Students Watch Clinton Win

Dozens of election parties last night proved a catharsis for Harvard Democrats, who watched their party capture the presidency for the first time in 12 years.

Students crowded around television screens last night in bars, dorm rooms--wherever a TV could be found--to cheer on Bill Clinton or bemoan the demise of President Bush.

"It's like a football game and the Democrats are the home team," said Robyn K. Bacon '96, who watched the election returns at the Institute of Politics.

Hundreds elbowed each other for a view of the large-screen TV in the Kennedy School of Government's Arco Forum room, hyperventilating with every state that went to Clinton.

Mike I. Hess '92 watched the ruckus from the balustrade with friend Andrew C. Fenselau '92 and a plateful of pepperoni pizza.

"I'm very psyched Bush is a one-termer," Hess said. "The pizza's okay."

Sean Duggan, a bartender from the Gardner Merchant Catering Co., claimed to be the only Bush supporter present.

"It's funny, because every time they show Bush winning a state I'm the only one that claps," Duggan said. "This is like a pep rally for Democrats."

Across Cambridge in the Eliot House room of die-hard Republicans Mark J. Sneider '93 and Jeffrey B. Golden '93, a small but hardy bunch threw a "Bush commiseration party," drowning their sorrows in American beer and Southern Comfort.

"We're dying in here. I feel like I'm bleeding," said Sneider.

In front of a "Kemp in '96!" poster, Republican Club Secretary

Frederick A. DeCaro III '93 summed up the mood.

"Denial. Anger. Betrayal. Depression.Acceptance. I plan to go through all fivetonight," he said.

Approximately 40 Cambridge Clinton-Gorestaffers celebrated the Democrats' imminentvictory at Charlie's Kitchen restaurant, watchingthe results and toasting one another in anatmosphere of left-wing camaraderie.

The mood at Harkness Commons at Harvard LawSchool was one of heady self-righteousness. Twentyor so eager law students greeted Clinton gainswith hoots and applause. They reacted to losseswith groans and peculiar guttural noises.

"Thank God!" they shouted in unison when thenetworks projected a Clinton victory in NewJersey.

But at Lehman Hall, refreshments, beer and alarge-screen TV could not disperse the oppressivecloud of despair that hung over a group of about30 Republican Club members watching the electionreturns.

"The Bible predicted an apocalypse will happensoon and now we know it will," said Marc Mainelli'94. "People voted more against Bush than forClinton and I think soon they'll realize they madethe wrong decision."

As the evening wore on, however, club memberssaid their spirits would not be broken.

"You hold on to the end when you support acandidate and then you wear all black," said KarenE. Boyle '94, one of two women on the club'sexecutive committee.CrimsonDavid E. RosenMARK J. SNEIDER '93, JEFF GOLDEN '93 ANDJAMES DOAK '94 look to the next election afterPresident Bush's loss last night.

Frederick A. DeCaro III '93 summed up the mood.

"Denial. Anger. Betrayal. Depression.Acceptance. I plan to go through all fivetonight," he said.

Approximately 40 Cambridge Clinton-Gorestaffers celebrated the Democrats' imminentvictory at Charlie's Kitchen restaurant, watchingthe results and toasting one another in anatmosphere of left-wing camaraderie.

The mood at Harkness Commons at Harvard LawSchool was one of heady self-righteousness. Twentyor so eager law students greeted Clinton gainswith hoots and applause. They reacted to losseswith groans and peculiar guttural noises.

"Thank God!" they shouted in unison when thenetworks projected a Clinton victory in NewJersey.

But at Lehman Hall, refreshments, beer and alarge-screen TV could not disperse the oppressivecloud of despair that hung over a group of about30 Republican Club members watching the electionreturns.

"The Bible predicted an apocalypse will happensoon and now we know it will," said Marc Mainelli'94. "People voted more against Bush than forClinton and I think soon they'll realize they madethe wrong decision."

As the evening wore on, however, club memberssaid their spirits would not be broken.

"You hold on to the end when you support acandidate and then you wear all black," said KarenE. Boyle '94, one of two women on the club'sexecutive committee.CrimsonDavid E. RosenMARK J. SNEIDER '93, JEFF GOLDEN '93 ANDJAMES DOAK '94 look to the next election afterPresident Bush's loss last night.