it is still too early to choose a favorite candidate.

Says Christina A. Kowalewski '95, "It's hard to really support anyone because not all the candidates have thrown their hats in the ring and not all the candidates are being totally open about what they stand for."

Many say they are waiting until all candidates have announced or at least until the election goes closer.

"It hasn't hit the mainstream yet," says Katlerine F. Pearson '93. "Adamant students have started already but everyone definitely will have opinions."

Very few of the students interviewed say they joined clubs in support of candidates or went to hear the candidates that spoke on campus.

One student attributes the lack of interest at Harvard to the general college environment. "Students are more apathetic because college life isolates you from the outside world," says Robert K. Wasinger '94.

Not everyone interviewed, however, agrees that the presidential campaign has gone unnoticed on campus.

Mark P. Immel '94 says, "Most Harvard students are interested. They discuss [the race] in the dining halls."

Even among the 12 student interviewed who identified themselves as Republican, three said they had not yet chosen a candidate.

Almost all of those interviewed say they plan to vote. But many did not demonstrate any enthusiasm about it.

"I'm fed up with the way our country is being run," says Bryan J. Stone '93. "I'm seeing whether I want to remain indifferent. Abstention should be on the ballot rather that simply not going to the polls."

Others are equally disillusioned with the election, saying that President Bush, who has not yet announced his bid for re-election, is guaranteed to win a second term.

"I am pretty cynical," says Anna W. Poon '93. "Bush will win regardless because of foreign policy."

"It's Bush's race to lose," says Joseph B. Nadol '95. "The popularity from the Gulf War is still carrying him over."

Says Traci R. Manning '95, "This is only going to be a practice run for any of them that want to run in '96 because none of them have a chance."

"I think that there's no way the Republicans will lose unless a major catastrophe occurs in the next three months," says Chris J. Crick '95.

Even those who think Bush is not guaranteed victory say that the pool of Democratic candidates is inadequate.

"Is Bush beatable? Yes. But by who's up there? No. He needs to be beat," says Lydia Z. Dyett '93.

One undergraduate offers some advice as to how a Democrat can run a successful candidate against the Republicans.

Carol L. Markowitz '93, who says she favors either Harkin or New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, who has not declared candidacy, says, "The Democrats shouldn't be wimpy. The Republicans play hardball. They're slimy but we're living in a slimy nation and the Democrats have to be slimy to win."

Before students choose a favorite candidate, they say, they must learn more about the contenders as the campaigns progress. Those interviewed say their decisions will be based more on the news media and televised debates than on candidates' speeches.

"I will not get my information from the propaganda of the candidates," says Pearson.

Lou B. Lemos '95 says he has a different method of evaluating candidates. "I'm sort of an anarchist. I might read papers. I try to avoid TV as much as possible," he says.

Supporters Extol Candidates' Virtues

Despite the indecision among many students, some have chosen a candidate to support, and those who have say they feel strongly about their choice.

Among those interviewed, almost as many expressed support for Bush as for any Democratic candidate. Matthew T. Kirsch '93 says, "I like the fact that he kept government small and he's economically conservative."

Those who identified themselves as Democrats were often passionate about their candidates.

"Deep down inside I can't resist Harkin's old fashioned liberalism," says Tom R. Laskawy '92. "People have been duped by George Bush."

"They're happy to whoop it up when we bomb the shit out of the Iraqis. It's easier to go along with Bush than to take a stand on the issues," Laskawy says.

"I saw Kerrey speak," says Anne Q. Eakin '95. "He's got the perfect formula for a Democratic nominee because he's a war veteran. The person who introduced him says he'd bring back Camelot. He's got the glitz that the Democrats need."

One student who has done more than just voice support for a candidate is Gregory S. Chernack '92, who is co-president of Harvard-Radcliffe Students for Bill Clinton.

"Do we want a president who cares about domestic issues or don't we?" he asks. "Clinton seems to care more about people."

Chernack says many people have expressed an interest in the club. "We've had 20 people interested and we haven't even had our first meetings [Clinton] is conservative by Harvard standards, but our goal isn't to get a majority of Harvard students."

Support for candidate student groups is not universal, though.

Organizers of the groups say one reason for the lack of interest in their clubs is that it is still early in the race and that undergraduates have not had a chance to hear all the candidates speak.

"We've gotten 23 members but it's hard to gauge," says Allan H. Erbsen '94, head of Students for Tsongas.

"It'll be better when he's here in two weeks," Erbsen says.

"When Kerrey spoke, Kerrey supporters came out of the woodwork. I think that will happen [with Tsongas]. We'll have more supporters than Kerrey," he says.

Erbsen says he is "sure Harvard will become politically oriented. We want to build a base so when everyone is ready we will be there."

Harkin supporters agree that campus political support has yet to build. "The campus as a whole is not motivated yet because many of the issues aren't out," says Steven V. Mazie '93, founder of Harvard-Radcliffe Students for Harkin.

There are currently no student groups for Democratic candidates Jerry Brown, McCarthy or Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.

Mazie estimates that the presidential race will begin heating up early next year with the Iowa Caucuses.

Prominent Issues

Once the campaigns pick up steam, there will be a variety of issues--such as the budget, education, health care and abortion--that will become prominent, students say.

"Domestic policy will be a big issue with the recession and with Clarence Thomas on the court, choice will be a be a big issue," says Steven M. Goodreau '94.

But others say that for this election, issues will be irrelevant.

"It will be a question of personal integrity. A lot of candidates in the past have been discredited," says Stone. "It will depend on who can survive that sort of beating from the press, the public."

"I will look more for a leader than an issue," says Pearson. "I will look at what they have done rather than what they will do."

But Kevin M. Wald '93 says he believes it is impossible to predict what issues will be important in a year.

"Politics is a very changeable thing," he says.