On Nov. 6, WCU students cast their votes for our next President. This was most certainly a divided topic; who do we choose to run our nation for the next four years? Proactive on-campus students in the center of campus were able to cast their ballots in the back lobby of Wayne Hall, although students residing on-campus in such halls as McCarthy and Goshen went to the Lawrence Dining Center to cast their votes based on geographical location.
Last Tuesday, Obama was re-elected President of the United States for one more term, beating Republican candidate Mitt Romney with 332 electoral votes to 206. Once re-elected, Obama gave a formal acceptance speech at McCormick Place, in Chicago Illinois.
Obama reflected on Vice President Biden’s contributions as a partner and friend throughout the campaigns they have endured together. Of course the first lady, Michelle Obama, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, were acknowledged by the President for their unwavering support. Let us not forget, how repeatedly Obama thanked the crowd, which cheered obnoxiously before him with their support.
It was certainly a spectacle in Times Square, as wild and of grandeur as New Year’s Eve is at the site. When it was announced that Obama was re-elected the crowd exploded with enthusiasm for our commander -in-chief’s receipt of a second term. New Yorkers oozed with excitement in our unofficial financial capital of the world.
Obama continued with a very heartfelt speech about our country as it has grown and healed in a number of ways over the years, even referencing our colonial roots. In his victory speech the President gave these carefully crafted words regarding the election’s outcome:
“Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward. It moves forward because of you… We are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people. Tonight in this election you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best has yet to come.”
Despite a battered economy, record high unemployment, and extreme opposition to Obama-care, Barack Obama remains our 44th president for four more years. The president was very successful in defeating Romney in the battleground states, including the most sought-after, Ohio, and our very own Keystone State. Additionally, Obama won battleground states Florida, Colorado, and Nevada. His defeat of the republican challenger in these arenas was what determined the outcome of the 2012 presidential election. He was pro-active in utilizing multifront tactics to get the nation’s attention, in contrast to Romney’s insistent confidence in winning the election based on restoring economic prosperity.
Interviewing WCU students gave a real perspective to the youth’s standpoint on the election outcome. I was able to get some WCU students to clue me in on their views of the 2012 presidential election results.
“The landscape of America is becoming more and more diverse each year and the Republican Party is out of touch with many of the demographics that are growing. The Republicans have good economic policies, but as long as they remain too stubborn to adapt their extreme stances on social issues they will continue to struggle in presidential elections,” commented WCU student Greg Scherbak.
“The Romney/Ryan ticket never presented a clear plan on how it intended to decrease the deficit, was particularly weak in foreign affairs, and was heavy handed in its approach to sensitive social issues. While neither Republicans nor the Democrats have proven to me that they have the answers to the nation’s problems, the Democratic ticket seemed better suited to face today’s most pressing issues,” said Kelsey Hockenberger, a WCU communications studies student.
I took the liberty to seek whether or not Romney or Obama’s campaign platform took a better approach to the need of change needed in our tattered nation, with much reply:
“Obama’s plans for the country were much more clear and transparent than Romney’s. Romney was successful in communicating what he planned to achieve, but he failed to explain how he would achieve it. Obama also made himself more visible to voters. He appeared on popular programs, such as The View and The Daily Show, and while he gained criticism from pundits for those appearances, they are certainly an effective way to win over the American people. Many Americans vote without doing any research on policies, and those voters will likely vote for the candidate they feel understands them best. Obama was much more successful at making himself appear relatable to the average American,” Scherbak responded.
Regarding our voter turnout in the surrounding area, I was able to obtain information in East Goshen at my voting site at the Baptist Church on West Chester Pike. When I went to vote I received a warm welcome by Helen McCoy, the Democratic Chair of East Goshen Township. She expressed her views on young voters in East Goshen this election.
“As for students at the polls, they were not in great numbers because traditionally they are away in college in many areas away from West Chester. The young people I spoke to were all with happy faces and eager to cast their vote for the party of their choice. All appeared to be early and in a hurry to vote and go to class. They went to local colleges, WCU, Villanova, etc,” McCoy stated.
The two rivals’ campaigns were thorough enough to divide a nation on the topic, and their race was very close down to the last few votes. What we cannot forget here is what this election was all about, choosing who would lead our nation for the next four years. The quarreling over who was ‘better’ or more ‘capable’ is irrelevant. What matters now that the 2012 election has come to a close is that we bridge the gaps between us, put aside our differences and unify as one nation with the new president elect to rebuild this fractured economy and wounded country. As Obama stated, the best has yet to come.
Nicholas Devoe is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. He can be reached at ND626335@wcupa.edu.