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Trump elected 47th president
Observer Staff Report
Early Wednesday morning, in an historic election result, Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States of America, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to become just the second president to win two nonconsecutive terms.
The Associated Press officially called the race for Trump around 5:35 a.m., after calling Wisconsin for Trump, giving him 277 electoral votes. Fox News had previously called the election for Trump at 1:50 a.m., having called the state of Wisconsin for him at that time.
Trump also won the swing states of North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania. As of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that Trump was ahead in the other swing states of Michigan, Arizona and Nevada. Trump is also projected to win the
popular vote, the first time a Republican has done so since 2004.
Trump’s victory comes after his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, as well as the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and subsequent impeachment, which many believed would doom his political career. Almost four years later, having been indicted multiple times, having been convicted of falsifying business records in New York, and having survived two assassination attempts, Trump is set to return to the White House on Jan. 20, 2025.
Trump will be the first president to serve nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland was elected a second time in 1892.
Trump took to the stage at a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida around 2:20 am, joined by his running mate and Vice President-elect JD Vance, his family and political allies, as Lee Greenwood’s
“God Bless the U.S.A.” played, as is customary at Trump rallies.
Trump claimed victory in his speech, thanking his supporters and praising them for being a part of what he called “the greatest political movement of all time.”
In his remarks, Vance praised Trump for completing “the greatest political comeback of all time,” and promised to “lead the greatest economic comeback in American history.”
Trump too emphasized the struggles he had overcome to win the election.
“We overcame obstacles that no one thought possible,” he said.
Trump pledged to help the country heal, saying he would unite America through “success.”
He particularly focused on his promises to stop illegal immigration at the southern border and improve the economy during his speech.
“This will truly be the
golden age of America,” Trump said.
“I’m asking every citizen all across this land to join me in this noble and righteous effort,” he continued. “It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us.”
Trump touted the new Republican majority in the Senate and expressed optimism about the chances of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, claiming the American people had given him a “mandate” to govern. Trump touted the Republican Party as “the party of common sense,” and called the result “a massive win for democracy and freedom.”
Trump did not mention Harris or Harris’ supporters during his speech. As of early Wednesday morning, Harris had yet to make a statement to the race, though she is expected to speak to supporters.
SMC clubs watch 2024 election
By SOLEDAD CASTELLANOS,
SAMANTHA GEBERT, and BERHAN HAGEZOM
Writer and News Writers
Staff
Last night the College Democrats of Saint Mary’s hosted “Pjs and Politics,” a watch party for the 2024 presidential elections in the SGA conference room in the Student Center basement. At 6:30 p.m., tensions were felt by students as the event and the countdown to the end of the election began.
Today’s Staff
Corrections
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The College Republicans of Saint Mary’s did not host a watch party on campus, but opted to join the Saint Joseph Republican Party in the Gillespie Conference Center. The executive coordinator of the club, sophomore Elysia Morales, mentioned the event was a “celebration of working so hard for this” and are hoping for “good results.”
Junior Alli Jablonski, the president of College Democrats, led the event, believing “students deserve the opportunity to come together and have support in stressful times.”
She wanted to provide this space, and said she was “really inspired to have a comfortable, safe environment where students can do that and they can have live updates.”
Jablonski reinstated the College Democrats club in the spring of 2024 and knew she wanted to hold an election party for Saint Mary’s students early on in her presidency.
“I was really passionate about getting students involved, and especially at an all-women’s college. I believe that women should have a voice in politics, and I believe that College Democrats serves as a great foundation for them,” Jablonski said.
During the watch party, students came in and out of the conference room. Attendees were on edge as NBC News broadcast updates to election data.
Discussions of the gender gap and the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision were attention-getters to the group as NBC reported the growing importance of young college educated women voters.
Freshmen Lauren Alwine and Jocelin Raygoza agreed the College Democrat watch party helped them find community amongst students while away from home.
“This is our first election, and it’s great to be in this together and to feel as though you have a support system,” Alwine said.
“This whole thing’s very nerve wracking, and you
don’t know what things are going to happen, so to have this event and be with other women is very empowering.” Raygoza added.
During the College Democrat watch party, an attendee’s service dog arrived to relieve some of the atmospheric tension in the room. The dog was instantly greeted by the group with admiring pets from students.
Morales added the county GOP’s election party was also meant to recognize the success of having a large number of members of the party voting in the presidential election and the local GOP recording a high voter turnout.
Morales said the biggest political issues included building a stronger economy and bringing back conservative values. For her, this includes freedom of speech, especially with “the censorship that has been happening since the beginning of the election.”
She also said is also concerned about Title IX federal amendment and “taking men out of women’s bathrooms,” as well as illegal immigration.
Morales stated the current presidential administration has made the average citizen further distrust the government with recent
events. To amend this, she believes the next presidency to “get back to more transparency and honesty” for the country as a whole.
Morales said it is “imperative to have a strong, even keeled and even stubborn president” as it “not only determines our nation, but determines our world.”
Whether either party candidate wins, Morales said that the United States will continue to be a united nation and still be the “greatest country” to exist. She encouraged everyone to vote based on the policies the candidate represents rather than their character.
“No candidate is ever going to be perfect. You may not like the person but like their policies, and that is enough,” Morales said. “I personally don’t like the entirety of the GOP candidate, but I am voting for him because of his policies. If you don’t vote, you don’t have an opinion on this. I don’t care who you vote for, I just want you to vote.”
Contact Soledad Castellanos at scastellanos01@ saintmarys.edu, Samantha Gebert at sgebert01@ saintmarys.edu and Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@ saintmarys.edu
Election night 2024 at ND: minute by minute
By ANNELISE DEMERS, GRAY NOCJAR, ZACH POHLMAN, HENRY JAGODZINSKI AND LIAM PRICE
Associate News Editors, Staff Writers and Viewpoint Editor
6:30 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The College Democrats gathered in formal attire for a watch party, as students awaited the election results with anticipation. The event featured MSNBC’s live broadcast on two large screens, providing a central space for around 35 students to follow the unfolding results.
7:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The College Republicans set up for their watch party at 7 p.m. in the main auditorium of Debartolo Hall. CNN’s election coverage played on the three large projector screens.
7:00 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
A crowd gathered at the Eck Hall of Law, where the American Constitutional Society (ACS) and The Federalist Society cohosted a watch party.
7:27 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
About 40 people were gathered in DeBartolo 101. The atmosphere was casual and
attendees were relaxed and talkative. When a man appeared on CNN and said that he was persuaded to vote for Harris by his girlfriend, the audience groaned.
7:38 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
One of the first races to be called, the West Virginia senate seat, was announced. The gathered Republicans erupted into applause.
8:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Polls closed in 17 states, with 171 electoral votes up for grabs. There was sustained applause in the auditorium as Trump took Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma and Missouri.
8:05 p.m. — Jordan Hall: Virginia’s preliminary results were leaning red, sparking serious discussions among attendees. Many voiced concerns about how Virginia’s outcome might impact nearby states like North Carolina, and expressed hopes that other swing states, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania, would stay competitive and ultimately favor Democratic candidates.
8:15 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
Varun Kanabi, the president of the American
Constitutional Society (ACS) said he was pleased with the event’s turnout and the collaboration between the ACS and the Federalist Society.
“I’m very happy with the turnout that we’ve had,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of ACS turnout, a lot of Federalist Society turnout, and just a lot of people from both organizations talking with each other. There was a lot of intermingling, a lot of camaraderie.”
8:20 p.m. — Geddes Hall:
The Institute for Social Concerns (ISC) set up their watch party in Fr. Bob’s Coffee House. Approximately 20 guests arrived in the opening minutes, organizing into small groups around the scattered tables and booths in the room. Pizza and candy were provided to the attendees and a sign reading “Wall of Hope” was hung for students to write notes around.
8:20 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
Annie Ortega, a third-year law student and president of The Federalist Society, spoke highly of the law school watch party and its bipartisanship.
“I came to law school at Notre Dame because I really wanted to go to a school where there would be ideological diversity,” Ortega said. “And so I feel like this event tonight just
encapsulates that. It’s super fun to get to be with all of our friends from the law school, from both sides of the aisle.”
8:22 p.m. — Jordan Hall: Freshman Michael McDonald, from Minnesota, shared his thoughts on tracking the election results in real time.
“I’m watching the swing states closely,” McDonald said. “I’ve been looking at county data, especially in the bellwether counties that might indicate larger trends. I’m trying to stay cautiously optimistic without getting too excited.”
Among the states he was monitoring, McDonald highlighted Pennsylvania as a key focus, particularly Erie County in the northwest corner of the state.
“For the past six elections, Erie County has voted in line with the presidential winner,” he said. “It feels like the tipping point state with 19 electoral votes. I’m watching it closely and trying to piece together the paths each candidate has to reach 270 electoral votes.”
McDonald also expressed his hopes and fears regarding the election outcome.
“I hope that, regardless of who wins, there’s no violence like we saw on January 6,” he
said. “We’re dangerously polarized, and it’s sad to see the state of our country. I’m hopeful for a new way forward under a Harris administration, which I see as one that could unify the country.”
He also harbored concerns about former President Donald Trump.
“Trump has flagrantly violated the Constitution and the rule of law,” McDonald said. “He’s a divisive figure, and it’s troubling that his own vice president and other highranking officials have withdrawn their support. That’s a red flag for me.”
8:33 p.m. — Geddes Hall: Sophomore Cozette Brown spoke on her mood regarding an early lead for Harris in her home state of Michigan.
“It makes me hopeful,” Brown said. “I know a lot can change, but I’m really hoping that it’ll stay strong and that in the end I will be able to say that Michigan voted blue this year.”
8:44 p.m. — Jordan Hall: Hannah Gatewood, a freshman from New Mexico, tracked the results through both the television and her phone, using Google to follow
GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer
Shri Thakur, director of political affairs of College Republicans, sat at the front of the watch party, located in DeBartolo’s main auditorium.
GRAY NOCJAR| The Observer
College Democrats members sported formal attire to attend the club’s watch party, a formal dinner event located in the main atrium of Jordan Hall of Science. Around 35 students attended the event Tuesday.
GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer College Republicans members eagerly watched the CNN live election broadcast in DeBartolo Tuesday night during the club’s watch party.
GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer
Attendees of the College Democrats watch party viewed MSNBC’s live election broadcast on two large screens, with seating in between. Students enjoyed the provided refreshments while discussing the results.
the election updates.
“I’ve been watching MSNBC on the TV and checking my phone for the latest polling data,” she says. “It’s been interesting to see how everything is unfolding.”
As for her perspective on the race, Gatewood said she was confident in the outcome.
“I feel good about it. I believe in the American people to make the right choice,” she said. “I’m optimistic that people will see the two candidates and realize which one is the better option for the country.”
Gatewood further emphasized her support for Kamala Harris, voicing concerns about the future under a Trump administration.
“Kamala Harris has much better policies compared to Donald Trump,” she says. “Anyone voting for Trump should really take a look at Project 2025 and think about the future — especially how it affects women and minorities.”
8:47 p.m. –– Jordan Hall:
Demetrius Fotopoulos, a senior psychology major at the University of Notre Dame, joined fellow students at the College Democrats’ election watch party in Jordan Hall on election night. Fotopoulos, who started tracking results around 6:30 p.m. alongside others at the event, was following the news all day.
“I’ve been looking at the AP updates on my phone, and I also keep a side window open for 270toWin,” Fotopoulos said. “It’s helpful to visualize the Electoral College and play out different scenarios.”
