Students Rally for Candidates During Senatorial Debate

Students from Harvard's undergraduate political groups waved signs and shouted support for their candidates outside last night's debate at Faneuil Hall.

Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats rallied in support of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56, while members of the Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Club supported his opponent W. Mitt Romney.

About a dozen Democrats met in Harvard Yard and took the T to join a teeming throng of demonstrators, which included fans of both candidates mixed together.

The crowd waved signs and shouted for hours leading up to the candidates' arrivals for the 8 p.m. debate.

The mission for Harvard students was clear, according to Derek T. Ho '96, the Harvard liaison to the Kennedy campaign.

"We're trying to get as many people as we can holding signs to take up as much space in front of the TV cameras as possible when the candidates go in," Ho said.

Romney's supporters seemed to have the same idea as the sky was blocked by the mass of signs being waved by the crowd. Ho claimed Kennedy supporters were winning the battle.

"The official report is that we're outnumbering them three to one as far as signs go," he said.

Beyond sheer numbers, the Democrats had a strategic advantage as well, said Jeff M. Hauser '95.

"We have many more sticks than they do," he said, referring to wooden posts for holding Kennedy signs higher than Romney signs, many of which were hand-held.

Despite all of their work, the College Democrats were not granted any of the precious seats inside to watch the debate.

"The campaigns reserve most of the seats inside. So, we won't be able to get in," Ho said.

The students did get to watch the debate live at a party for Democratic supporters nearby, however.

Neither were the Republicans, who had about 20 students at the rally, said club president Bradford P. Campbell '95.

In addition, "a couple" Harvard Republicans lined Alewife Brook Parkway with Romney signs at dinnertime last night, Campbell said.

Back at Harvard, other students gathered at the Kennedy School of Government to watch the debate live on big-screen TV at an event sponsored by the Institute of Politics.