Tuesday, April 1, 1997
Candidate turns to wings for votes
By JAMES REIDCollegian Staff Writer
The latest Undergraduate Student Government campaign stunt went straight to the hearts of voters, or more precisely, their stomachs.
USG Vice Presidential Candidate Jeremy Nightingale holds up one of the beer funnels he and his running mate, USG Presidential Candidate Jason Covener, were giving away outside of Willard Building and Schwab Auditorium to garner support for their campaign. They handed out about 100 funnels in less than 5 minutes yesterday. (Collegian Photo/David S. Spence - click for full size image)
"[The bar] is a very social atmosphere," said Rummel,
explaining his strategy. "It gives us a chance to go around,
meet people and share our ideas."
Rummel, whose running mate Kendra Ciesla is under 21 and was therefore
too young to join him, circled the bar while handing out coupons
and listening to the concerns of the patrons.
Students who received the coupons were wary of the lobbying.
"I guess it's good, but it doesn't really say what he stands
for," Fred McMullen (junior-meteorology) said. It doesn't
give you the information you need to make a decision, he said.
Ben Aller (senior-geography) questioned if a bar was the right
place for campaigning.
"You got to reach people when they're in a learning environment,"
he said. "You can't speak from a podium in a bar."
Rummel, who gave out coupons for nachos in a similar stunt last
week, wasn't worried about the fact that he was drumming up votes
in a bar.
"We are very concerned about responsible drinking,"
Rummel said. That is why coupons for wings and nachos were being
given out, not beer, he said.
Students weren't concerned so much with the alcohol as they were
with how many of the voters he was actually reaching.
"How much of the student population can be represented at
The Darkhorse on a Monday?" Kevin Grambley (senior-geography)
said.
"We're representing a fraction of the student population,"
said Aller.
Mike Caruso, owner of The Darkhorse, said the event was not an
endorsement of the Rummel/Ciesla ticket.
"If any other ticket had asked for the same thing, they would've
been able to do it," Caruso said. "All they had to do
is ask."
Rummel's campaign paid for the coupons he gave away out of the
$800 that each ticket is allowed to spend.
Rummel only gave away about a half-dozen tickets, but for at
least one student, the stunt had its desired effect.
"I never saw him before in my life, but I'll vote for him,"
Mark Holst (senior-finance) said. "He just gave me a buck
off."
