Clinton takes R.I., Huckabee drops out of race
Obama supporters at Brown 'not going anywhere'
Joanna Wohlmuth
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Campus News
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With all precincts reporting, Sen. Hillary Clinton, beat Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, 58 percent to 40 percent. On the Republican side, another decisive win for Sen. John McCain was accompanied by the concession of his major remaining rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
"We are so, so thrilled to win Rhode Island," said Craig Auster '08, one of the leaders of Brown's Students for Hillary group, which campaigned heavily for the New York senator in the Ocean State.
Members of the group spent hours going door-to-door to canvass, working at phone banks and volunteering at campaign headquarters in Providence, Auster said.
"Brown students were really involved, and I'm really proud of what we have done," Auster said. "It looks like Hillary can maybe pull it off."
The entire Rhode Island campaign - including a number of Brown students - gathered at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon in downtown Providence to watch the returns.
Now that regional opportunities will be scarce, the group will make phone calls and perhaps plan some weekend trips, focusing efforts on Pennsylvania's April 22 primary, Auster said.
Members of Students for Barack Obama also spent the day going door-to-door and making phone calls urging supporters to vote for the Illinois senator, said Max Chaiken '09, Brown's chapter coordinator for the group.
"It was a long day, and it has been a long couple of weeks," said Chaiken, who is also a Herald opinions columnist. "We don't know what will happen in the national picture, but we are not going anywhere and will keep working hard."
The Obama campaign was somewhat successful in Rhode Island, Chaiken said, noting that the candidate won in the city of Providence, 51.3 percent to 47.8 percent. But Obama was less successful in the state as a whole.
"The only reason tonight has an effect on our plans is because there is less opportunity to be directly involved," Chaiken said. "We have little to do from Rhode Island except making phone calls."