Fotopoulos chose not to elaborate on his personal optimism compared to the group. However, he spoke positively about the potential impact of the election.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for positive change,” Fotopoulos said. “The Harris coalition is broad-reaching and includes people from many different backgrounds and political perspectives, so there’s a chance for real unity.”
Fotopoulos’ plans for the rest of the night were simple: “I’ll go to bed whenever the stress starts to decline.”
8:48 p.m. — Geddes Hall:
Junior Nicole Aguirre, the organizer of the ISC’s watch party and an Illinois voter, gave her view of the election in her state.
“I’m a little surprised Illinois hasn’t already been called just because I think they have a history of going blue and the polls are pretty good about it, so that makes me a little nervous because I was also informed that Illinois did go red once but that was a few decades ago,”
Aguirre said. Junior Joshua TalacheWheat also commented on Trump’s chances in New Mexico, which he viewed as exceedingly slim.
“New Mexico is so blue that I was thinking about voting third party,” he said.
8:49 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The College Republicans watch party was still mostly empty, but students were trickling in. Some were doing homework, while others chatted with friends. The auditorium applauded Trump’s projected wins as they were reported.
8:51 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Olivia Anderson, co-president of the College Democrats, shared her sense of solidarity with the watch party.
“I think everybody’s super set. This has been a really cool community to be part of for watching the election. I’m cautiously optimistic, but I think Kamala Harris has run a great campaign, and we’re hoping the electoral board will see that as well,” Anderson said.
Anderson’s election day began early.
“For me, it started at midnight,” she says, explaining how she watched the first inperson votes cast in a small New Hampshire town.
Throughout the day, she continued tracking updates, balancing her schoolwork with election news from multiple sources.
“We have MSNBC on here — Steve Kornacki is the king,” she said.
Anderson explained how she also followed Indiana the governor’s race and various local elections.
“Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic candidate for governor in Indiana, is fascinating — she used to be a Republican and was in education,” Anderson said. “I truly believe that change is made down-ballot, so soon I’ll be diving into the state and local races, down to city council.”
Reflecting on the mood of the election, Anderson shared the Democrat’s confidence.
“My gut tells me Kamala Harris is going to be the next president. It’s a vibes election, and the vibes are with her. My prediction is that we’ll know by tomorrow afternoon, but I could be wrong,” she said.
As for when she’d finally call it a night, Anderson laughed.
“It depends on when we get updates from states like Georgia and North Carolina. I probably should sleep, but we’ll see what happens,” she said.
8:56 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The broadcast announced that Trump had officially won Texas. Trista Brantley, College Democrats co-president, spoke on the shift of energy in
the room.
“The energy in the room is amazing,” Brantley said. “As the polls come in, everything will erupt in applause or boos, depending on what the result is.”
Brantley admitted anxiety was starting to creep into the room.
“I’m feeling the regular election anxiety that anybody would feel, but it definitely makes me feel better to be surrounded by the people in this room,” Brantley said. “My gut feeling is that Kamala Harris is certainly going to win the popular vote. I think that the electoral college can be a little bit tricky.”
9:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Freshman Maeve Ryan said she was “pretty locked in” on her microeconomics homework while passively watching CNN’s coverage on the auditorium projector.
“I would be watching if I was in my room anyway. I might as well come out here and be with my friends, and I’m intrigued to hear other students’ perspectives on the election,” Ryan said. “I’m kind of nervous about the outcome because this is the administration that I will be starting out in the workforce with.”
9:10 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
College Republicans booed for Harris’s win in Delaware.
9:19 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Observer photographers and staff were asked to leave after taking candid pictures of the event. The Observer was allowed back in the room minutes later after agreeing to ask permission before taking photos.
9:23 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Additional boos could be heard at the College Republicans’ watch party as Illinois and Rhode Island were called for Harris. Harris had won dependably blue states New York and Illinois, but the margin was slimmer in Virginia, which has been reliably blue since 2008.
9:44 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Senior and Alumni Hall senator James Baird reflected on the unfolding election results at the College Democrats’ watch party, with none of the battleground states yet decided.
“This is my second presidential election,” Baird says. “I voted in 2020, and that took about four days to call. I don’t think it’ll take that long this time, but I’m confident we won’t know the winner until tomorrow at the earliest.”
Despite the wait, Baird is calm, observing that the night has aligned with his expectations so far.
“Nothing crazy has happened; everything’s going according to my vision. The prophecy I had when I went to sleep last night is coming true so far,” Baird said.
With the night’s results still unfolding, Baird was poised, watching the updates while waiting for his predictions to be fully confirmed. However, he cryptically wouldn’t elaborate on said prophecy.
“The prophecy was that we wouldn’t know anything definitive until later. Once we know the full results, I can reveal my prophecy. Until then, I’m keeping it under wraps,” he says.
9:45 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
More people were paying attention to the coverage now as more votes were counted. Freshman Benedict Sullivan sat in the middle of the room with his eyes glued to the screens.
“It’s still pretty early,” Sullivan said. “But [Trump] is doing better than predicted. If you look at the betting markets, Donald Trump was about 50-50 at the beginning of the day and is now at 73%.”
9:52 p.m. —DeBartolo Hall:
There were cheers for Louisiana as the state’s four electoral votes went to Trump.
10:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
As the clock struck 10 p.m., junior Shri Thakur, head of political affairs for the club, was cautiously optimistic.
“If you trust the betting markets, it currently gives Trump an 80% chance to win and even money on the popular vote, which no one thought was possible,” Thakur said. 15 minutes later, he followed up with another metric. “The New York Times says we have a 92% chance of winning Georgia, and we’re up in Pennsylvania. If we win PA, and we win Georgia, that’s the ballgame!”
10:22 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
MSNBC announced that Ted Cruz secured reelection as senator from Texas. The news was met with a round of boos, underscoring the attendees’ disappointment. The watch party continued into the night, with those remaining hopeful that the final counts might still bring encouraging news in the states that were yet to be called.
10:24 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The loudest round of applause yet happened when Ohio and its 17 electoral votes went to Trump. Thakur also mentioned that Amendment 4, the Florida ballot measure that would have created a constitutional right to abortion in the state, failed to receive the 60% required for it
to pass.
10:29 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The board members of College Democrats changed the channel to CNN. The broadcast featured John King and the “magic wall,” which shows live updates on the county and state level, in addition to comparisons between elections.
10:30 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
“Decision Desk just called Georgia for Trump!” Thakur said, resulting in U.S.A chants spreading across the room.
“We’re on the brink of history here!” he added.
A giant bluetooth speaker played “Bigger Better Stronger (feat. Trump) [Remix]” over the noise of King’s commentary. The track featured quotes from Trump speeches sampled and interspersed over dance music.
10:37 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Club president Elliot Anderson kicked out a student who wandered into DeBart 101 while drinking a beer. Multiple club officials were also seen drinking from a liquor bottle and hiding it in a backpack throughout the night.
10:40 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Kansas and Iowa went to Trump, putting him over 200 electoral votes.
“I was definitely surprised by Georgia and North Carolina being such big victories,” freshman Ray Webber said. “I’m feeling pretty good, but I don’t discredit the left’s ability to bring in ballots… I’m very skeptical of what’s going down… nothing is guaranteed in these elections.”
10:49 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Trump was now favored to win the popular vote according to The New York Times.
“If Decision Desks gets enough information on Pennsylvania, then they could call that within the hour and Donald Trump has 270, making him the next president of the United States,” Thakur said.
10:52 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
“The operative word at the Harris campaign would be silence, as the Harris campaign is looking for bright spots,” CNN reported. In contrast, YMCA could be heard in the background at the Trump campaign headquarters. Junior Nathan Desautels hopped on the mic to energize the crowd, jokingly saying, “The democrats canceled their watch party and headed over to Danny
Trump holds final campaign rally in Michigan
By LIAM KELLY Notre Dame News Editor
After a campaign that has lasted almost two years and a political career which began over nine years ago, former President and now President-elect Donald Trump held his final presidential campaign rally Monday night less than two hours north of Notre Dame at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The rally, which preceded his victory in the early hours of Wednesday morning, served as his closing argument in the 2024 election. The location of the final rally has become a tradition for Trump — he finished his 2016 and 2020 campaigns with similar rallies in the city. The rally was attended by members of Notre Dame’s College Republicans club.
During his speech, Trump echoed his traditional campaign talking points, deriding the BidenHarris administration for their record on immigration and the economy, while also expressing a sense of optimism in his chances of victory on Tuesday.
“The ball’s in our hand, all we have to do is get out the vote tomorrow,” Trump said.
Trump touted high Republican numbers in early voting, claiming Republicans were leading “by hundreds of thousands of votes.”
Despite his confidence in victory, Trump often repeated his claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, and alleged Democrats of attempting to “cheat” in this election.
Trump’s stop in Grand Rapids was his fourth rally of the day, coming after consecutive rallies in
Raleigh, North Carolina, Reading, Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh.
Trump was originally scheduled to arrive on stage at 10:30 p.m., but did not appear until 12:12 a.m. Tuesday morning, walking on stage to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”
His speech lasted until roughly 2:10 a.m.
Trump spent considerable time recounting the assassination attempt he survived in July, describing his survival as a “miracle” and crediting God for saving his life.
“I hope that God did put me here to really save this country,” Trump said.
Before Trump arrived on stage, a number of speakers delivered remarks, including Michigan Congressmen Tim Walberg, Bill Huizenga and John Moolenaar, and Michigan Republican Senate
candidate Mike Rogers.
Also speaking was Amer Ghalib, mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, a town in the state with a significant Arab and Muslim population. Ghalib praised Trump for his foreign policy in the Middle East, arguing he would deliver peace to the region.
During his speech, after remarks from his children Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, as well as daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Trump invited Ghalib back on the stage to speak again. Throughout the night, Trump appealed to Arab-Americans, mocking Kamala Harris for not visiting Dearborn, Michigan, a predominantly Muslim town in Michigan.
Further tailoring his message to the Michigan audience, Trump hammered the Biden
administration for their electric vehicle mandates, promising to end them upon his return to office. He also pledged to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the region, through the use of what he called his “favorite word” — tariffs.
Trump’s remarks frequently included personal attacks on his political opponents. At one point, while attacking former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Trump appeared to mouth a profanity, describing Pelosi as “an evil, sick, crazy…,” before trailing off and not finishing the sentence.
“It starts with a ‘b,’ but I won’t say it,” Trump said.
Oftentimes, Trump also strayed into ramblings on a wide range of subjects, such as the size of the bed in the Lincoln bedroom, his hair and Elon Musk’s rockets.
“I have this beautiful speech, I haven’t really even gotten to it yet,” he joked. “Don’t you like a president who doesn’t need to use a teleprompter?”
The arena of roughly 12,000 people was mostly full by the time Trump began his remarks; however, some attendees began to leave as Trump made his way through his almost two-hour-long remarks. The crowd was enthusiastic, often cheering and sometimes shouting in approval during Trump’s remarks.
At times, Trump struck a sentimental note, at one point expressing a sense of disbelief that election day had finally arrived. He noted the fact that this would be his last presidential campaign.
“This has been an incredible journey, and it’s very sad in a way because we’ve done all these [rallies] and this is the last one,” Trump said. “Your support means more than anything you can even understand.”
Closing his remarks, Trump urged the audience to go to the polls in the morning and repeated his now iconic campaign pledge to “make America great again.”
