From bars to bedrooms, Murphy Brown rivets campus

Affordable health care. The environment. Record unemployment. Triple-dip recession. Issues like these normally dominate political discussions six weeks before a presidential election. But all eyes from both parties were fixed on Murphy Brown last night, a prime-time television sitcom that recently became the centerpiece of this year's presidential race. And in honor of the event,Vote for a Change, a student organization supporting the Clinton/Gore ticket, sponsored a party at Murphy's Tavern last night to cheer Murphy Brown's season premiere on CBS. The show, starring former University student Candice Bergen, was criticized last spring by Vice President Dan Quayle in a highly publicized speech for creating "a bad role model." Quayle made his comments about Bergen's character, Murphy Brown, a professional woman who chooses to have a child out of wedlock. Quayle said that the show was an example of Hollywood "mocking traditional family values." The rally at Murph's was not only to cheer on the fictional journalist. Vote for a Change was also handing out voter registration cards as part of the event. "This event is happening on campuses around the country," said College senior and Vote for A Change social coordinator Rachel Greenberg. "It's a good way to combine political action and socializing." Greenberg said she became interested in this year's election after spending the summer working for Sen. Joseph Leiberman (D-Conn.). "Being in Washington D.C. made me really aware of the importance of the election," she added. Four large televisions were set up for the show by bar owner Joe Murphy. "I don't think we've hosted this kind of event before," he said. "I usually avoid talking politics, Irish or American, in my bar." But some students were less shy about speaking their mind on this year's election. "Dan Quayle is an idiot," said College senior Benjamin Coopersmith. As the show began at 9 p.m. last night, Vote For a Change members passed out voter registration cards as pizza and pitchers of beer were consumed. "It's great to combine politics with pop culture," said event coordinator and College senior Elizabeth Schwartz. The show's plot focused on the tribulations of new mother Brown, but also took time to get in a few shots at Quayle. "He's a baby, not a political statement," said fictional character Brown during last night's show. The show was well-received by the partisan crowd. Students at Murph's cheered several times during the show, and organizers said they were surprised by the standing-room-only turnout. "This is an excellent turnout," said Vote for a Change co-chair and College senior David Boyer, a 34th Street staff member. "It shows real involvement from a student body known for its apathy." But not all students came to Murphy's for political reasons last night. College senior Antonio Vega, who grudgingly watched Murphy Brown in between games of pinball, said he wanted to change the channel. "I came here to watch Monday Night Football," Vega said.

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