A question for political junkies.

[Awsi Dooger]

9. Yes

I was in college at USC at the time. I spent the day on campus, listening to the radio while studying in a small park-like area. Reagan was considered the favorite but I retained a small degree of hope.

Before sundown Reagan was already declared the winner. I'll never forget how numb I felt, while listening to all the loud celebrations on campus. Fraternity and sorority members were riding their bikes back to the Row while shouting exuberance. Many of the guys removed their sweaters and were waving them in the air.

California was quite different then than now. And USC was hardly as liberal as other campuses. I had three roommates and all of them were for Reagan. They laughed out loud and staggered around our apartment when Carter mentioned reliance on his daughter Amy for advice on nuclear proliferation. That debate moment still doesn't receive enough attention in exploding Reagan's margin of victory.

The early call was said to depress Democratic turnout in the West. Networks agreed to delay from that point forth.