After finishing his speech, Trump returned to his residence in Florida, where he remained to vote and watch the election results Tuesday. As of 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning Trump had secured a historic electoral college victory, and was ahead with 52.5% of the vote to Harris’ 45.8% in the state of Michigan, according to the Associated Press.
Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
Boys because they already know that it’s over!”
11:08 p.m. — Jordan Hall: The crowd at the College Democrats event went quiet as they watched more results trickle in.
11:18 p.m. — Jordan Hall: Cheers were heard throughout the atrium as it was announced that Harris had won Oregon.
11:31 p.m. — Jordan Hall: The board members of College Democrats started to clean up the event and people started to depart.
11:31 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
As states continued to be called every few minutes, cheers rang throughout the auditorium, and the Republicans start to relax, with some members drinking liquor to celebrate.
11:40 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall: North Carolina was
called for Trump. A remix of Juice WLRD’s Wasted “(feat Lil. Uzi Vert)” began blaring from the speaker, featuring a “four more years” chant and soundbites from Trump speeches, drowning out the CNN commentary.
A brief “USA” chant morphed into “four more years.” More and more people started to leave as the election results became more clear.
11:54 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The projectors were shut down and the watch party was declared officially over.
“Thanks everybody, and have a great MAGA night!” Desautel said. Members smiled as they walked out the auditorium, although the race had not been called yet.
12:25 a.m. — Keenan Hall: Keenan Hall senator Matthew Amante was surprised by the state of the election as Tuesday bled into Wednesday.
“I think the election will be called tonight,” he said.
“Wisconsin has a pretty healthy lead. Same with Pennsylvania … it feels like it’s already over without actually
being over.”
Amante commented on the mood among the rest in the room he was watching from.
“[We are] mostly still jovial,” he said. “My good friend, Sofia Dahl, is apologetic but for the rest of us we’re still keeping good spirits. The political views of the room are mixed and we’re still keeping things mostly civil.”
1:32 a.m. — Dillon Hall: Freshman Kirby Bach sat alone in Dillon Hall’s 24-hour space, processing the election results.
“It’s a complete disappointment from the American people,” Bach said, mentioning that the issue of abortion was a salient one for him.
“But I do have hope. I think that the majority of Americans are good people. I think that people are just misled, misinformed,” he added.
1:40 a.m. — Alumni Hall:
The hallways of Alumni were quiet. Some students studied in the common rooms, but many were asleep.
“Everybody’s winding down,” Alumni Hall sophomore Anthony Lucatuorto
said. “A couple of guys are studying for tests and stuff, but it seems like the election is called.”
Lucatuorto added that the hall environment during election night had been “the opposite of divisive,” and that all of the conversations he had had throughout the day in the hall had consisted of cordial, open dialogue, despite whatever differences were present.
1:45 a.m. — LaFortune Student Center:
Sophomore Jack Owens said he’s not very politically involved and had not been closely following the election. He wasn’t surprised by the results.
“I felt like it could have been a tossup, so I’m not shocked by it,” Owens commented.
1:51 a.m. — Hesburgh Library:
Fox News called the election for Trump, leading other outlets that showed the former president on the cusp of victory.
Hesburgh Library had only a few students left, who were mostly working on schoolwork.
Sophomore Joshua Johnson sat in a second floor conference room watching the
CNN broadcast on his computer while working on math homework.
“The vibe right now is uncertain,” Johnson says of Trump’s likely return to power. “I’m interested to see what tomorrow will bring.”
2:13 a.m. — Dillon Hall
Sounds of election results from televisions could be heard from behind closed dormitory doors in Dillon Hall. Most students had retreated to their rooms for the night. Two remained in a second-floor lounge, freshmen Nick Cutler and Jack Helm, watching Fox News on a TV.
“It was slightly unexpected, but I’m excited with the results and excited to see what the next four years have in store,” Cutler commented.
“I feel like Trump winning was expected, but I didn’t expect the domination,” Helm said.
Contact Annelise Demers at ademers@nd.edu, Gray Nocjar at gnocjar@nd.edu, Zach Pohlman at zpohlma2@nd.edu, Henry Jagodzinski at hjagodzi@nd.edu and Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu
LIAM KELLY | The Observer
President-elect Trump spoke at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan Tuesday morning before his election victory. He expressed optimism while highlighting issues of immigration and the economy.
The News and Viewpoint departments are scurrying around campus on election season business, but here at Scene — the arts and culture section — it’s pretty much business as usual. Still, we thought we’d chip in. Here are our favorite works of art about politics.
“Nashville” — Peter Mikulski, Scene Editor
“Nashville” is about a lot of things other than politics
— country music, life in the 70s, etc. — but the movie is framed by the meteoric rise of Hal Phillip Walker, a presidential candidate who perplexingly wants “to battle vast oil companies, eliminate subsidies to farmers, tax churches, abolish the electoral college, change the national anthem and remove lawyers from government.”
In the numinous final scene of the movie, a fatal shooting breaks out at a Walker rally. It’s Nashville, though. The show must go on! Barbara Harris’ character steps on stage and sings this haunting strain, over and over again: “It don’t worry me, it don’t worry me. / You may say that I ain’t free — it don’t worry me.” Watching this movie in light of the Trump campaign and the Butler shooting, you get the sense that director Robert Altman was some sort of prophet.
“You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown” — Harry Penne, Scene Writer
If you’re in the mood for some apolitical politics this election, I recommend “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown,” a 1972 “Peanuts” special written by Charles Schulz and directed by Bill Melendez and released on Oct. 29 in 1972, coinciding with the Nixon vs. McGovern election. The special follows Linus (not Charlie Brown, despite the title) as he runs for student body president. Notable features include the television debut of the bird Woodstock as well as Snoopy’s alter-ego “Joe Cool.” A wholesome fun time, Schulz masterfully approaches politics and elections in a way accessible to younger audiences (such as Lucy, Linus’ campaign manager, polling at the playground and Linus’ campaign values including less homework and more recess) while also humorous for older viewers (such as Sally accusing Linus of selling out when less homework doesn’t pass the principal, saying, “They’re all the same … you elect them, and they weasel out of their promises”).
“The Fog of War” — Christopher Cope, Scene Writer Robert S. McNamara was arguably the most controversial Secretary of Defense in the history of the United States. He was known primarily for his escalation of the Vietnam War as well as his pioneering use of statistical analysis in military efforts. In the documentary “The Fog of War,” an 87-year-old McNamara offers observations and reflections. At times, he appears openly critical and even mournful about how he handled certain issues, while at other times, he comes across avoidant. This documentary is fulfilling from a psychological perspective. We typically observe government officials at the height of their power, seeing them as these rigid, masked phantoms. “The Fog of War” gives us a glimpse into a man whose mask is much looser. And while McNamara still retains some of his political edge, the documentary provides an intriguing look at the sentimental reminiscing of an old man, someone who feels he has very little to lose.
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” — Andy Ottone, Scene Writer
Nothing is funnier than historical fiction pieces inserting real politicians into their stories. Actually, that’s not true. There is one thing even funnier than that: implying John F. Kennedy, and the rest of the influential Kennedy dynasty, are mutants with superhuman powers. That’s what the X-Men series ended up doing in its 2014 film “Days of Future Past,” all the while validating the conspiracy
theories about who killed JFK by saying it was the series’s villain Magneto all along (albeit accidentally). It’s one thing to reference the very famous death of a president in a film set in the ‘70s, but that’s not all. Richard Nixon is a recurring figure in the film (played by Mark Camacho), with the film taking the time out of a serious sequence to do a visual gag which alludes to the Watergate scandal by having a staffer run to a drawer and turn off a recording device during a supervillain’s monologue.
“The West Wing” — Michael Askins, Scene Writer “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.” The fictional President Jed Bartlet’s line, quoting Margaret Mead, may or may not be realistic, but the world of Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing” sure makes you feel like it is. This early 2000s political drama follows the senior staff of the Bartlet White House in their eight years of running the country, and while it has its many comedic and dramatic moments, it shines in its inspirational moments. The witty and eloquent writing, along with the talented cast, allows this remarkable piece of television to exemplify what politics could be, dedicated public servants working towards something bigger than themselves. As if that wasn’t enough, President Bartlet is a proud Notre Dame alumnus often seen sporting a Notre Dame crewneck.
“Veep” — Marissa Panethiere, Graphics Editor
In an election year where the current Vice President is running as the Democratic nominee, the HBO series “Veep” presents masterclass satire about American politics with a surprising amount of applicable critique, despite the show running from 2012 to 2019. The series follows vice president Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) throughout her time in the White House, working underneath a distant and apathetic president. Pure idiocracy and PR nightmares ensue due to Selina’s erratic staff. Combined with Emmy Award-winning writing and Louis-Dreyfus’ impeccable comedic timing, the pandemonium displayed in each 30 minute episode is a joy to watch but also critiques the US government through its parody. With seven seasons and 65 episodes, there is plenty of material to enjoy. (Season 4’s “Election Night” is a particularly timely episode.)
“Air Force One” — Jack Horton, Scene Writer
Did you like “Die Hard?” If so, can I interest you in “Die Hard” on a plane? Let me add a little more detail about the action-packed 1997 film, “Air Force One.” The film stars Harrison Ford as President James Marshall who, after delivering an impactful speech on foreign policy in Moscow, loses control of his plane to Russian hijackers who demand the U.S. to release their group’s leader. Although he has the chance to escape, James stays on board to rescue his family and the hostages. Ford plays an older action hero than we usually see from him, but he still gives a convincing performance as a president and former combat veteran. In the era of “Die Hard” ripoffs, this one is an enjoyable watch with several movie stars.
“JFK” — Luke Foley, Scene Writer
Most political conspiracy theories these days seem predicated on anti-intellectualism and unproductive denialism rather than critical skepticism of our world. This is very tragic because I love a good conspiracy the-
ory. However, I know that if the current state of conspiracy theories leaves me unamused, I can always rely on Oliver Stone’s “JFK.” The 1991 film is all about the granddaddy of conspiracy theories: the deep state was behind the assassination of the 35th president. The film tackles the topic with manic rage and poignant grief. The editing is delirious yet brilliant, the performances are wonderfully campy, and its fever-dream narrative will leave you questioning everything. It treats the assassination of Kennedy as the death of America, the usurpation of democracy by the military-industrial complex. And even though the film’s purported truth about the assassination is sometimes nonsensical as it is perceptive, this underlying ethos of the film is immensely moving and timeless.
“Red, White & Royal Blue” — Caroline Collins, Assistant Managing Editor Based on the bestselling book “Red, White & Royal Blue,” this rom-com is a classic enemies-to-lovers plot which features Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) and Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the president of the United States (Taylor Zakhar Perez). After a tussle at the prince’s brother’s wedding ends with the wedding cake toppling over, Alex, the White House’s resident troublemaker, is assigned to befriend Prince Henry in an effort to smooth over public relations. Their relationship quickly moves from texting to transatlantic rendezvous; Henry is poised and slightly awkward, while Alex is the life of the party. I’m not really into politics, but politics and a love story? Count me in. Meanwhile, Alex, the son of the first woman president of the United States, hatches a plan to help his mother win re-election by flipping his home state of Texas. In the spirit of potentially electing the first woman president this week, “Red, White & Royal Blue” is worth the watch (or rewatch).
