Well, the MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! THAT'S why!
Posted on 11/04/2004 6:47:32 AM PST by machman
They said they felt crushed.
And terrified.
And embarrassed for their country in the eyes of the world.
And exposed - revealed as being somehow out of step enough with their fellow citizens to think Democrat John Kerry might beat Republican George Bush.
"I had a bit of hope that (Kerry) had to be better than our previous situation," said Stephanie Krieger, a UW- Madison junior. "I don't understand how the man who is the most protested figure in the 21st century gets re- elected."
For many UW-Madison students, the day after Tuesday's election was worse than any Halloween hangover. The steel-gray skies over Library Mall matched the somber mood on campus as Kerry backers struggled to reconcile their high hopes of a few hours before with the harsh reality - as they see it - of Bush's second-term win.
"It's more than disappointment," Krieger said, looking up from her books at a study table in Memorial Union. "It's a feeling of helplessness."
Of course, come at it from the other side and the picture changes in a flash.
"I'm really happy because I'm a Bush supporter," said Amanda Infield, a freshman who voted for the first time Tuesday.
"Before, I felt like I couldn't talk," she said. "(Democratic students) would demonize what we would say. It's like they feel you're not as smart or you don't understand the issues. This reminds people that there's a whole nation out there."
Infield's friend, freshman Becky Chedy, said she wished she'd done more to try to help Bush win Wisconsin, one of the states he didn't carry. Earlier, she said she had doubts about whether he would win the election - but she chalked that up to living in Madison.
"My perceptions of things were so skewed from being here," Chedy said.
Unofficial election returns show UW-Madison students did vote heavily for Kerry - by more than 4 to 1 in one polling place and lesser, but still lopsided, margins elsewhere on campus. Frequent appearances by Kerry's campaign and a slew of celebrity visits in the waning days fanned the flames of Democratic support.
With all that activity, it was that much more shocking when it all came to naught, students said.
"It's very odd to feel in the minority all of a sudden, and to know so many other people feel very passionately the other way on these issues," said Claire Boyce, a junior who voted for Kerry. "I'm very down."
Kerry supporter Aaron Frank, a senior, said several students in his classes on Wednesday were bitter, dogging Kerry for giving up before all the votes had been counted in Ohio. But he said Kerry was helping a divided nation start to heal.
"His conceding right away has a positive effect," Frank said. "You don't want that kind of stuff to linger on. You don't want Ohio to become another Florida."
Kerry and Bush supporters were united on one point - they said the outcome of this election will make them even more likely to vote next time.
"I'm not thinking of moving to Canada or anything," Frank said. "I think America will survive."
Contact Karen Rivedal at krivedal@madison.com or 252-6106.
Party of tolerance and diveristy alert!!
Duh. Ya think?
Now they know how we felt when Clinton fooled around with monica in the white house, was impeached and then pardoned criminals.
These guys aren't really Liberals, just skinheads in disguise.
And then there was light. And that light is shining in the minds of people every where. We're here, we're conservative and we're damn proud of it.
Bush win upsets many __________ University students. Take your pick, there are only a few schools that would not work in this statement.
Well, the MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! THAT'S why!
What's the odds that that isn't the only thing that Stephanie doesn't understand?
May we have a moment of silence for all American third worlders? I said a moment! Times up, we have work to do. ;)
Madison: The Midwest Moscow before the fall of the Soviets.
My perceptions of things were so skewed from being here," Chedy said.
That's it in a nuthouse...er shell.....
Yup. There is the 12k votes he lost Wisconsin by.
But they respect us (whether they admit it or not).
America to the students:
SHUT UP AND STUDY.
Hey Claire, get used to it.
Get an education and go to work.
Worth Repeating.
The STUDY part is why she thinks the way she does.
And terrified.
And embarrassed for their country in the eyes of the world.
These brats are the embarrassment in this country!
Furthermore, these college brats of today, tumble out of school after four years, then tumble into two more, and then into more and yet, they're educated imbeciles! They can't carry through with an intelligent conversation, can't spell, can't do anything and then expect when they have their PhD that they're going to make money and a mark on this world.
Never happen. I have a PhD, but I got it when it truly meant something.
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