Posted on 11/05/2004 4:52:01 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
ITHACA--This past Wednesday, on a campus where a majority of the faculty and student population are liberal-leaning, disappointment over the election outcome mixed with the enthusiasm of some very happy Bush supporters.
"He pulled something," said Kenia Knights '07. Knights said she could not believe that all the voter drives that were aimed at young people did not produce a win for Kerry.
"Damn my demographic," said David Gartenberg '05, citing the lack of young voter turnout in Ohio. "So close too, so close."
Upon learning of Bush's re-election, Prof. Theodore J. Lowi, the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions, said, "Given that my own preference was for, quote, 'anyone but Bush,' there was this sense of disappointment in the deep pit of my stomach."
Prof. Richard Schuler, economics, agreed, "I'm somewhat depressed about it. ... I just find some really distressing elements in what has been happening in the past four years in the administration." Schuler went on to state that if he graded Bush on how he ran the economy, he would give Bush a D plus and Kerry not much better.
In reference to Kerry's loss, Prof. Walter Mebane, government, said, "I am very, very, very unhappy." Mebane reported that based on conversations he has had with colleagues, he would use the terms "devastated" and "horrified" to describe the general mood of Kerry supporters.
Ross Brann, chair of the department of near eastern studies, said, "As an American citizen, I have some concern about the further erosion of civil liberties."
All of the professors interviewed did not believe Bush's re-election would significantly affect their curriculum.
Mebane said he would continue working to improve the electoral system so that in four years voters will not have to worry about being disenfranchised in what Mebane predicts will be yet another controversial and intense election.
Reactions were varied among the many political student organizations on campus, but all expressed their willingness to keep discussing, questioning and fostering political activism on campus.
"I'm sure that most Cornellians are disappointed by President Bush's re-election, as most young people around this country are," stated Tim Lim '06 president of the Cornell Democrats in an e-mail. "Cornell Democrats have and always will be dedicated to making sure that the progressive agenda is advanced ... this election has just cemented that drive and we will work harder than ever to make sure that President Bush's feet are held to the fire."
"I think it's very disappointing. I think the Republicans managed to paint themselves as the moral choice and that's why they won the election," said John Turrettini grad, president of the Cornell Law Democrats.
"I'm absolutely ecstatic," said Mike Lepage '05, chair of the Cornell College Republicans. "Some of my Democratic friends seem like they're going to jump off the bridge with the results."
"I'll say this much -- it amuses me to see how seriously Cornell's left is taking this. Even if Bush were as awful as they seem to think, this is hardly an insurmountable tragedy or cause for a 'Day of Mourning.' To hear many of them carry on, you get the impression that they think that America has died," stated Jim Shliferstein '05, a Sun columnist and president of Cornell Political Coalition, in an e-mail.
Who talks like this? Liberals I guess. I'm just trying to guess if it was in a Charleston'esque "Damn you all to hell" or in a Shatner'esque "KAAAAAAHN!" voice.
The party of drama queens.
"Upon learning of Bush's re-election, Prof. Theodore J. Lowi, the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions, said, "Given that my own preference was for, quote, 'anyone but Bush,' there was this sense of disappointment in the deep pit of my stomach."
Gee, Doc, that's too bad.
Go, quote, 'John Effing Kerry' yourself.
ANY kind of reality never affects a Cornell professor's curriculum, so why would this election do so?
Maybe he needs to do something about that deep pit in his stomach. Or the one in his brain.
There were so many disconsolate buttholes in Starbucks that the store should have offered a special drink-of-the-day, DISCONSOLATTE.
My daughter is applying to colleges. Are there ANY that haven't gone off the deep end into liberal la-la land?
Serious question, large universities, strong academics, no North-East. Any ideas? Our home state UNC is pretty frightening. Two years ago, the summer reading was a book on Islam. They wanted the young skulls of mush to be more tolerant. They wanted them to understand why Islamofacists hated us. Why we were the problem - go figure.
How in the world can this guy be an economics professor? I minored in econ at Cornell and can't imagine any of my professors of 20 years ago making such an inane comment. The ONLY weapon a president has in helping the economy is fiscal policy, and much of that is dependent upon the legislative branch passing his policy into law. In a recession, you cut taxes to help the economy - that's what Bush did. It was the only thing he could do - everything else (besides protectionism, which is also dependent upon the legislature) is only so much rah-rah jawboning.
What a bonehead.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Thanks to all those in Bush country who have given all those behind liberal lines wherever that may be (Ithaca, New York City, San Francisco etc) the most wonderful gift of not having to live with communists in joyous ecstasy.
Canada and Syria await.
All of the professors interviewed did not believe Bush's re-election would significantly affect their curriculum propaganda
Sweet!
Such as?
Liberals have been claiming this for years, but never seem to offer any tangible proof that there is some vast assault on civil liberties.
NCState is even leaning left these days. It's everywhere.
The more of this I read. The more I smile. :o) See!
These socialist morons get up in the morning hating the President. They call themselves "intellectuals", but they are actually brain-dead. The solution is to stop sending your sons and daughters to liberal colleges where 90% or more of the faculty is left, liberal, Bush-hating. Stop spending $40,000 a year to have your kid brain-washed.
Very nice.
It must really suck being a liberal Dem right about now. You gotta hate it for them.
BWAAHAAHAAHAA
Dang it! I almost made it through that with a straight face.
I think they are looking at moving even FURTHER away than that:
Kerry bumperstickers, common as dirt here a couple of days ago, are vanishing like the leaves of autumn. You're right, it must just suck being a Liberal right now. (Major gloat still in progress!!)
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