“Fortunate Son” — Madyson Casiano, Scene Writer Every time the opening to “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival hits my earbuds, I suddenly feel like enlisting in the armed forces and trekking through the jungle as a suave, mustached man (played by Miles Teller). But then I remember that I am a helpless civilian and a mustache-less woman, and that that’s not what the song is about. Regardless of its ironic usage in modern film depictions of the Vietnam War, its message was an anti-conscription sentiment — something which struck a chord with households frustrated by the flawed systems of the ‘70s. Today, the song is synonymous with Independence Day barbecues. While its historical meaning may not exactly apply anymore, it still has something to offer. “Fortunate Son” is about pursuing purpose in spite of high expectations and bitter disappointment.
Read the rest of the Scene Selections online!
By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer
I always love when John Mulaney hosts “Saturday Night Live.” After spending so many years writing for the show, these homecoming events allow the standup comedian to shine where he does so brightest. None of this was more clear than his “musical theater” sketches. Starting with “Lobster Diner,” a mockery of those trustworthy enough to order lobster from a New York diner through an extended parody of the musical “Les Miserables,” this series has remained a constant in Mulaney’s hosting stints.
The format of these sketches has remained the same since their beginnings: John Mulaney stars in a sketch lampooning something incredibly specific about life in New York City: in the order they aired on the series, he focused on diners, bodegas, the LaGuardia airport, the tourism industry as a whole, subway station food vendors and now the Duane Reade convenience store specifically at the Port Authority bus stop. They are incredibly niche topics made even more absurd by the additional layer of lampooning them by way of Broadway musicals.
While the first of the series remained primarily focused on “Les Miserables,” the following sketches tend to parody a wide variety of musicals, not limited to but including “Cats,” “Hamilton,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “West Side Story,” “Annie” and the now-culturally-relevant-once-more
“Wicked.” All shows are recognizable to the general public, somehow making the musical parody aspect the accessible portion of the sketches to those outside of New York City.
The sketches are always great, but at a certain point, it feels like Mulaney is simply seeing how much he can get away with: to that, I say, go as wild as possible.
His show-tune mockery of Duane Reade wasn’t the best musical moment of the night, though. Half of the show’s appeal is the weekly musical guests, and last week’s was America’s newest pop sensation, Chappell Roan. As her first act, Roan hit the ground running with her hit “Pink Pony Club,” inviting the audience to sing along with her. While this isn’t a new trend in “SNL” performers, the sheer volume of the audience was impressive. Often, when artists reach out the microphone to the audience, the sound design of the stage and crowd make the fans barely audible. That wasn’t an issue with Roan, as the crowd sang along loudly and forcefully with the song’s chorus.
“SNL” isn’t just a stop on Roan’s new publicity tour, though (even though I’d argue it isn’t for any musician; it’s a huge commitment to perform for the show). Performing alongside the Not-Ready-for-Primetime Players has been a dream of Roan’s for many years as a performer, and the lyrics in “Pink Pony Club,” alluding to her performing onstage ‘every Saturday’ did not go unnoticed by the crowds, nor her cheerful call of the show’s signature “Live from New York!” The performance was “SNL” embracing and platforming an
up-and-coming and truly passionate new artist.
On the note of something new, there was a huge surprise in store for Roan’s fans with her second performance of the night. She is not without her catalog of hits; what two songs she’d pick to perform could have been anyone’s guess. While many fans were hoping for her latest single, “Good Luck, Babe,” which she performed at the VMAs, or her unreleased tour track, “The Subway,” Chappell shocked the crowd with a completely new track. The country-inspired “The Giver,” as officially titled on the “SNL” social media accounts but titled by fans as “She Gets the Job Done” (personally, I prefer the latter), is a female empowerment send-up of Shania Twain or Dolly Parton in spirit, while remaining fully Chappell lyrically and emotionally. While the song hasn’t been officially released on streaming services yet, nor has the clip been uploaded to the Saturday Night Live social media accounts in its entirety, the song has already become a hit with fans. With the one-two punch of John Mulaney going, “what if we did a musical in a bus stop this time?” and a double-feature, something old/something new Chappell Roan showcase, the first “SNL” episode of the month was a largely enjoyable experience, on its music alone. Now, imagine if I mentioned the political side of things? Kamala Harris AND Hillary Clinton’s old running mate! Crazy. Maybe that would’ve been better to write about…
Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu
By PETER MIKULSKI Scene Editor
Sing, oh Notre Dame movie critic, of the problem of Catholic filmmaking!
It’s a matter of balancing the scales. If you want to reach a non-Catholic audience, you have to avoid the saccharinesweet sentimentalism of movies like “Father Stu,” but if you also want to reach the Catholic audience, you have to steer clear of the conspiratorial hysterics of movies like “The Da Vinci Code” — which is a hard temptation to resist, seeing as “The Da Vinci Code” sold tickets like hell. You’d also be wise to learn from what happened to Martin Scorsese and his “The Last Temptation of Christ” — i.e., avoid anything too artsy, lest you incur the wrath of a Mother Angelica–type.
It’s hard to make a good Catholic movie, you see; your options are limited. Rather than wrestle with these ideas, the ones really worth wrestling with, you should probably just save yourself the hassle and pitch a schlocky miniseries to a streaming service instead.
Few movies manage to navigate the aforementioned minefield unscathed enough to survive in pop culture while simultaneously maintaining enough of an artistic backbone to be a moving — rather than merely pleasant — watch. To my mind, the prototypical example of such a picture is
“A Man for All Seasons.” As far as I can tell, it’s doctrinally inerrant. While this led the critic Pauline Kael to say of it, “ There’s more than a little of the school pageant in the rhythm of the movie,” and while this statement is essentially true — structurally, the movie is a hagiography — most agree that it’s saved by good dialogue and good performances, including one from Pauline Kael’s own scene-stealing sweetheart Orson Welles.
Enter “Conclave,” a new drama film about a fictional papal election. As it began, I wasn’t sure whether to expect a variant of “Father Stu,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “The Last Temptation of Christ” or “A Man of All Seasons.” Happily, it was all its own.
“Conclave” was not an unconditional paean to the Catholic Church. It depicts clergy who sometimes fall prey to factionalism, simony and incontinence — as our clergy occasionally do. Nor was it a sensational jeremiad about the sins of the Vatican, however. The screenplay of “Conclave” leaves just as much room for pious and eloquent religious.
Overall, the writing is quite good. It certainly left me with more to think about than the straightforward parable of “A Man for All Seasons” did. I also enjoyed the acting, specifically Ralph Fiennes’s beautifully executed leading role (and I harbor a secret and irrational hope that Isabella Rossellini — who, if I’m not mistaken, is the only woman in the movie
with any lines — will get a “Best Supporting Actress” Oscar nomination for her little role, Judi Dench in “Shakespeare in Love”–style). The rest of the cast (including Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow) handed in colorful, characterful performances as well. The cinematography and score are smart — a little over the top at points, but I liked it — and they reinforce all the other good choices director Edward Burger made. It’s a very atmospheric picture.
I think “Conclave” is a good reminder that making a good Catholic movie is 90% about making a good movie and only 10% about making a Catholic one. Had “Conclave” not been as tight a production as it was, I might not have been able to forgive its last 15 minutes — a chaotic ending which feels less like a twist and more like a random epilogue. You could remove it from the rest of the film, and the first 100 minutes of the picture would be pretty much unaffected. Still, the choice came from so far out of left field that I sort of admire the sheer bravado of it. Without saying too much and spoiling everything, let’s just say this would plotline would never get a “nihil obstat.” But it wasn’t enough to ruin the “Conclave” for me — I want entertainment from movies, not coherent systematic theology. If you walking in to an AMC expecting the latter, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Contact Peter Mikulski at pmikulsk@nd.edu
LETTER EDITOR
A
response to ‘The Catholic Case for Trump’
Last Wednesday, the Irish Rover published an article titled: “The Catholic Case for Trump.” The author, Shri Thakur, is a friend of mine, so I decided to allocate the necessary fifteen or so minutes to read the article through. The article was well-written, with concise argumentation and a plurality of well-presented points. I was concerned not with the thesis itself — namely, that Catholics should vote for Trump — but with the article’s critical lack of contemporary context, which was further exacerbated by its tone. I therefore felt compelled to respond, but not with some sharp-tongued, abrasive polemic, the likes of which are all too common in today’s fundamentally polarized society. Rather, I am simply entering into dialogue with my friend, with whom I would not have a relationship were we to fundamentally disagree about the most important issues of the day. Having read the article through, and with this in mind, I wish to analyze the claim that Catholics should vote for Trump from the perspective of politics and the perspective of faith.
Throughout the article, Shri issues a call to action in a variety of ways, such as when he says: “[n] owhere in modern American history has the country seen a candidate who has posed as much of a threat to the faith as Vice President Kamala Harris,” noting that “[t]he future of our nation depends on [voting for Trump].” Shri concludes by saying that: “[t]he stakes of this election are simply too high to forbear. Catholics should vote for Donald Trump as if their faith depended on it, because this time, it does.” Whilst these statements may be true, they are clear alarmism, the type which comes around what feels like every election cycle, where every election seems to be more important than those that have come before it — every time! Both sides act as if American ideals are at stake in the voting booth, but it is the most fundamental American ideal to have a voting booth in the first place. If the alarmism of every election cycle were justified, then either America would be perpetually doomed every four years before miraculously resurrecting in time to be doomed again four years later, or this process — and by extension its result — is fundamentally American. Unlike other nations, which are constituted by a land and a people, America is constituted by a document fittingly named according to its function.
Of course, other countries have constitutions, but these are governmental constitutions — they do not constitute the country itself. When France cycled through various types of government between 1789 and 1815, the country of France remained, being defined throughout by its land and people. As long as there is a consciousness of this, the country can still exist — Israel was reestablished two millennia later due to this consciousness being preserved by its people. It is in this manner that countries are generally constituted. America, however, is constituted by a document, without which it would necessarily cease to exist – it is no accident that our Supreme Court is its “guardian and interpreter.” The supreme courts of other nations are simply guardians and interpreters of the law; America, however, gives its highest judiciary authority, the keys to the country’s very
essence. Over time, therefore, America is constantly manifesting itself, as the Supreme Court’s work of interpretation is particular to every historical moment, and is therefore endless. The rigorous checks and balances, in conjunction with America’s perpetual state of becoming, mean that any governmental action is distinctly American, which is not possible to say for other countries. Such an identification of a governmental action with its nationality in any other country would break down, as there are more degrees of separation between the country and its government than in America.
If it happens that an elected government which you dislike which does things you dislike is elected, it must therefore be conceded that this election and these actions are as American as your voting in the first place. As long as the Constitution is upheld, America exists as it is, regardless of our opinions or what is said in the myopic political squabbles of the here and now. From a political perspective, therefore, I disagree with the alarmism within Shri’s article; namely, that the future of America is somehow at stake.
I now wish to treat Shri’s thesis from the perspective of faith. According to Professor Paul Kleppner, in his book “The Third Electoral System 1853-1892” the Democratic Party was the undeniable Catholic party by the late 19th century; with its emphasis on helping the poor and defending trade unions, 70% of Catholics voted for the Democrats. This continued well into the 20th century until the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s. With the Democrats adopting positions contrary to Catholicism, such as championing abortion, contraception and gay rights, Catholics were left at a crossroads: regardless of who they chose to support, they would inevitably side with something they did not agree with, whether it be the economics of the Republicans or the social policy of the Democrats. Some people changed their party affiliation; some stayed. The contemporary cultural pulse could not be more lucidly expressed than by Mario Cuomo in his speech titled “Religious Belief and Public Morality: A Catholic Governor’s Perspective,” given right here at Notre Dame. His thesis can be summarized in the following paragraph: “Our public morality, then — the moral standards we maintain for everyone, not just the ones we insist on in our private lives — depends on a consensus view of right and wrong. The values derived from religious belief will not — and should not — be accepted as part of the public morality unless they are shared by the pluralistic community at large, by consensus.”
