Firsts add flavor to election
By Brad Harrison | November 9, 2000It has been nearly two days since the first voting polls opened across the country, and the United States, the most powerful nation in the world, still can't decide who will fill its Oval Office for the next four years. This election has been deemed "the weirdest election ever" by Craig Bieber, executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia: A dead man's name won a Missouri Senate seat, the first lady will serve as a Senator for New York, and one person spent nearly $60 million on a Senate campaign. The Senate may end up tied, and the presidential election hinges on a recount of popular votes in Florida. But the most interesting part of the election is that "the political scientists didn't expect" its outcome, said Paul Freedman, assistant professor of government and foreign affairs. Hillary Clinton became the first sitting first lady to be elected to a Senate seat yesterday by defeating Republican Rick Lazio by a 56 to 44 margin.
