Standing in the front of the Student Union Theater, there is a palpable energy buzzing up and down the aisles. Excited murmurs are heard in every corner, on every seatback. And even though the audience is watching CBS, they are on the edge of their seats as though a summer blockbuster were on the screen.
After over a year and a half of campaigning, advertising, debating and mud slinging, the 2004 presidential election reached its end Tuesday night, and UB students anxious to be part of it gathered in the Student Union Theater to watch the results roll in on the big screen.
A roar from the front of the crowd. Bush has carried South Carolina, and the cheers from the Republicans in the room are quickly matched by the boos of the Democrats.
"Yeah, we've got Texas!" shouts one Republican.
"You don't have Texas yet!" a Democrat shouts right back.
Republican, Democrat or other, a mix of students has come together here to be part of something historic. Among the crowd, the College Republicans are difficult to miss. Many of them have dressed up in formalwear in preparation for an election night party downtown. As they leave the theater for other festivities, the Republican students exude a confident attitude, seemingly certain that their candidate will win.
A graph appears on the screen showing the popular vote for each candidate. Though Ralph Nader trails far behind both Bush and Kerry, he receives a mixed reaction from the crowd.
Jacci Whelan is a rare breed -- a Democrat from Texas. Despite spending 15 years in the Lone Star State, the freshman communications major is staunchly pro-Kerry and anti-Bush.
"If you can't say words right, you shouldn't be president," Whelan said.
At the moment though she's very nervous about the outcome of the race, since she is against Bush's policies on gay marriage and abortion. "This is intense."
Tabish Hoda says he, too, is nervous about the outcome, but for an entirely different reason. He has little faith in the election process and even less faith in the government.
"For not stopping at a stop sign, I could go to jail for 10 years," said Hoda, a sophomore biology major.
Hoda says he is referring to the USA Patriot Act, a controversial set of laws that expand the authority of the police and some say reduce our civil liberties.
"This guy (Bush) does not respect our country, he does not respect our Constitution," Hoda said.
Another update. This time, the news is good for Kerry's supporters, who at times are as confident as the College Republicans. Now the Democratic candidate has successfully carried New York. With the College Republicans gone, there is overwhelming applause with only a few solitary boos from the remaining Republicans.
"Although I'm the only one cheering in the room, I'm still optimistic for Bush," said Richard Aguilar, a junior majoring in computer art.
Unlike many of the other people in the room who are very passionate and show it, Aguilar remains reserved and accepting of the outcome of the election. To him, it is not about who wins, but who can do the best job.
"If Kerry does win, I don't think I'd be mad," Aguilar said.
Another cheer comes from the crowd. The results from some of the congressional races are in, and local Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, an incumbent, has retained his position.
Off to the side stands one woman who shows no affiliation with any party.
"I'd be a Democrat if I wasn't a conservative, and I'd be a Republican if I wasn't an economist," said the wallflower, Bethany Lafferty, when asked who she's hoping wins the election.
A senior economics major, Lafferty says she's registered as an Independent. She didn't support Bush in his campaign, but also did not take to Kerry simply because he was an alternative.
"I don't like people who vote anti-candidate," Lafferty said.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
