Republican presidential candidate Sen. Bob Dole spoke about spaghetti and meatballs, "Animal House" and the federal budget to about 500 people in front of Alpha Delta fraternity on Saturday morning.
In his speech, which was aimed primarily at young voters, the Kansas Republican told students the balanced budget that he supports would result in cheaper student loans.
"This is about your future," he told the crowd. "It's also about your parents and your grandparents. It's about changing values in America, about standing up for values in America -- honesty and self-reliance and decency, all the things that you want to be and are and will be in the future."
Earlier that morning, Dole attended a closed reception for more than 200 invited guests inside AD fraternity.
Inside AD, the senator was introduced first by Student Assembly President Jim Rich '96, and later Rep. Bill Zelig, R-N.H. Dole took the podium to cheers of, "Give em hell, Bobby!"
Dole, who gave essentially the same speech in the jam-packed reception inside AD and later on the front lawn, concentrated on issues that would be important to younger voters, but also included things of concern to the general public.
Outside, he began by mentioning he had watched the movie "Animal House," the previous night, and that it reminded him of Congress.
The "Animal House" comment elicited laughs from the audience, and Dole capitalized on the reference by paraphrasing the movie to get his point across.
"Its time for all of you to start voting heavily," he said.
Saturday's speech kicked off Dole's Neighbor-to-Neighbor campaign -- part of his push to claim the New Hampshire primary -- a demographic that historically has not participated in the electoral process.
The Neighbor-to-Neighbor campaign is a statewide grassroots effort in which New Hampshire Dole supporters will go door-to-door in an effort to sway undecided voters, said Hap Hinman, the New Hampshire collegiate director for Dole.
The body of his speech concentrated on youth issues but Dole also talked about the budget impasse.
"It is very important to take a hard look at what government can do to preserve our future," he said, adding that he thinks the answer lies in limited government.
Dole said he carries a copy of the 10th amendment of the Constitution with him in his pocket to remind him the founding fathers believed in limited government.
The 10th amendment states that any powers not expressly given to the federal government are reserved for the states.
On the balanced budget, Dole said he wanted to dispel the idea the president and the Congress were playing politics and not getting anything done.
He said a balanced budget would have real benefits for average Americans.
"What does it mean for you? It means economic growth, and lower interest rates if you want to buy a car, or a house for the first time," he said.
He also tried to differentiate himself from the other candidates, both Republicans and Democrats.
"There's a fundamental difference of philosophy," between him and the President, he said. "That's what the election is about, it's not about politics, it's about philosophy."
"If I'm elected .... my wife won't be in charge of health care," he joked, in a reference to Hillary Clinton's prominent role in her husband's administration.
Dole paid homage to his venue.
"I'm very excited to be in a frat house," he said. "I remember my days as pledge trainer of Kappa Sig," he said.
Dole told the crowd of his attempts to mimic a waiter in a movie, which resulted in his spilling four plates of spaghetti with meatballs in his house mother's lap.
He also told of his biggest fraternity prank: carrying his pledge master's motorcycle up to the third floor of his fraternity house, leaving his brother to carry it down himself.
Dole told the crowd why he thinks he would make a good president.
"I'm prepared to lead," he said. "I understand a little about sacrifice."
The crowd waited in the frigid winter air to hear the Senator speak. They stood ankle-deep in hay on the fraternity lawn, set up to look like an arena, while fraternity dogs and journalists wandered around.
A podium was set up for the media and prior to the Senator's speech, a video showing his wife and describing his earlier years was played to the audience.
Some members of the crowd attended the speech not only to hear Dole speak, but also to make sure the candidate heard them.
One group representing the non-partisan organization People for the American Way were carrying banners declaring, "Expose the Right."
The group was there to expose the "stealth campaigning of the Religious Right," according to one of their supporters.
The crowd outside, which was overwhelmingly either supportive of Dole, or neutral, still contained some who disagreed with the candidate's ideas.
Carrying signs that said "GOP Out" or "We Want Clinton in 1996," protesters tried to make their presence known and remained in the area long after Dole had boarded the Music Television bus, where he gave a one hour interview.
One man said he disagreed with the Senator's stance on affirmative action.
Another said he did not support Dole because he thought the Senator would be too militarily aggressive.
One woman, who wore a t-shirt emblazoned with a marijuana leaf and the words 'The Hemp Lady,' was handing out buttons with marijuana leaves drawn on them, in distinct contrast to the "Dole for President" or "Choose or Lose" buttons others were wearing.
Most of the crowd however, seemed to agree with what the candidate had to say. "I'm here to balance the budget, they're here to enlarge the deficit," said one of the protesters.
"That's Republican hay you're standing on, not Democratic donkey-doo," he said referring to AD's lawn.
While on campus, Dole did not meet any College administrators because the campaign coordinators felt that there would not be enough time Hinman said.