To many Catholics, this distinction between our private and public lives resolved the newfound cognitive dissonance of political participation, and it was therefore widely adopted by many Catholic politicians such as Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi. This distinction, however, is bogus. Catholics must be Catholics always, in both private and public life, lest Our Lord’s instruction to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19) go unheeded. When we die, only one soul is going to be judged – not a private soul and a public soul. The blatant hypocrisy of these politicians led many Millennial
and Gen Z Catholics to side with the Republicans.
This has been a net good – it was because of this allegiance that Trump was able to be elected; Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett were appointed to the Supreme Court; and Roe v Wade was overturned. The Republicans, however, are still opposed to much of Catholic Social Teaching, something which has been largely ignored in this wave of new conservatism. The longer that Catholics have aligned themselves with the Republicans, the harder it has become to ideologically distinguish between them. This has led to the opposite cognitive dissonance of Biden and Pelosi – now, many Catholics find themselves in support of right-wing policies, against welfare for the poor, aid for climate change and unions (though Trump has won more union support recently). In voting for the Republicans, these Catholics have gone the extra step of identifying with them, as if this were a natural consequence of their vote.
In so doing, they participate in the fundamental desire of a political party to be in power and therefore share in its alarmism every election cycle; to political parties, anything that would detract from them being in power is alarming. As Catholics, we should not care who is in power, and therefore not participate in this emotive frenzy; we should vote according to our conscience based on issues, not parties. The unconditional attachment of Catholics to political parties has been proven by history to be detrimental to their Catholicism – our vote, therefore, should be based on a sober analysis of the issues at hand, uninfluenced by the piercing political noise from both sides of the aisle.
I agree with Shri that Trump is the better candidate this year between him and Harris. Due to this, I have not objected to any of the points of his article, as that was not my intention. Latent within the article, however, I see a broader trend of history repeating itself, where Catholics align themselves with beliefs antithetical to their own under the auspices of political participation. As I have said earlier, there is no reason that voting for a party needs to mean that you identify with it. With the 2024 election right around the corner, I worry for American Catholics. Given the current rates of polarization, our identification with the rightwing may lead to further ideological concessions, to the point where we become unrecognizable as Catholics. As John 15:19 reminds us: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” Whilst we must change the world for the better and maintain the extant good, we must view our lives teleologically — towards God. To get bogged down in the weeds of political myopia is to lose sight of this grand end. In being not of this world, we must be detached from those things that are of this world, that we may more readily yoke ourselves to God. As we go to the voting booth on November 5th, may we vote as Catholics, and nothing else.
Rafael Llull
What do I call myself?
word that the ignorant world could attack me with. It was a word from which I could distance myself, a word that made me feel nothing as I spoke it out loud.
Some words wrap around me like a cloak. “Thakudu,” “kinginimuthu,” words that are only spoken by my family, words that carry no perfect meaning, only love. Then there are words that pierce my flesh like hooks. I rip them out, again and again, but they always leave pieces of themselves behind — pain, scars, memories.
I remember the word “ghost” being etched onto my skin by sharp young tongues. “A ghost is a girl with frightening eyes, eyes that make children scream and run away,” they told me. I remember the weight of the word “weird” against my skin, against my heart. “Weird” was something that you pointed fingers at, something you danced around, something you had the right to jeer at.
I cannot forget all the ways in which people called me blind — with scorn, with pity, with contempt, with the weight of a thousand assumptions about what I could not do. “Blind” was always a weapon in the hands of those who did not understand. “Blind” was a weapon that pushed me down and curtained me off from the world in an attempt to make me invisible.
“Blind” was a word that felt alien on my tongue, that left a bad taste in my mouth after it had left my lips. It was not a word that belonged to me, it belonged to them, the others who othered me.
So, I began to call myself “visually-impaired.” This word did not press against my wounded skin. It simply existed around me passively. It was clinical, medical, legal, formal. It wasn’t a
But then, at Notre Dame, I came to know a community of disabled individuals. For the first time, I was no longer the only disabled student in my school, no longer the only disabled person in our apartment complex. I began to hear the sound of wheelchairs, listen to stories of otherness that were similar to mine, witness the ways in which they fought to be acknowledged. And I began to learn from them. I remember listening to a deaf lady at an Access-Able meeting. “You must not call us hearing-impaired,” she said, emphatically. “It suggests that we are defective, and we are not that. We live lives that are as full [of] meaning as yours.”
I took her words to heart. The next time I called myself “visually impaired,” it didn’t sit right. As I spoke the word out loud, my heart questioned: “Defective? Broken? Damaged?” But I was none of these things. I searched for words that I could use to speak about my disability. “What if I called myself blind?”, I wondered. What would it mean to take this word, this weapon that had been used against me, and make it my own? What if I called myself blind, and in doing so, defied everything that the word meant to the ableist world?
So, I tried speaking the word out loud. “Blind,” I said. I did not flinch, but there was still that familiar bad taste in my mouth. I spoke the word again and again in my interactions with the world. “Blind.” A lot of times I said it mindlessly, but most times I remembered, sometimes I hurt.
I don’t know if I am fully healed from all the wounds, from all the times “blind” pierced my skin.
But I know I am healing, I know I am on a journey towards it. But until I get there, I will call myself “visually-challenged.”
Not because I think my disability is something that will be cured if I try hard enough, but because I know that living in an ableist world will force me to navigate challenges and barriers every single day. I know I will continue to walk into inaccessible buildings, continue to talk to people that treat me with contempt or pity, fight for the accommodations that I need to thrive in my career. All these challenges will confront me. But I also know that I will fight my way through them.
I call myself “visually-challenged” because it reminds me of who I am, and who I strive to be. It reminds me that I am strong, resilient and able to overcome.
I will hold onto this word, “visually-challenged,” as I walk on my journey of healing and growth. And perhaps someday, I will be strong enough to call myself “blind” without reliving the memories, the pain. Someday, I will make this word mine. Someday, I will call myself “blind” and stride through the world with my dried scars proudly bared to the eyes of the world.
Hannah Alice Simon was born and raised in Kerala, India, and moved to the U.S. for college with the dream of thriving in an intellectual environment that celebrates people with disabilities. On campus, you will mostly see her taking the longest routes to classrooms with her loyal cane, Riptide, by her side. She studies psychology and English with minors in musical theatre and theology. You can contact Hannah at hsimon2@ nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
On civil discourse
of a growing society that women measure among business leaders, doctors, engineers and presidential candidates. This is progress, but we can not ignore the genuine hardships of young men.
to develop relationships and do meaningful work. In a world where being single is more common than ever because of social media, we are failing to meet the core human need for connection.
On this contentious election day, I hope this country can overcome its partisan differences and unite as Americans. It sounds impossible, but the brightest hours are always after the darkest nights. To contribute to civil discourse, the following is a response to the piece “Dear Men: Are You Lonely?” by Connor Marrott. While I respect his work, I disagree with his opinion on this issue. I recommend you read his piece so you can develop your interpretation. Don’t forget to vote if you haven’t already.
As a kid at the dinner table, my parents often regaled me and my sister with tales from their younger years. When they were my age, they were outside most of the day. My mom still jokes that people gave her strange looks if you came home before the porch lights turned on in her neighborhood. My dad talks about much of the same, with only Dungeons and Dragons played indoors.
I tell you this because it is entirely different from what I know. As a child, I spent significant time inside, with screens becoming commonplace around the 4th or 5th grade. Social media has “connected” people, but isolated them by filtering their social life through blue light. It is why my childhood and those of late Gen Z and Gen Alpha look completely different from kids only 15 years ago.
Returning to Marrott’s piece, he praises the growing role of women in modern society. I agree with him completely. Women are doing great things in this world and that should be celebrated. It is the mark
It’s difficult to say young men are having a hard time. Most people don’t care to listen to that rhetoric. While it may not be a popular statement, the data does not lie. The rise of social media I spoke of earlier has created a massive loneliness crisis that has affected young men significantly more than young women.
This new male loneliness is not a reaction to growing female power. It’s a sense of hopelessness taken out on others. According to the CDC, four out of five people who die by suicide are men. According to a study cited in the Los Angeles Times, 66 percent of men between the ages of 18 and 23 say “no one really knows me.” Fifteen percent lack a single close friend, a figure that has quintupled since the 1990s.
Social media is just one aspect of this decline in mental well-being. Gen Z is on track to become the first generation to be financially worse off than our parents. As trade schools and the military have declined as career choices, men who aren’t suited for college are left idle. This has made it difficult for men who desire to be providers for their families. As the saying goes, “Idle minds are the devil’s workshop.” These idle minds have turned to hating women, idolizing “strongmen” like Andrew Tate and Donald Trump and participating in harmful sexual behavior described in Marrott’s piece.
Beyond that, the proportion of the American population consisting of single adults has jumped from 13 percent in 1960 to 29 percent in 2022. There is a desire
To concisely voice my respectful disagreement with the argument in Connor’s piece, male loneliness, Andrew Tate, far-right populism and poor treatment of women is not a reaction to growing female empowerment. It is a response to a culture where men are isolated because of a chronically-online culture.
There is one question that should be on everyone’s mind: how do we fix it? What can we do about this slip toward gender extremism? Marrott notes therapy and approaching a girl as a possible treatment. However, this is only a bandaid. Society needs strong positive male role models who do not dement masculinity with conspicuous consumption and harmful ideologies.
Masculinity and femininity are inherently good aspects of humanity. The crisis among young men shows what happens when one of these gets hijacked by those taking advantage of desperate people. As a Catholic and a believer in the dignity of all people, I believe that we should be doing more to address the mental health epidemic, especially among men.
Duncan Stangel is a first year Global Affairs major at Notre Dame. Currently residing in Alumni Hall (the center of the universe), he hails from the small town of Cumberland, Maryland nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. When he’s not saving kittens from trees, you can find him stumbling to Debart with a caffeine source in hand. Contact at dstangel@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Duncan Stangel The Center of the Universe
Hannah Alice Simon Views without Vision
Richard Taylor
Just Glad To Be Here
The media of friendship
My high school friends and I liked to go to the movie theater every once in a while. To tell the truth, going to the movies was never my first choice. I have never been big on the whole Marvel universe, but I sat through Thor: Love and Thunder because it meant spending time with the guys. After the movie, we would go to the Cold Stone on the other side of the theater parking lot. I remember once my friend Nick fought to finish an enormous waffle cone. He won, but his stomach was wounded for the rest of the night. To me, enjoying ice cream should never have been a battle in the first place; our thin wallets were wounded enough. But now it is a fond memory and something to laugh about.
College has taught me that I am not one for friend groups. Maybe because I am not so interested in doing stuff with friends, but more so in just talking to them and getting to know them. I am more interested in people than events. Deep down, aren’t we all?
So isn’t it funny that often what organizes and motivates time spent with friends is some event or happening, and it is only through this that the friendships grow? I’d hesitate to ask a friend to just sit and talk somewhere on a Wednesday afternoon, but I’d readily schedule lunch with him at noon at NDH. Isn’t this odd, given that the main thing is not the food, but the conversation and the person? Always good to kill two birds with one stone, but one bird is much bigger than the other. Even so, I sometimes kill neither, just because I can’t figure out a way to kill the smaller one. That is, when I can’t muster up a ‘reason’ for getting
together with someone, I don’t get together at all. A shame.
