Sweep, sweep, sweep

Cross country teams win Heps

On Oct. 31, Princeton's men's and women's cross country teams swept the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships for the third consecutive year -- an unprecedented feat. This year's meet included a narrow win by the men and a dominant race by the women. For more details, watch PAW's exclusive video.

Students cheer returns at 'White House bicker'

Groups of friends left their reading assignments and problem sets behind on election night, and no, they weren't heading out to The Street. "White House bicker," an event sponsored by the class governments, P-Votes, Whig-Clio, and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, drew large crowds as students gathered to get free T-shirts, kettle corn, apple cider, and donuts while they watched the results roll in. For many students, this was the first presidential election in which they were eligible to vote.

Those not willing to brave the crowds at Whig Hall gathered for televised viewing of the results in the residential colleges, eating clubs, and at the Frist Campus Center. Student groups like the James Madison Program provided pizza and dessert for their members while tracking the results on the big screen.

At Whig, cheers erupted as electoral vote projections came in for the respective candidates. Republican stalwarts held out, hopeful that red would creep over the map, but it was clear that the majority of students -- 79.3 percent, according a Daily Princetonian poll -- supported Barack Obama. By Julia Osellame ’09

Above, students at Whig Hall watch the early returns Nov. 4. (Photo by Julia Osellame ’09)

Names in the news, election edition

A Princetonian -- future first lady Michelle Obama ’85 -- will take residence in the White House for the first time since the final days of Woodrow Wilson 1879's presidency. The new presidential spouse told Reuters that her first job will continue to be "mom-in-chief" for daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

In other news from the Nov. 4 election, Jared Polis ’96, D-Colo., became Colorado's first openly gay congressman, winning handily in the state's 2nd district. Woodrow Wilson School graduate Leonard Lance *82, R-N.J, right, won a seat in the House of Representatives, beating Democrat Linda Stender in a hard-fought race in New Jersey's 7th district. And Lance's classmate, Jeff Merkley *82, D-Ore., went to bed late last night with a narrow lead in a too-close-to-call race for a U.S. Senate seat.

Alumni incumbents fared well. Rep. Jim Marshall ’72, D-Ga., left, had the most significant challenge, retaining his seat by winning 55 percent of votes in his district. Rep. John Sarbanes ’84, D-Md., won by a wide margin, earning a second term. Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels ’71 also had a strong victory in his re-election bid.

(Photos: Lance -- Wikipedia; Marshall -- Congressional Pictorial Directory)