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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/27/07 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
November 4, 2004 Students watch presidential endgame unfold By Nathan Phelps No more waiting and no more wondering. The race was over.
John Kerry conceded the race to President Bush who gave his victory
speech to a group of cheering supporters Wednesday afternoon in Washington,
D.C.
For a couple dozen students at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay,
the 2004 presidential election ended on the screen of a Sony television
in the University Union.
"I hope it's over and it looks like it is," said Jon Virant, a senior
from Sheboygan. "I felt it was over last night. I watched all the stations,
I was looking at all the Web sites ... and I think it ended last night
and people were just afraid to say that."
But after the debacle in the 2000 presidential race, Virant said he
suspected media outlets were hesitant to make a prediction that could
end up being wrong.
"After 2000, I don't think I'd be the first channel to go out and say
'Bush won it,'" said Virant, a Democrat who voted for Bush on Tuesday.
A small core of students watched both speeches and as the candidates
talked the number of people swelled as passers-by stopped to watch the
live CNN broadcast for a few minutes.
In the wake of the highly contentious and divisive election, both Bush
and Kerry talked about reaching out and unifying the country, themes that
struck a chord with students.
"I think it was very big of (Kerry) to do what he did with the concession
speech," said Elisha Mertens, a student from Waukesha who voted for Bush
on Tuesday. "He could have pushed to recount the vote."
After the Kerry speech, student Adam Koenig said echoed what millions
of Americans are probably feeling today.
"I think there's a lot of relief because there has been a lot of tension
lately on campus and a lot of people are just relieved to have it over,"
he said. "I know a lot of people were looking forward to the end of the
election."
But before packing it in for another four years, Koenig sat down on
a couch with other students and watched the candidate he voted for deliver
his victory speech.
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