From the outside looking in

SMU was laden with emotion on Monday night when President GeorgeW. Bush visited the campus for his last rally stop before ElectionDay today. And not all the action was inside Moody Coliseum.

Several hundred protesters were kept at bay on the west side ofAirline Rd. in front of Moody by a combination of SMU, HighlandPark, University Park and Dallas police as well as FBI and SecretService agents.

The John Kerry supporters chanted ‘Fire the Liar’and ‘George Bush, CIA, How Many Kids Did You KillToday?’ while holding signs reading ‘And You Thought HeWas Pro-Life,’ ‘Who Would Jesus Bomb’ and‘A Regime Change Starts At Home.’

The protesters were not allowed to cross Airline Rd., whichacted as a bubble between Kerry supporters and Bush supportersoutside the coliseum. More than once, opposing sides engaged inshouting matches over their views.

Other Bush supporters quietly made their views known by holdingup the number “four” on their hands amid chanting fromKerry supporters yelling “One more day!”

“Here we hope the world will see that the Kerry movementis strong — even in Dallas, which many people believe is aBush stronghold,” Chris Purcell, vice president of SMUDemocrats, said. “We’re all coming here together,regardless of what race we are, or sex or nationality —we’re all Democrats. And we’re here for one purpose.We’re here to support the progressive movement.”

Opposite the hundreds of protesters stood hundreds of would-berally attendees milling around in front of Moody — theycouldn’t get in. Most of the people held tickets, but werestill turned away by the fire marshal as a result of capacityrestrictions in the building.

Some people were upset they couldn’t get in. Others, likeTom Bogdon of University park, were not.

“I’m encouraged by it,” Bogdon, who works inreal estate finance in Dallas, said. “I think it’sfabulous that I show up kinda late, and it’s so mobbed.It’s awesome. That’s what I want.”

Shouts flew across Airline Rd., sometimes accompanied by crasshand gestures. Others chose to stand back quietly and take in thescene.

Bogdon calmly held a ‘Viva Bush’ sign, and only madehis opinion verbally known when he was asked.

“[I feel] disdain. They’re uninformed,” Bogdonsaid of what he thought when looking across the street at theprotesters. “The morality of everything that he stands for iswhy I support Bush. The ‘Bible Toting Liar’ signs thatyou see out there are really incorrect. It’s just wrong. Theman knows what he’s gonna do, and he’s doing it right.Kerry and Edwards — one’s an ambulance-chaser attorney.The other is a tax-happy liberal. They have no idea what’sgoing on.”

Dozens more Kerry supporters stood at the corners of MockingbirdLn. and N. Central Expressway and Mockingbird Ln. and Airline Rd.,waving signs at passing motorists. Their demonstrations were metwith numerous car horns honking in support as well as shouts ofdisagreement from other cars driving by.

The east side of campus was completely inaccessible tomotorists. Police barricades blocked all entrances all the way toLovers Ln. and Central Expressway. Motorists were directed south toMockingbird Ln. or north to Southwestern — the only placesopen to cross Central Expressway and enter campus.

People on foot were not turned away as long as they approachedcampus peacefully and remained that way while they were there.

On Monday night, SMU was the venue for Bush’s lastpresidential rally of this election. In fact, it was the lastpresidential rally of his entire political career.

And Bush and Kerry supporters alike showed up to make sure itwas a memorable one.