Politics

Prop. 2 passes, farm animals get more room to stretch

By MAGGIE FAZELI FARD Nov. 5 — After months of debate that shoe the spotlight of controversy on the incredible, edible egg for the first time since cholesterol-free diets came into fashion, California voters passed a ballot measure to give confined chickens and other farm animals a little more breathing room. Prop. 2, known as the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, won by a margin of 63 percent to 37 percent. Prop. 2 will prohibit the “cruel confinement” of California’s…

I-house foreign students cheer the new president

by BAGASSI KOURA Hundred of foreign students at Berkeley International house who gathered around big TV screens cheered and hugged each other to celebrate Barack Obama’s victory. Some of the students watched the elections results at the I-House, a residential house for international students at UC Berkeley. Dozen of others took part in a panel discussion on the election that took place at the IHouse’s auditorium.

Excitement still in air as voting slows midday

By ANNA BLOOM Nov. 4 — It seemed more like a sporting event than Election Day to Lewis McCutcheon, who had a front row seat as voters flocked to the Church of the Good Shepherd Baptist. McCutcheon, who works at the Children’s Hospital and Research Center valet parking lot that abuts the church on 52nd and West Street, said this morning’s crowd was clapping as they came out of the polling place.

From porch, euphoric, the Wests cheer and hope

By MAGGIE FAZELI FARD Nov. 4 — When Clara West woke up this morning, she really wanted to wear blue jeans and a denim shirt, complete with fringe hanging off the sides and arms — her “protest clothes,” she calls them. A Berkeley baby, West says protest is in her blood; if there were ever a day to demonstrate, today, Election Day is it.

Anxiety, candor as black students anticipate results

By MARTIN RICARD Nov. 4 — In their classrooms and offices, they might not have had the chance to say how they really felt about today’s historic election. But on Monday night, a group of black graduate students at UC Berkeley candidly spoke their minds in anticipation of possibly seeing an African-American ascend to the country’s highest post, if Sen. Barack Obama defeats Sen. John McCain for president.

Get out vote effort starts before dawn

By MELANIE MASON Nov. 4 – It is 6 am, and most of the storefronts on Broadway are dark and shuttered.  The sun has yet to rise.  But the lights are on at the Oakland Democratic Party headquarters, and the people streaming in are awake and attentive.  This is no day for early morning grogginess.  It is Election Day, and the activists and volunteers are ready to get down to business. 

New project urging more women of color to vote

By KRISTINE WONG Oct. 30 – Decades ago, Barbara Lee—now the outspoken Democratic congresswoman from the East Bay–deliberately chose not to register to vote. As a Mills College student in 1972, Lee was required to work for one of the presidential campaigns, or risk failing a class. “For the first time, I said ‘I’m going to flunk this course,’ because I’m not going to get involved in politics,” she recalled. “ ‘These guys aren’t speaking to the issues that I…