Reactions to election results
Community members share how they reacted on Saturday, November 11th when Joseph Biden was widely projected as the president-elect.
Katherine Olson, Head of the English department, was taken aback by a chorus of celebratory shouts as she shopped at a farmers market on Saturday, November 11th. Democratic nominee Joseph Biden had just been projected to win the presidency.
“Everyone started to scream. I did too.” Olson said. “I actually started to cry. I think I just felt really relieved.”
Olson said the announcement was made more personal because the county of Philadelphia – where Olson was raised and her mother was a member of the Democratic committee – helped hand Biden the 270 electoral votes needed to take the presidency.
“I am not an especially sentimental person,” Olson said. “But I found it really satisfying that Philadelphia pushed Pennsylvania over the edge.”
Neelan Martin ʼ21 was watching MSNBC when host Joe Scarborough announced the news. Martin said he rushed to meet his friends and celebrate at Columbus Circle in midtown Manhattan.
“I’d never seen New York so happy before,” Martin said. “People would just randomly start cheering. It was hilarious.”
Martin’s opposition to Trump was the main cause of his excitement that Biden, who he said is a lackluster candidate, had been projected the winner.
“Biden’s definitely not my favorite guy,” Martin said. “But it’s a sigh of relief that [Donald Trump] isn’t in our minds anymore.”
Aidan Taubenblat–Roberts ’23 was playing Call of Duty with his friends when his dad busted through his door to tell him the news. He took off his headset to celebrate with his family.
“It was a feeling of happiness – thinking that the political stuff is at the end,” Taubenblat–Roberts said. “I think we’re on a good track. I’m happy about that.”
Ariella Shulman ’21 was woken from a midday nap by celebratory screams and honks when Biden was projected the winner. She joined the ruckus and celebrated at Brooklyn Bridge Park in lower Manhattan.
“Everyone was dancing and celebrating, and I called my parents,” Shulman said. “I was a little bit concerned about how the transition of power was going to go. But at the moment, I was just really excited.”