Students go South for race

Four University students will experience today's election through the eyes of a vastly different culture and political atmosphere. Frank Luntz, an adjunct assistant professor of American Civilization at the University, has invited four University students -- College senior Ed Miller, College senior Jefrey Pollock, College junior Kirsten Bartok and College sophomore Jessica Pollock -- and one University alum to join him in Puerto Rico for the election today. Luntz works as a consultant to Puerto Rican gubernatorial candidate Pedro Rosello, who represents the Partido Nuevo Progresista, or New Progressive Party. Even though election fever has hit the entire United States, Puerto Rico's upcoming elections make Americans look apathetic, Luntz said. Luntz said he chose these particular students because "they will ask the right questions and get the most out of it." "I want these students to see what real political participation is like," Luntz said. "I want them to see 15-year-olds [and] 85-year-olds in wheelchairs . . . out screaming candidate's names." Luntz added that the students would be part of a 300-car motorcade, complete with police escort, in a rally of over 100,000 expected people. Each student will be given VIP credentials, he said. "Latin American politics is far more emotional and exciting than American politics," Luntz said. "Everybody is involved and [everybody] participates." Michael Maslansky, who graduated from the College last year, is currently assisting Luntz in his consulting work in Puerto Rico. He too compared the atmosphere in Puerto Rico in past elections to the current atmosphere in the U.S. "One of the most striking things that I saw . . . you can go into some neighborhood where every house will have a party flag on [its roof]," Maslansky said. "And every day in San Juan there are sound trucks with huge speakers singing and shouting slogans of candidates." Maslansky also said that Puerto Rico has an average voter turnout of almost 85 percent, which is well above that of the U.S. Rosello, whose campaign slogan is La mano dura, or "The strong hand," is running against Victoria Nunoz, who represents the Partido Popular Democratica, or the Democratic Popular Party. Rosello's main goal is to fight for Puerto Rico's statehood in the U.S. "[Rosello] is a lot like the [John] Kennedy of Puerto Rico," said Luntz. "He's young, athletic, incredibly bright . . . he's talking about sweeping change and a new generation of political leadership." The University students said they were very excited about their upcoming venture. "I hope to gain an understanding and appreciation of Latin American politics and how democracy flourishes in other countries," Miller said. "It should really be a different perspective." Bartok said she is "enthusiastic" because she wants to compare the Puerto Rican political system to the U.S. system. "I wonder whether Puerto Rico will be a different political environment than the States," she said. "There's a large choice in this election, two very different opinions . . . something that's uncommon in the U.S." Luntz said that the Puerto Rican election is very close at this point, and that he thinks it will end up just as close. "It has been a very tough election campaign," he said. "It will probably be decided by less than 100,000 votes." The students will be able to follow the U.S. presidential election via cable television while they watch the Puerto Rican election. They will return to the University tomorrow.