Crowds Cheer Cuomo

More than 150 people crowded into Science Center B last night to see Mario M. Cuomo speak via closed circuit television, hoping to hear the New York governor announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

They left without hearing any new news from the Democrats' perennial non-candidate candidate but attendees did get a chance to express their support. Some even brought signs reading "Mario Cuomo for President in '92."

Unable to get tickets to the speech itself, the group of undergraduates and others listened to Cuomo attentively, breaking the silence only with an occasional cough or applause for a bit of Cuomo wisdom.

At one point during the talk, when Cuomo related a story about supporters urging him to run, the audience applauded and shouted "Yes!"

Reactions to Cuomo's pronouncements on Republican politics were also enthusiastic. The governor's descriptions of President Bush's planned economic policy changes as "monetary steroids" and Bush's plans of action as "prayers to the cyclical gods of the economy" elicited loud cheers among the watchers.

Jana M. Meader '95, a self-described Republican, said after the speech that she thought Cuomo was "electable."

"I saw Harkin and I wasn't too impressed, but Iwas impressed [by Cuomo]," she said.

Other more liberal members of the Harvardcommunity were equally infatuated with the N.Y.governor's speech.

"It's the first Cuomo speech I've heard--he'sphenomenal," Thomas J. Scocca '93 said. "He'sright...and everyone else is wrong, but he's notrunning and we're screwed."

Scocca's blockmate Andrew G. Larson '93 wasalso suitably impressed with the speech. "[Ithought] he was a very eloquent," said Larson."But then, so was Reagan."

Some students said they were disappointed thatCuomo did not announce his candidacy.

"I had heard a lot of rumors...so I wassurprised that he didn't announce [hiscandidacy]," said Diane S. Brunt, a graduatestudent.

But even before the talk commenced mostaudience members said they weren't expecting anybombshells.

"I doubt that he would announce [his candidacy]tonight because it would be suicidal," saidKatherine A. Shields '94.

Yet the media hype alone was enough to drawothers to the overflow seating of the ScienceCenter.

Before Cuomo began, Paul J. Larsen '93 saidthat he showed up "primarily out of curiosity."

"Everyone--the media, my classmates--have beenbuilding this up," Larsen said. "Personally, Idon't think that he's going to announce [hiscandidacy].

"I saw Harkin and I wasn't too impressed, but Iwas impressed [by Cuomo]," she said.

Other more liberal members of the Harvardcommunity were equally infatuated with the N.Y.governor's speech.

"It's the first Cuomo speech I've heard--he'sphenomenal," Thomas J. Scocca '93 said. "He'sright...and everyone else is wrong, but he's notrunning and we're screwed."

Scocca's blockmate Andrew G. Larson '93 wasalso suitably impressed with the speech. "[Ithought] he was a very eloquent," said Larson."But then, so was Reagan."

Some students said they were disappointed thatCuomo did not announce his candidacy.

"I had heard a lot of rumors...so I wassurprised that he didn't announce [hiscandidacy]," said Diane S. Brunt, a graduatestudent.

But even before the talk commenced mostaudience members said they weren't expecting anybombshells.

"I doubt that he would announce [his candidacy]tonight because it would be suicidal," saidKatherine A. Shields '94.

Yet the media hype alone was enough to drawothers to the overflow seating of the ScienceCenter.

Before Cuomo began, Paul J. Larsen '93 saidthat he showed up "primarily out of curiosity."

"Everyone--the media, my classmates--have beenbuilding this up," Larsen said. "Personally, Idon't think that he's going to announce [hiscandidacy].