WASHINGTON -- Shouts of support echoed through the halls of the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., where supporters of President Bush have gathered to watch the election returns.
"We're going to carry Ohio," shouted one supporter on his way out, referring to what could prove to be the most important state in the election.
A large American flag looms over an enormous screen flashing periodic updates of the electoral vote count and various state races in an atmosphere that is simultaneously excited and tense.
Several hundred Bush supporters mill around with cocktails in hand, in a relatively quiet celebration of the president's Election Night bid.
"Honestly, not a whole lot is happening," said Nathan, an intern on the Hill who did not want his last name printed. "There have been some country bands."
With media access tightly limited, Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Walton organizes small rotations for media organizations who were not lucky enough to receive full credentials.
Supporters anxiously watch the returns while waiting for President George W. Bush to appear. The schmoozing crowd inside is a far cry from the protesters outside.
Dressed up as a Bush lookalike vampire, David Barrons, with the D.C. Anti-War Network, supports the Green Party over Bush or the Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. "I'm really disgusted," he said of the current administration. "I don't know what they're doing."
