Campus responds to California recall as Schwarzenegger wins

Arnold Schwarzenegger has traveled through time ("Terminator"), given birth to a baby ("Junior") and has saved the free world a million times over (every other Schwarzenegger movie conceivable) and now he can add one more item to his resume: Governor of California.

Gov. Gray Davis conceded the recall election shortly before 1 a.m. Eastern Time. Schwarzenegger was leading his closest competitor by more than 400,000 votes and will take office as soon as the election is certified.

News of the recall election saturated the airwaves last night with CNN and other media giants rolling extensive coverage. However, while Californians anxiously waited for the 8 p.m. (Pacific standard time) closing of the polls, the recall hysteria barely caused a ripple on campus according to an informal survey of students.

"Didn't Arnold Schwarzenegger win already?" asked Diana Chang '06.

While some students expressed confusion about the recall and the actual election date, others avoided it out of frustration.

"Many people on campus are at least aware of the recall election but it's well known because it has become such a joke," Heather Crane '06 said. "You have porn stars and Gary Coleman running — it's a circus."

Even students from California reacted passively to the recall election.

"I haven't really followed the recall," Charles Bahlert '06, from San Mateo, California, said. "I think most people are just poking fun at Arnold."

Some groups on campus did make a point to watch or at least acknowledge the election. While Tower Club held a recall study break, the Tory magazine also organized a small recall party in Foulke.

The Tory, according to Duncan Sahner '06, has been following the recall election and analyzing its progress from the beginning. The group has explored various issues from whether the recall was justifiable to what the ramifications will be in the upcoming presidential election.

Even though Schwarzenegger was the Republican favored to win, the Tory was really rooting for another candidate.

"We strongly support Tom McClintock because Arnold Schwarzenegger is more of a liberal Republican," Sahner said.

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However, even with their political interest, the Tory shared the frustration expressed by a majority of the students surveyed.

"It's a circus," Sahner said. "Honestly, the Cubs game is more exciting to watch."

At least one student polled was excited about the recall and closely monitored the election's development.

"I think it's interesting," Adam Brenner '06, from Los Angeles, Calif., said. "From the beginning, a lot of people in California have been excited about the idea of the recall."

However, Brenner duggested that the national attention and general campus awareness is a product of sensational journalism.

"If Arnold wasn't running, people wouldn't be paying attention."

Even though some students are ignoring the recall or are interested in it mainly because of the "Governator," according to Wilson School Professor Nolan McCarty, the election deserves attention.

"Will the recall help the Republicans in the upcoming election . . . [and] will California revise their constitution?" McCarty said. "It will be interesting to see what will ultimately be the implications for California."