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Several injured at second presidential debate
December 4, 2002

The Organization of Women Leaders (OWL) sponsored a debate this evening between the five USG presidential hopefuls. Although things started off well enough, this debate, like the first, spiraled out of control into an an unqualified disaster.

Preparing for the worst, many students brought buckets full of rotten fruit and vegetables to the debate. "After I got hit by random globs of mud at Tuesday's debate, I knew I had to arm myself to survive at this one," said spectator Jenna Perkins '05. Perkins' fears were not unreasonable. Only two days earlier, a similar debate had devolved into a brawl between the candidates, one of whom literally slung mud at his opponents.

Tonight's debate proved even more violent, however. In response to Josh Anderson's mudslinging tactics, the other candidates brought their own various substances to throw at their opponents. Sonya Mirbagheri came equipped with three dozen jelly donuts, Pettus Randall was armed with several cartons of soft-boiled eggs, and Cameron Koczon brought an arsenal of snowballs. Octavio Carrasco had throwing stars, while Josh Anderson was content to bring back some more of his now-infamous mud.

The trouble started halfway through Mirbagheri's speech, when Koczon called her a "bitch". Mirbagheri took offense to this, and proceeded to hurl her jelly-filled pastries at Koczon's head. Koczon returned fire with a particularly nasty-looking iceball which reportedly contained rocks. Mirbagheri was rendered unconscious by the blow. Taking the opportunity to strike at a distracted Carrasco, Randall crushed an egg on his head; this action elicited a retaliation from Carrasco in the form of a pile driver. Anderson, seeing his chance, began to pelt the audience with mud as he chanted "Bow before me! I am your future President-God!"

But the audience was not without recourse. Fruit began to fly, and Anderson was immediately stained from head to toe with tomato juice. Thirsty for more, the crowd charged the dais in a mob-like furor. Witnesses recall a violent scene of chaos: Randall with Carrasco in a headlock, Koczon and Anderson with their hands locked at each other's throats, and audience members kicking and punching all of them. 

Princeton Medical Center reported that they have admitted seven students - four of them candidates - for injuries related to the brawl. This is another sad, sad day for democracy at Princeton University. 

 

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