By David Gordon
Though the Debate ’08 signs were taken down by mid-Thursday morning, the University’s time in the national spotlight continued into the wee hours of Friday.
Early Thursday, students were still reveling in their minor brushes of fame and appearances on local and national TV. By Thursday night, they were thrilled (or disheartened, depending on whom you speak with) to hear Amy Poehler and Seth Myers on SNL: Weekend Update Thursday rank on the football team. To top it all off, there was Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, who along with Mr. Met, stalked Spin Alley.
The media’s convergence on the University left lasting memories for everyone involved, even if it was merely a mention in an article on a German Web site, or a photograph with Chris Matthews (a cursory search of the profile pictures on a friends list on Facebook shows many students who had either taken pictures with or of Matthews). Countless students who took part in Wednesday’s festivities were interviewed by local and foreign media and had experiences they will never forget about.
And even if they do forget, there’s always proof.
The Netherlands Café hosted ABC-7’s 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. newscasts, during which students were interviewed, and seen in the background. Over in Dempster Hall, there were no less than four media outlets filing reports. CBS-2 filmed a spot for their nightly newscast about the NewsHub’s live-blogging initiative and ABC-7 used the NewsHub as a background to announce their own online coverage of the debate. Two foreign press organizations, Go Africa! and Heute.de, a German Web site, spent the better part of the night talking to students working in the NewsHub.
Two students, Samuel Rubenfeld, The Chronicle’s senior news editor, and Andrea Klerides, the assistant news director of WRHU, were invited to appear on Martha Stewart’s daily talk show Thursday morning after she saw them talking about their experiences at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August on the CBS-2 Morning News early Wednesday morning.
Dozens of students crowded around NBC News’ studio tent outside the Student Center to be seen on TV and stump for their favorite candidates on screen. But at least one just wanted to attend a taping of MSNBC’s “Hardball.”
“I refused ten different signs because I was not there to push any political agenda,” began sophomore Richard Traub. “I was just there to see Chris Matthews tape ‘Hardball.’ Everyone else was just rude and wanted to be on TV.”
Robb Friedlander, a sophomore who is president of Hofstra for Obama, was interviewed by a number of outlets. “It’s a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said. “The questions they asked were about the beliefs of our generation and how we were involving ourselves in this election.”
“News 12 asked me what I thought of young people getting out to vote,” said sophomore John Bahrenburg.
Freshman John Ball, a supporter of John McCain, was interviewed by foreign media. “It’s unusual that you have neutral ground listen to your opinion on the campaign since you support John McCain.”
On the lighter side was the coverage of the debate by “The Daily Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” There was no sparing Long Island or the University.
Jon Stewart sent correspondent John Oliver to Hempstead (well, maybe…) and, in a period of “tree” hours, he transformed from a Briton to what he saw as a typical Long Islander: a brutish Italian man constantly hunting for women to sleep with him. Oliver’s antics led him to eventually break out of character and plead, “Get me out of here.”
Said Seth Myers on SNL: “I like how the candidates always thank the host school. Even though we all know they have nothing better going on. What else were they going to do? What were they going to do at Hofstra last night? Was the a capella group going to sing? I mean, it’s college football season. We’re talking about Hofstra, for goodness sakes!'”
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog unfavorably compared the University to another Long Island school. “The best America has to offer has descended upon Hofstra University,” the sock puppet said. “Yes, Hofstra University: The place DeVry applicants use as a safety school!”
Of course, most people knew to take those in jest. And by Saturday evening, the world’s focus was brought back to where it was before the media descended upon Hempstead: on Sarah Palin.

NBC news reporter Andrea Mitchell interviews Robert Gibbs, Barack Obama’s campaign press secretary on Wednesday, Oct. 15. (Erin Furman)