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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