I have come to accept that our relationships with each other usually grow through some thing — a shared interest, a shared meal, a common experience. These are our true social media — the fibers that link, tie and tighten our relationships. All our idiosyncrasies are loose strings that flail about lonesomely until, if we are lucky, another string of the same odd color and material happens to loop around it. We quickly sense when we have met someone who shares some aspect of ourselves we can’t exactly name or express. But, strictly speaking, this sense is not immediate. Rather, this sense relies on conversation — i.e., the transmission of a recognized sound of a shared language from vibrating vocal cords onto vibrating air into vibrating ear drums, then along an electrical impulse into the neurons of the brain.
If we are very lucky, the loop between the similar strings fastens into a knot, without other strings interfering and entangling, without the distance apart exceeding the length of the strings, without muck from the surroundings getting on the strings and making them too slippery. Sometimes, a link, a friendship, can be spoiled by other conflicting interests, by moving (physically) apart or by miscellaneous external factors. Once a knot has been tightly tied, our other strings may latch onto similar strings hanging off our friend. These subsequent strings may not be quite identical in color and material, and the knots may be more forced, but the force with which we tie them is not the force of our own stubborn selfishness, but the force of love.
True friends, having found that one seed of similarity, rush to the hose to water it and search for other seeds to grow in this new, fertile garden.
True friendships begin, as all do, with something in common, but grow into a relationship with the whole person, or as much of the person as possible. Over time, true friends become free from these social media: it no longer matters whether there is something in common or not; the care and interest in the other person overpowers such concerns. The filial love between them is what is in common. The theologian takes it one step further and says that their communion in Christ unites them, and that a kind of trinity is formed between self, friend and God.
I think it is partly in our human nature to need some social medium to relate to somebody else — to need something to talk about and joke about, to need something to do together and a time and a place to do it. I think it is partly a quaint feature of life that often the deepest bonds between semi-divine creatures grow from the most ordinary, shallow things.
But I also think that there are things we can do to respect and recognize the sheer weight of every moment of life and every person we encounter, especially those we call our friends. We can be more intentionally attentive to the people we are with, rather than the things we are doing with them. We can try to find things to do which are good at facilitating conversation. I, for one, have found meals, puzzles, walks, cooking and car rides to be especially fruitful social media.
Richard Taylor is a junior from St. Louis living in Keenan Hall. He studies physics and also has an interest in theology. He encourages all readers to send reactions, reflections or refutations to rtaylo23@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Rest so you can grow restless
the discourses of hate that will continue to emerge regardless of who the next President of the United States is.
better place when there are existing forces restricting the visibility of social movements, voices of dissent and desperate cries for a new way forward.
As we all eagerly wait for the election results to roll in over the next couple of days, I can no longer ignore my own deep-seated anxiety which I have grown uncomfortably accustomed to over time as it has started to completely consume me on the arrival of election day. I can’t focus on anything other than the election, a feeling I’m sure many of us can all relate to. So in productiveprocrastinator fashion, I am going to ignore all of the work I have to do for the time being by finally addressing my suppressed anxieties in a painfully broad yet deeply personal way with this column.
I apologize in advance for imposing my inner ramblings on you, but if you can relate to any of the things I have been feeling over the past couple days just know I hear you, and I hope this mini-monologue helps you cope by knowing you are not alone.
I am tired. I am tired of hearing that this election does not matter. I am tired of hearing people say that politicians always frame elections as “the most important in our lifetimes” when it really is not and we will all be fine. I am tired of people older than me telling me they’re sorry that I have to grow up in this political climate. Most of all, I am tired of hearing that no matter who wins, we will be okay.
To be frank, the thought that we will all be okay no matter what feels deeply untrue. The fact that many of my rights, and many other peoples rights are dependent on voters in a handful of states terrifies me. But in truth, what scares me the most is
The political polarization we are all witnessing is frightening, and it is incredibly difficult for me to see a path forward through the thick division my politically conscious mind has grown up in.
I am scared of the unknown. I am scared about the future. I am scared that there seems to be no sense of trust, confidence or control when it comes to our governmental systems. And when studying these systems in class, I get overwhelmed by their power and deep entrenchment in every part of our lives. I don’t know how to be a part of the change. My deepest fear is running out of motivation to work towards progressive change and accepting the self-imploding state of our world.
I want things to change, but I am so scared that one day I will become too overwhelmed, too scared, too tired and too anxious to continue fighting for the issues I care the most about. I know I can’t change the world, but I am scared of getting to a point where I see no other option than to accept the status quo.
Okay, wait, never mind. I truly don’t think I will ever reach such a low point where I feel so genuinely stuck that I choose to stop trying to move forward. I think a very important part of activism is recognizing your defeats, understanding that compassion fatigue is real and that your motivations will ebb and flow with time because it is an unfortunate truth that we are both human and have to live within the effects of the systems we are working to change. It is unrealistic to assume that we can be fueled by constant motivation to make the world a
During these difficult moments where we are all coming to face the reality of our broken system, it is essential to pay attention to all of the different feelings we are having. From fatigue to sadness to anger, these feelings are rooted in a deep disappointment with the current state of our country and the potential for change we can all see but has not yet been realized.
The little wisdom I can offer you is this: rest so you can grow restless. It is important to take breaks, time to recover and space to heal. Fighting for a better world that we all know is possible is exhausting when it constantly feels like we are taking one step forward and three steps back. But what I have found when I become consumed with feelings that make me feel guilty for not maintaining a consistent enthrallment and unstoppable motivation in fighting to change the world for the better is that ignoring those feelings lengthens their prevalence.
Sit with them, listen to them, and marinate in what makes you so uncomfortable with their existence. Rest, take care of yourself, and at the right time the thoughts, feelings and ideas that feed your insatiable hunger for change will appear again — I promise. Sometimes it’s true that absence makes the heart grow fonder; taking a break from working toward change can remind you what you are fighting for.
You can contact Grace at gsulli22@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Grace Sullivan Viewpoint Copyeditor
Happy Birthday: Refresh and begin again. Wipe your slate clean and clear the path for better days ahead. Use your imagination and change whatever is slowing you down. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you physically or financially. Put a plan in place that allows you to move forward with budget ideas to improve your life. Put your energy to good use, and distance yourself from interference. Your numbers are 7, 13, 22, 27, 32, 39, 46.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take care of institutional, bureaucratic, or financial matters personally. Verify the information you receive and press forward with questions and options to ensure you get things done to the best of your ability. Refuse to let emotional matters spin out of control or cost you unnecessarily.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take a unique approach to whatever you pursue. Reinvent how you present and promote what you have to offer, and the reaction you receive will provide insight into how to tweak your delivery or skills to suit what’s trending. Patience will save time by eliminating mistakes.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Direct and open communication will help keep the peace and avoid misleading circumstances that can slow down progress. Look for opportunities and act; be the one to lead the way and put a dent in whatever requires attention. Personal gain and growth are favored.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Step in and take over. Time spent tidying up loose ends will save money, offer insight into something you do well, and bring in extra cash. Pay attention to situations that reflect a hidden agenda. Refrain from trusting people to take care of your concerns or business.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Apply pressure where needed and physical labor to ensure things get done on time. Participate in an event that offers a challenge you find gratifying or will encourage an encounter with someone who enriches your life. Personal and physical improvement will disclose opportunities. Romance is in the stars.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep an open mind and avoid overreacting to situations or comments. Criticism will make matters worse, but if you put your energy into educational pursuits or self-improvement instead of trying to change others, you’ll feel good about your achievements and avoid negative interaction.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Short trips, destinations that teach you something or bring you in contact with someone who makes you think will prompt inner change and a better lifestyle. Put your best foot forward and explore the possibilities. A change will encourage you to concentrate on personal happiness and gratification.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A steady pace will deter others from standing in your way. Stay on top of money matters to avoid overpaying for something you can get cheaper elsewhere. Research and dedication are your ticket to finishing what you start and being happy with the results. Simplicity and moderation are favored.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Think, develop, and perfect your idea before you share your plan with others. Your objective is to avoid interference. Use your time effectively, and it will ease stress and point you in a direction that offers personal and financial gains. Implement positive change and prosper.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refuse to suffocate your dreams when, realistically, they will stimulate your mind and encourage you to focus on personal contentment, happiness, and personal health. Spend time working through any issues that may slow you down. Taking a unique approach is beneficial if your plan is feasible.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be demonstrative if it will help you raise interest in something you have to offer. Take the initiative to physically follow through instead of just discussing your dreams. Opportunity begins with you and your enthusiasm. Don’t limit what you can do or let outside influences discourage you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Focus on what you want to achieve and refuse to let anyone’s behavior deter you from what you want to accomplish. Choose your words carefully to sidestep criticism, arguments, or a force play that helps others more than you. Moderation and a simple lifestyle are in your best interest.
Birthday Baby: You are fun-loving, entertaining, and optimistic. You are energetic and adventurous.
THE THOMAS H. QUINN LECTURE SERIES PRESENTS:
Miles returns with triple-double, Irish win big
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Olivia Miles had 617 days to envision her return to the floor in a Notre Dame uniform. With highlight-reel handles, jaw-dropping assists and thrilling buzzerbeaters at her disposal, the graduate guard brought endless possibilities to the 2024-25 season opener.
As her comeback game approached, Miles’ videographer made one request.
“First game back I need a triple-double,” she recalled him demanding.
In her first official game since suffering a torn ACL on Feb. 26, 2023, Miles made good on the order. Her 21-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double – the fourth of her career – put Notre Dame on the fast track to a 105-61 pummeling of Mercyhurst on Monday.
“It’s awesome to see those meaningless words at the time come to fruition,” Miles said.
Head coach Niele Ivey pointed to pristine passing as the highlight of Miles’ day. So did graduate forward Liatu King, who kept her head on a swivel and turned in a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double in her Notre Dame debut.
“Sometimes I don’t even know when she’s gonna throw the ball,” King joked. King, another top story from Notre Dame’s 44-point thrashing, transferred from Pittsburgh to Notre Dame in May after finishing last season a First
BASEBALL
Team All-ACC selection. She looked the part in Monday’s win, repeatedly turning Miles dimes into Irish deuces.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” King said about her debut. “It’s fun to have such loving fans who care about you.”
One of three Notre Dame starters taller than Mercyhurst’s tallest player, King paced an Irish clinic on the interior. Scoring 82 points in the paint, Notre Dame shot an impressive 60% from the floor and jumped to a commanding 30-8 lead within the first nine minutes. The Irish would cruise the rest of the way, finding easy buckets underneath while outscoring the Lakers in all four quarters.
“One of our keys is showing dominance and establishing our inside presence, so I thought [the players] did a great job of that,” Ivey said.
The success inside reached the defensive end of the floor, too. There, freshman forward Kate Koval swatted five blocks in her first collegiate game, padding her 18-point and 7-rebound totals. Matched up against Bailey Kuhns, Mercyhurst’s leading scorer from last season, Koval consistently came out on top, shooting an efficient 9-for-11 while holding Kuhns to just 7-for-21.
“Everything is just the first for her, so it shows you how her ceiling is,” Ivey said of Koval. “Her potential is amazing. She has a presence that we have not had in a
very long time, so I’m looking forward to what she’s going to continue to bring to Notre Dame.”
