Noah Z. Seton '00, a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Alliance, said he couldn't blame the event's organizers, noting Massachusetts' liberal bent.
"If I were a Democrat, I would want to come and campaign in friendly territory, too," Seton said. "But you don't see George Stephanopoulos in Florida or Texas or other key Republican states."
Dean of the College Archie C. Epps III, who strolled around the quad, called HYPE '96 "a good thing."
"We've always had increased student interest in presidential years, but this also represents students working on local issues," he said.
Gardiner said "Student groups are what made HYPE happen. If they hadn't been here with tents and issues, it would have been just hype."
--Richard M. Burnes, Andrew A. Green and Amita M. Shukla contributed to the reporting of this story.