The Gore campaign had obviously found out about the attack ad, and prepared an attack of their own, with the same footage. Their text: "Green rivers. Every day. Just like Texas. Vote Bush."

Despite this recently uncovered dash for Irish support, the voters of St. Augustine's seem unfazed by the activity. (Come to think of it, they seem unfazed by any activity.) Current polls are running two to one in favor of Gore, whose legendary stiffness makes him the hometown favorite. Results from polls in districts with similar demographics (there are several in Chicago) are still being tallied; analysis will be done by the Bureau of the Census.

Until the counting is done, however, the best barometer of the state of the Irish-American political landscape is still the annual South Boston St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, hosted by the state senator from South Boston since its beginnings in 1957. (According to the Gore campaign, the breakfast tradition began when the then 8-year-old Al Gore mentioned the idea while on a family vacation in Massachusetts.) Though the pols officially get the day off because of the obscure Massachusetts holiday, Evacuation Day, that commemorates the day the British left Boston, it's St. Patrick who gets all the press. That's because candidates, national and local alike, recognize the importance of the Irish vote--from cradle to grave.

Noelle Eckley '00 is an environmental science and public policy concentrator in Dunster House. Her column appears on alternate Thursdays.