“[The forwards] are trying to make this [program] ‘Post U,’ too – not just ‘Guard U’,” Ivey said.
The other starting guards, sophomore Hannah Hidalgo and junior Cassandre Prosper, played just fine themselves. The former tallied 19 points to accompany nine rebounds and six steals. Prosper, playing her first game in over 11 months, checked in with 17 points and five boards. Her
bucket with 4:57 to play in the fourth quarter sealed the Miles triple-double, pushing the Notre Dame advantage to 93-55.
Long before the final horn, all five Irish starters had reached double figures. Supplied with just seven women due to lingering injuries, Notre Dame appeared fresh for all 40 minutes.
“I think anybody and everybody can step up,” Ivey said. “We have a ton of weapons, and it’s just one person down and another person steps up.”
Off to a 1-0 start, Notre
Dame heads to West Lafayette this Sunday for a 7 p.m. tip-off at Purdue. After the show Miles, King and company put on Monday evening at Purcell Pavilion, Irish fans will have a hard time waiting another six days to watch their sixthranked team in the country. Ivey’s excited to get back at it, too.
“[I’m] excited for the season, and [this is a] great way to start this year off with this dub at home,” she said.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Catcher Joey Spence talks Irish Fall Classic
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
The annual Irish Fall Classic is a cherished tradition for the Notre Dame baseball team, where the roster divides into blue and green squads and competes in a three-game series. The winning team earns the right to dress the locker room mannequin in their colors, a symbol of their triumph until the next fall. This year, the blue team claimed the victory. The Observer sat down with senior catcher Joey Spence who talked about the tradition and how the Irish Fall Classic brings the team together.
You are the senior catcher on the blue team and you guys won this year, how does that feel as a senior to be able to win that tradition for your team?
“I mean, it is always fun
because we always feel the hype around the clubhouse, and the coaches do a good job of kinda amping up the energy around it, and I haven’t won a Fall World Series in my freshman, sophomore or junior year, so this is the first year that the blue team won. But it is definitely a lot of fun. The series is more for bragging rights, and it is just a fun, competitive thing to do for the team. We’re all jawing with each other during the week leading up to the series. It was a lot of fun, and we all played hard — there was a lot of energy and a lot of good things.
It’s fun to get the young guys or the freshmen — we have such a talented freshman class — and just getting those guys engaged and involved in all this, to see the energy that we have with all of the guys you know just trying to win a baseball game, it was a really cool thing.”
How do you think this
affects team bonding going into the season? Do you think it will help with winning games this season?
“Oh for sure ... The day prior or earlier in the week we had a paintball outing to determine who had home-field advantage. So we all went to a paintball place in Mishawaka and split the team up — green versus blue — and whatever team won all of the courses got the home-field advantage. So it was definitely — especially being on campus over fall break when all of the students were gone and we didn’t have any class and we just got to spend all day around each other — I think it was big for our team just to kinda mesh together if that makes sense. And we have a lot of really good dudes
on our team and everyone gets along and we all love each other already. It was really good.”
Talk me through the idea of a first draft or second draft when you are choosing teams at the beginning of the year?
“So we do what is called a dynasty draft. My first year doing it there was a blue team, green captains and blue captains, and so I got drafted to the blue team last year, so that means that I stay on the blue team this year. So the freshmen that got drafted to the blue team this year will be on the blue team for the next three or four years, so it’s kinda cool — the dynasty aspect. You’re either trying to build a team to win now or you’re trying
to look towards the future. It’s a lot of fun. It’s almost like playing a video game — you’re trying to make a dynasty team. We did have some trades. We had trades last year and we have one more trade this year, but for the most part everyone stays on the same team their whole time here.”
You mentioned trades, how do those work or why do they happen?
“It’s usually based off of if a team doesn’t have enough position guys or a team has too many pitchers — just the logistics stuff to make sure that everyone has the right guys for the right spots here and there.”
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
MOLLY DRINAN | The Observer
Sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo releases a shot during Notre Dame’s 105-61 defeat of Mercyhurst at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 4, 2024. Hidalgo contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals in the victory.
ND CROSS COUNTRY
Irish win first women’s ACC Championship
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
For the first time in program history, Notre Dame cross country is atop the women’s sector of the ACC. Competing in Friday’s ACC Championships at WakeMed Cross Country course in Cary, North Carolina, the Irish snapped NC State’s eight-year streak of women’s conference titles. The Notre Dame men’s squad also finished strong with a sixth-place result.
En route to claiming her third consecutive All-ACC selection, senior Siona Chisholm led the Irish women in the 6k race. Her time of 19 minutes and 42.3 seconds put her 27 seconds back of individual winner Grace Hartman, a sophomore from NC State. Both fifth-place NC State and 11th-place Clemson placed two runners
inside the top four, but Notre Dame’s consistency beyond the top 20 made a difference.
Next to finish for the Irish, freshman Mary Bonner Dalton notched the fastest 6k time of her young career while running in her home state of North Carolina. At 20:13.8, she ended the race in 22nd. Just behind her, graduate student Erin Strzelecki took home 26th with a time of 20:17.5. Rounding out the Irish top five, sophomore Gretchen Farley and freshman Isabel Allori went 30th and 31st with respective times of 20:21.0 and 20:21.4.
The final two Notre Dame scorers, graduate student Emily Covert (20:25.7) and sophomore Arianne Olson (20:30.4), respectively walked away in 37th and 45th. With a team count of 115 points, Notre Dame cleared both Stanford and North Carolina by six points. The Cardinal,
Tar Heels and fifth-place NC State Wolfpack actually had better average times than Notre Dame, but the Irish thrived on placement as the only team with all scoring runners inside the top 40.
Wake Forest claimed the men’s 8k race, filling the top 20 with five runners and producing a team total of 60 points. Stanford, North Carolina, Virginia and Syracuse slotted in behind the Demon Deacons, ahead of Notre Dame’s sixthplace score of 127. Like the women’s team, the Irish men kept all seven scoring runners inside the overall top 45. However, they lacked what Siona Chisholm provided the women near the top of the leaderboard, getting an 18thplace finish out of their top runner. For reference, five Wake Forest runners finished ahead of Notre Dame’s fastest man.
Still, the Irish concluded the race as one of just two teams (Stanford) to have every scoring runner in the top 45. Junior Ethan Coleman clinched his second consecutive All-ACC selection with an 18th-place run of 22:59.8. Fellow junior CJ Singleton and sophomore Kevin Sanchez followed behind him, claiming 24th and 26th place in 23:05.8 and 23:08.0, respectively. Juniors Daelen Ackley and Izaiah Steury occupied the final two spots in the top 30, racing to respective times of 23:09.6 and 23:10.1. The final two Notre Dame scorers, freshman Drew Griffith (23:18.0) and graduate student Robbie Cozean (23:23.2), went into the books respectively in 37th and 42nd place.
Both Irish teams now head into the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, set to run on Nov. 15 in Norton, Ohio, 35 miles
south of Cleveland. The Notre Dame women’s team enters the regional ranked first in the field ahead of Wisconsin and Michigan State, while the men’s team sits in the second position behind Wisconsin.
The Irish women have won the NCAA Regional race in each of the last three seasons, having cleared Wisconsin by 32 points a year ago. Strzelecki put forth a strong showing in the postseason race, claiming sixth place in 20:19.9.
The men’s squad, meanwhile, looks to win a regional race for the first time since 2021. Notre Dame took second in 2022 and fourth in 2023, with Butler capturing the team title a year ago. Coleman ran well in that race, taking 12th with a 10k time of 30:00.5.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
JONATHAN KARR | The Observer
A Notre Dame cross country runner turns the corner during the Joe Piane Invite, held at the University of Notre Dame on Oct. 4, 2024. The Notre Dame women’s team claimed its first ACC Championship on Friday, dethroning NC State after an eight-year Wolfpack run atop the conference. The men’s team, meanwhile, finished in fifth place at the conference meet.
Belles take fifth in MIAA Championship race
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
As the Belles cross country team is closing out its season, the team competed in the MIAA Championship run on Saturday, Nov. 2 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The event was hosted by Calvin University, and the Belles took fifth place out of nine teams, which
SMC VOLLEYBALL
ties the Belles’ highest finish at an event since 2019.
Sophomore Jordan Siminski led the Belles as she finished 32nd with a time of 23 minutes and 51.6 seconds in the 6k race. This is also Siminski’s fastest time, as it is 40 seconds faster than her previous record. Senior Susanna Bernovich also set a new record for herself as she finished in 37th place with a
time of 24:00.1, which is 25 seconds faster than her previous record.
Belles freshman Allie Glendening finished in 41st place with a time of 25:05.9, setting a new personal record for herself. Sophomore Cecilia Conrad added a new time record and finished closely behind in 42nd place with a time of 24:07.4.
Sophomore Savannah Paulson
was the next to cross the finish line for the Belles, as she finished with a time of 24:43.5 which put her in 66th place. Junior Isabelle Auch finished 70th with a personal best time of 24:46.2, and freshman Hannah Walsh also added a new personal record as she finished closely behind in 73rd place with a time of 24:55.3.
Sophomore Anna Scannell
closed out the top 100 for the Belles as she finished 86th with a time of 25:32.1.
Junior Mary Weber finished with a time of 27:02.1, while sophomore Ellie York and freshman Alex Brunswick finished with respective times of 27:47.2 and 30:25.0.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
Belles drop 3-1 match against Kalamazoo
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
The Saint Mary’s volleyball team fell to the Kalamazoo Hornets 3-1 this past Saturday. With this loss, the team is now 8-13 on the season and 1-6 in the MIAA.
Kalamazoo took control of the first set, starting with a 3-0 run, and controlled large parts of the match to finish 2519, getting the first win of the night. The Hornets finished the first set with a total of 19 kills and a hitting percentage of .370 and the Belles finished
with 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .263. Sophomore middle and outside hitter
Grace Braselton led the first set with a total of four kills.
The two teams went back and forth in the second set but the Hornets came out on top with a 25-22 win, securing a 2-0 set advantage. Freshman outside and middle hitter
Kalli Lewkowski led the team with four kills in the set, while sophomore Abby Reese provided strong support with an impressive 12 assists.
The Belles staged a comeback in the third set, claiming
Saint Mary’s College
it 25-22 to bring the match score to 2-1. Capitalizing on the Hornets’ nine errors, the Belles gained momentum with ten kills from Lewkowski, four assists from Reese and twelve assists from freshman setter Giuliana Graczyk.
The fourth set was a tightly contested battle, but the Hornets ultimately edged out a three-point win to secure the match.
Lewkowski led the team with an impressive 15 kills, while senior outside hitter Cali Allen and sophomore middle hitter Caroline Carens each
Graduate Academic Programs
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Master of Science in Nursing
Master of Social Work
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Geriatric Neuropsychiatry Certificate
contributed eight. Graczyk directed the offense with 22 assists, closely followed by Reese with 20. On defense, junior specialist Karli Fegan anchored the team with 20 digs and Carens made a strong impact at the net with four blocks.
The Belles will now return home to face off against Albion College on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
WRITE SPORTS
Open to women and men With a variety of options to choose from, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore campus and discover why graduate studies at Saint Mary’s College is right for you.
GRADUATE ADMISSION ON-CAMPUS VISIT DAYS
You’ll have the opportunity to hear from members of the Office of Graduate Admission and the Office of Financial Aid, take a tour of campus, and see academic centers and labs. Lunch will be hosted by current graduate students, and your day will end with a visit to your specific graduate studies department where you’ll meet faculty and staff.
