Harvard Students Abroad Follow Elections

OXFORD, England--As news of Governor Bill Clinton's resounding electoral victory reached Oxford University early yesterday morning, Harvard students studying abroad breathed sighs of relief that this unpredictable race had finally run its course.

While the American flag flew above Oriel College, where Clinton studies as a Rhodes Scholar, American students crowded around television sets at parties throughout Oxford awaiting exact poll returns.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has covered the election extensively over the last three months, but omitted the blitz of last-minute advertisements televised Tuesday.

But the lack of daily political soundbites did not concern many Harvard students at Oxford.

"In a way, I'm glade I haven't been exposed to all the political advertising on TV," said David Leffer '94. "I've been forced to read American newspapers, such as the Herald-Tribune, every day to keep up with American opinions and election quirks."

Even before Clinton's victory, the British media displayed what some called an overtly pro-Clinton stance, daring to refer to the Democratic nominee as "President Clinton" on Monday.

Throughout Oxford, a decidedly pro-Clinton majority made their sentiments known, most visibly at an 11th hour debate held by the Oxford Student Union.

Harvard undergraduates in attendance reported a landslide Clinton victory in polls taken of British and American students attending the debate.

The intense interest by the British students in this election year in particular is unprecedented.

"What's funny is that the British act as though they have just as much at stake in this election as we do," Leffer said. "In a way, they do since the American economy affects so much of the world. I don't think this fact would have hit me so much had I been back in the States."

While Bush was clearly favored among Harvard students abroad, his supporters called for a unified country to back the new administration.

"I didn't vote for Clinton but I wish him the best, and I hope he is faithful to his inner-city pledges," said Benjamin E. Sasse '94.

Sasse further echoed concerns of several American students abroad over the intense mud-slinging and traditionally dirty politics that dominated the race in its final weeks.

"It's quite sad that we tolerate behavior froma national leader that we wouldn't accept fromeighth grade student council candidates," he said.

While most student reserved their opinions onClinton's agenda, they said their absence hasimproved their understanding of the Americanelectoral process and kindled feelings ofpatriotism.

"Whatever one's party, it's a bondingexperience to be with other expatriates in anelection year," said Leffer

"It's quite sad that we tolerate behavior froma national leader that we wouldn't accept fromeighth grade student council candidates," he said.

While most student reserved their opinions onClinton's agenda, they said their absence hasimproved their understanding of the Americanelectoral process and kindled feelings ofpatriotism.

"Whatever one's party, it's a bondingexperience to be with other expatriates in anelection year," said Leffer