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Bradley draws wild crowd to Toad's
The line wound down York Street, all the way to the gate of Ezra Stiles, and the music coming from inside Toad's Place was loud enough that you could hear it down the block. But on Thurs., Feb. 17, there was neither a band nor a dance party taking place. No, on this chilly afternoon, over 1,000 people flocked to the famous New Haven club to hear Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley speak. About 980 were admitted in and 200 to 300 were turned away at the doors, according to Patrick Belton, co-president of Students for Bradley.
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Why the unlikely location for an event sponsored by the Yale Political Union (YPU)? According to Belton, the original plan was to hold the speech in the Law School Auditorium at 4 p.m. But this changed when the YPU learned that the room was occupied until 3:30 p.m. And, since the intention was to find a place that would cater to Yalies and non-Yalies alike, "we picked Toad's as a sort of compromise between Yale and New Haven," Belton explained.
Inside Toad's, meanwhile, it was a full-fledged multimedia affair. A band was playing. Lights were flashing. Videos flashed on the "booty-cam" screen while the mostly pro-Bradley crowd danced and drank for over an hour as they waited for the candidate to show. The Yale College Democrats set up a booth and encouraged people to register for the Tues., Mar. 7 Connecticut primary.
Arriving amid cheers and falling confetti, Bradley encouraged Yalies to be involved with the political process. "I am running because of the future," he said and went on to quote Eleanor Roosevelt: "The future is believing in dreams." He then challenged Yalies to have dreams.
While acknowledging the United States' present prosperity, he also pointed to the need to reduce poverty levels, reform health care, and enact gun control measures. "We should fix the roof while the sun is shining," he said. "The sun is shining now."
Bradley also expressed hope for a change in the way politics is conducted. "This is a critical election," he said. "It's the turn of the millennium and a time of incredible change. The last 10 years have been marked by the "attack-promise" politics of winning, where candidates make 1,000 attacks and 1,000 promises. But we're entering a politics of plenty, where politics should be noble."
And he didn't hesitate to attack his main rival, Vice President Al Gore. Highlighting his own proposals and track record, he repeat-ed a mantra: "I am the only candidate running who..." Included in this mantra were how he (and not Gore): is proposing a comprehensive health care plan, has always voted pro-choice, has never voted in favor of the National Rifle Association, and has attacked the tobacco industry on a regular basis.
The 20-minute-long stump speech ended with the red V-neck sweater-clad Bradley raising his fist and pumping up the crowd. "If your dream is my dream, let's make it happen in Connecticut in three weeks! The long run of the future belongs to those who believe in dreams!"
—Liz Oliner
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| ESSAY |
Photos by Cayte Pushkareva except bottom left by David Gest.
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