Friday, November 8
Friday, December 13
VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS
In these program-specific virtual sessions, faculty from your department of interest will provide a short presentation followed by a Q & A session. A member of the Graduate Admission team will also be there to answer any admission or financial aid questions.
Visit the Register Today QR code for information regarding session dates and times.
REQUEST AN INDIVIDUAL VISIT
If you can’t attend any of these visit days, we invite you to request an individual visit.
Irish drop ACC Tournament first-round match
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
The sixth-seeded Notre Dame women’s soccer team couldn’t get past third-seeded Florida State in Sunday’s opening round of the ACC Tournament. The Seminoles downed the Irish by a 2-1 score in Tallahassee, eliminating Notre Dame from the bracket and into the waiting game ahead of next Monday’s NCAA Tournament selection show. Now 11-3-4 on the season, the Irish have not lost three consecutive conference tournament matches dating back to 2022.
The defending national champions put pressure on the Irish right away, firing off a pair of pointblank shots just 90 seconds into the match. First, Jordynn Dudley ran onto a cross at the left corner of the 6-yard box, swinging into a shot that Notre Dame blocked. The ricochet came out to the other side of the 6, where another Irish defender put herself on the goal line and denied an effort from Solai Washington.
After the second rejection, Notre Dame would clear the ball out of bounds near the corner flag, setting up a Florida State throw-in deep inside the attacking third. The lengthy heave careened off of Irish defenders before landing at the feet of Marianyela Jimenez in the right portion of the 18-yard box. Shooting from a sharp angle, Jimenez threaded her strike past Notre Dame freshman goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica and into the far side of the net, getting the Seminoles on the board in the second minute.
Moments later, Washington nearly scored again from the right side of the 18, but Kasica’s diving save nullified her left-footed attack. Florida State kept its foot on
SMC SPORTS
the gas from there, with Carissa Boeckmann sending a pair of quality looks just wide of the right post from 20 yards out. In the final four minutes of the first half, Kasica made an even more impressive diving stop, pushing Wrianna Hudson’s 25-yard thump away with a lunge to her left.
Florida State would go into halftime having taken each of the night’s first 10 shots. However, with seven of those attempts having missed the target and Kasica having come up with saves on two more, the Seminole lead remained capped at 1-0.
The early moments of the second half changed little to nothing about the game’s flow, as Florida State marched right back into Notre Dame’s end. A 47th-minute bouncing ball from a defended Seminole service landed near the right corner of the 6, where Jimenez smashed a volley right on goal. Kasica, with no time to react, squared up the heat-seeking shot and bodied it away for another save.
Five minutes later, Notre Dame would finally generate something substantive on the field’s opposite end. An Irish cross found freshman forward Annabelle Chukwu on the right side of the 6 and her header pointed toward the upper right corner of the goal. Called upon to make her save of the night, Florida State keeper Addie Todd reached up with her right hand, pushing the equalizing opportunity above the crossbar. Chukwu would challenge Todd again in the 59th minute, but her rolling strike from 20 yards away trickled by the right post.
Growing more comfortable by the minute, Notre Dame would continue threatening into the
final 21 minutes. With 20 and a half to play, freshman forward Ellie Hodsden carved through Seminoles into a shooting position at the left corner of the 6. There, she tried to go up top with a right-footed scoop, but Todd leapt high to knock the ball over the goal again.
Seven minutes later, the Seminoles would reward the efforts of their keeper with a second goal. Notre Dame nearly intercepted a Florida State passing play outside the 18, but Sophia Nguyen used her burst to jump in front of a defender and keep the play alive for the home side. She would then skip into an open space, pummeling a 20-yard strike, that zipped past Kasica and inside the far post. With 13 minutes remaining, Florida State led 2-0.
Notre Dame wasted no time pressing for offense, intensifying their attack in the game’s final moments to challenge Florida State’s lead. With eight and a half to play, a long Irish free kick came right on goal for Todd, who came 6 yards off her line to make the catch. However, traffic flashing in front of her jarred the ball free and knocked her to the grass, leaving Notre Dame a chance to pounce on the rebound. With the ball bouncing after the collision, freshman forward Izzy Engle wisely looped her shot over Florida State’s defensive reinforcements, dropping it into the goal’s upper left corner. The fabulous freshman’s 16th goal of the season put Notre Dame right back in the match with plenty of time for an equalizer.
That equalizer, however, would never come to fruition. In fact, Florida State had the best chance to score in the time between Notre Dame’s breakthrough and the final whistle, with Peyton McGovern going in for an 84th-minute breakaway that Kasica shut down. Despite Notre Dame’s 10-5 shooting advantage in the second half and six corner kicks in the final 45 minutes, Florida State would hang on to win 2-1.
The Seminoles will face secondseeded Wake Forest in Thursday’s semifinals, while the Irish will rest up for a week before learning their NCAA Tournament position on Monday, Nov. 11.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s softball wins Belles Fall Fest
By MOLLY TEMPLE Sports Writer
As the rest of Saint Mary’s College recovered from Halloweekend and mourned the end of daylight saving time, Belle athletes channeled their inner gym class champion for Belles Fall Fest. At 4 p.m. on Nov. 3, 150 athletes from Saint Mary’s gathered in the Angela Athletic Center to compete in 10 games testing their mental and physical toughness, teamwork, communication skills and doughnut-eating prowess.
The first round, perhaps the most rewarding as a participant, was the doughnut on a string competition. In pairs representing each sport, one girl ate a doughnut attached to a string that the other held in the air. Every team passed the challenge with flying colors (and powdered sugar) except for lacrosse, which did not finish in time.
The second round was the clothing relay race. Athletes who excelled at getting dressed in the morning two minutes before the start of class had the practical advantage. In groups of four, girls had to pull on sweatpants, a shirt and a sweatshirt over their clothes, run to the other side of the gym and back and exchange clothes with the next teammate. Used to flying around bases, softball took an early lead. Soccer nearly caught them on the last leg, and the race ended in a photo finish. Softball earned three points for first place, soccer two for second and stunt and volleyball one each for tying for third. Belles tennis’ time to shine came in the third round with pantyhose bowling. Athletes put tights on their head with a tennis ball at the end and attempted to knock over a row of half-filled water bottles. Ever in tune with the tennis ball, tennis knocked over their stack
first, and all the teams were rewarded with points except for basketball, which did not finish within the time limit.
For the fourth round, softball took first in the three-legged race, soccer second and tennis third. Cross country’s running dreams were briefly shattered by an off-course collision with softball, costing them the victory. Soccer, armed with a cheer paddle, cowboy hat and a dream, began their winning streak starting in the fifth round. Dizzy basketball made athletes spin around a bat, run to the end of the court to a basketball and make a shot. Soccer came in first, basketball second and lacrosse third. In the sixth round, soccer claimed first place in the human hula hoop ring toss, cross country second and basketball third. Soccer went on to three-peat as they won a divisive round of musical chairs in the seventh round, with basketball in second and
lacrosse third.
The eighth round, the blindfold obstacle course, stumped soccer and a number of other teams. In teams of two, one girl was blindfolded, while the other gave her verbal directions. Neither was allowed to touch the obstacles, a chair, yoga mat and pool noodle or they would have to restart. Basketball and stunt breezed past the competition, while soccer, tennis and cross country did not make it to the hula hoop finish line and earned no points.
By the final round, chicken on the roof, teams were at a fever pitch. Soccer dominated but softball was within striking range. Contrary to the name, the “smickens,” chickens from the Saint Mary’s sustainable farm, did not make an appearance for chicken on the roof. Instead, athletes in pairs had to run to their partner after spinning in a circle and match the action of the directions given.
For “chicken on the roof,” one girl had to kneel on the other’s back. For “lover’s leap,” one had to carry the other. Lacrosse got their first win of the night, cross country claimed second and soccer third. Soccer had the most points, but their celebrations were cut short with the announcement of a surprise championship round.
The championship round was a blindfolded dodgeball game between the teams with the highest number of points, soccer and softball. While soccer valiantly fought to preserve their victory, they were ultimately no match for softball’s throwing skills, honed from their sport. Even blindfolded, softball won in an upset. There were nine teams and 150 talented athletes, but only one Fall Fest Champion.
Contact Molly Temple at mstrableytemple@ saintmarys.edu
JONATHAN KARR | The Observer
Freshman midfielder Grace Restovich runs after the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-0 defeat of Stanford at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 20, 2024. The Irish are 11-3-4 on the season heading into the NCAA Tournament.
ND MEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish set to open new season against Stonehill
By BEN HICKS Sports Writer
The Notre Dame men’s basketball team will launch year two of the Micah Shrewsberry era on Wednesday night as it welcomes the Stonehill Skyhawks to Purcell Pavilion for the 202425 season opener. Both universities are affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and thus have a storied and connected history both academically and athletically.
The Irish and Skyhawks have met twice all-time, with Notre Dame collecting convincing victories in both meetings. The two schools last played Nov. 26, 1982, when Irish guard and future NBA champion John Paxson led
Notre Dame to a 74-60 non-conference victory.
The Irish struggled in Shrewsberry’s debut season in South Bend, finishing 13-20 overall and 7-13 in ACC play. Despite the losing record, the young Irish took tremendous strides in late February and early March 2024, winning four of their last seven regular-season games, including victories over postseason teams Wake Forest and Clemson.
Expectations for this year’s team are much higher than a year ago, as Notre Dame returns the highest percentage of scoring (85.6%) of any power conference team in the country. The Irish are headlined by the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year Markus Burton, who was also
selected to the preseason AllACC First Team, as voted on by the league’s coaches.
The sophomore backcourt tandem of Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry led the highpowered Irish offense against Purdue Fort Wayne in last week’s charity exhibition, scoring 18 points apiece. Senior forward J.R. Konieczny added 11 points of his own in the 91-54 win.
Irish fans can expect a faster offensive pace this year, as Coach Shrewsberry has stressed the importance of pace and spacing to his group throughout the preseason. Experienced graduate transfers Matt Allocco at guard and Burke Chebuhar at forward should complement the returning pieces well in that regard, as
both shot over 40% from three a year ago.
Stonehill will make the trip to South Bend following an 81-62 home victory on Monday over Division III school Framingham State. The Skyhawks are in year three of their NCAA transition period after reclassifying from D-II to D-I in July of 2022.
Competing as a member of the Northeast Conference, they are ineligible to be selected for the NCAA Tournament due to their reclassification, but their roster is expected to be much improved from a disappointing 4-27 campaign a year ago.
Notre Dame will need to slow down the duo of Josh Morgan and Todd Brogna if the Irish want to avoid the early-season
loss. The two Stonehill guards combined to score 45 points on Monday while connecting on seven threes and converting 90% of their free throws.
The Irish haven’t dropped a home opener in Purcell Pavilion since the 1998-99 season, but Notre Dame did falter in two buy games against inferior competition last year, as Western Carolina and The Citadel both escaped South Bend with upset victories.
Wednesday night’s opener is set to tip off at 7 p.m. inside Purcell Pavilion and can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
RICHARD TAYLOR | The Observer
Junior forward Tae Davis elevates for a layup during Notre Dame’s 69-62 defeat of Clemson at Purcell Pavilion on March 2, 2024. The Clemson game marked Notre Dame men’s basketball’s marquee win of the 2023-24 season, as the Tigers would go on to the Elite Eight. Overall, the Irish went 13-20 in their first year under head coach Micah Shrewsberry.
