Although much of the Dartmouth community stayed home and tuned into radio or television to hear the results of yesterday's New Hampshire presidential primary; many also crowded the Rockefeller Center for the Social Sciences, which for a few hours was converted into a frenzy of political viewing activity.
In the Hinman Forum and in two lecture halls of the Rockefeller Center, students and professors attended the first-ever Rockefeller Center New Hampshire primary night party, complete with big screen televisions and catering by Dartmouth Dining Services.
The primary night party drew close to 200 people over the course of the evening, though no more than 50 were in attendance at any one time.
Representing the government department, Professors James Murphy and Constantine Spiliotes attended the function.
In addition to watching the returns come in on the Cable News Network and WMUR-TV, all the attendees were asked to cast votes in a Rockefeller Center straw poll.
As of 10 p.m. last night, the candidate of choice in the straw poll was former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander, who finished a strong third in last night's primary. He received 30 percent of the straw poll vote.
Kansas Senator Bob Dole, who finished a close second in the primary, also finished second in the Rockefeller Center straw poll, with 25 percent of the vote.
Former United Nations Ambassador Alan Keyes, who finished a distant sixth last night, was a surprise third place finisher in the straw poll.
Conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan, the victor in yesterday's primary, finished fifth in the straw poll with just 5 percent of the vote.
The party was primarily organized by Rockefeller Student Council intern Eric Paley '98.
Paley said the idea for the party came from Rockefeller Center Director Linda Fowler, who wanted to see the Rockefeller Center participate in more social programming related to the primaries, and not just frequent political lectures and discussions.
"We wanted to capitalize on the political energy on campus, and we thought a primary night party would be perfect," Paley said.
Roxanne Waldner, assistant director of the Rockefeller Center, said the turnout was even better than she expected. "We have a lot more students than I had ever anticipated," she said.
Many students watching television in Hinman Forum saw Fowler interviewed in Manchester on WMUR-TV.
In her interview, Fowler said the WMUR-Dartmouth College polls conducted over the past several weeks reveal a very volatile New Hampshire electorate. For this reason, Fowler believes yesterday's Republican primary victory by Buchanan was not surprising.
Both Waldner and Paley said much of the discussion at the primary party centered around Buchanan's win.
Paley said the student reaction to Buchanan's victory was extremely unfavorable, and Waldner said most students she had talked to expressed great surprise at Buchanan's strong showing.
Many students who attended the party said they were glad the Rockefeller Center had organized it.
Conservative Union at Dartmouth President Isaac Thorne '96 praised the Rockefeller Center for holding the event, saying they should have more social programming. But as she watched former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander address his supporters on CNN, Linda Nelson '97 said the event did not draw as many people as she had expected.
"That's typical of Dartmouth students," she said. "We aren't very interested in politics."
