Spring Break
Bush supporters expect another four years
Confident of president's re-election
Kevin Yuen
Daily Staff Writer
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He had been watching the race on MSNBC, which reported President George W. Bush with 269 electoral votes to Sen. John Kerry's 207.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, news outlets such as CNN reported Bush's votes at 254 and Kerry's votes at 252.
Gonzales was one of about 30 students that spent Election Day at the Tied House, both to watch the political fireworks and support Marie Dominguez-Gasson, a 20-year-old republican Santa Clara University student running for state assembly.
The night began slowly, as when the polls closed at 8 p.m. on the West Coast, there had been people waiting in line that had yet to vote on the East Coast.
As the electoral votes rolled in, the largely republican crowd grew confi - dent of Bush's victory.
"I think we won't know the results for weeks, but tonight they'll say Bush is the winner," Dominguez-Gasson said at 9 p.m.
Santa Clara University student Justin Gwerder calmed as Bush shot ahead with 246 electoral votes to Kerry's 206 at around 9:30 p.m.
"I was scared at first, but there aren't many white spaces left," said Gwerder, pointing to the dual colored election map on the television. "It's looking good for Bush."
Boos periodically thundered from the crowd as the television flashed democratic victories in races across the nation.
Valerie Mock, a Santa Clara University student, wiggled in anticipation as MSNBC claimed Bush's electoral votes shot up to 269 at about 10: 15 p.m. - one shy of a victory.
"They just need to call New Mexico," she said. "He just needs one. If he lost by one, I'd cry."
With Bush closing in on a win, Santa Clara University student Angela Kabanuck felt almost certain that her party would hold the presidency.
"I'd say I'm 90 percent sure, but you never know," she said.
Megan Brill, president of the College Republicans at San Jose State University, said voter recounts would probably not affect the race as it did four years ago.
"I think it will be decisive enough that the few disputed votes won't matter anyway," she said.
At about 11 p.m., with the vote counts not budging, Santa Clara University student Grant Cassingham said the waiting did not bother him too much.
"It's just a lot of anticipation," he said. "It's like waiting for the last quarter of a football game, but it's definitely a good feeling."
Brill said the vote counters were taking their time to avoid a debacle similar to that of the last presidential election.
"I think they want to do it right and not jump to conclusions," she said. "They don't want to cause controversy. They want to count the votes correctly."
Cassingham eventually grew impatient, still waiting for that one vote to put Bush over the top.
"The thing I don't get is, Nevada can count money faster than anyone I know, but they can't count votes," he said.
Thirty minutes before midnight, some of the attendees began feeling weary.
"I'm getting tired," mumbled Gonzalez.
The final vote to ensure a Bush triumph still lingered. Cassingham said he was sure at this point that Bush was going to win.
"He's not going to lose all these states," he said. "Just getting to that point is excruciating."
Some of the drained students began filing out, needing to study for midterms or finish term papers, but not Cassingham.
"I've been watching this since 2 a.m. this morning," he said. "I'm not leaving."
Brill said despite feeling extremely confi dent about a Bush success, she did not want to jump to any conclusions.
"I don't want to say he's won then find out Kerry won in the morning," she said.
While buzz phrases such as "too close to call" and "exit polls" danced among the airwaves throughout the night, the nation was reminded of an uncertainty that plagued the race four years ago.
Some students went to bed not
knowing who would lead the nation in
the next term.
