Salient

Connors causes panda-monium

By Denise Garland | 29 Sep, 2008

Presidential hopeful Sean Connors believes that his chances of success in this year’s VUWSA general election are strong, saying: “I don’t want to brag but I think I’ve got it in the bag.”

Connors made an appearance at the Quad in the Kelburn campus last Tuesday afternoon, dressed in a panda suit and a purple tie in response to Sonny Thomas’s claims that his campaign was “a joke.”

Connors’ campaign manager, who did not wish to reveal his name, said that his candidate had been offended by any comments that he was not taking the election seriously. Connors added that he was “super serious” about his campaign.

Connors said that he stood for “equity for students,” and his campaign manager revealed that they had received good results from internal polling. His campaign team also revealed “photographic evidence” of current VUWSA president Joel Cosgrove and fellow candidate Sonny Thomas “endorsing” his campaign for the presidency.

The presidential hopeful admitted that few people had approached him in the Quad, with a number of the students whom Salient spoke to admitting that they were confused as to why he was wearing a panda suit.

Although the response from the Kelburn campus students was minimal, Connors’ campaign manager said they had received a more positive reaction from the students at the Pipitea campus earlier that morning, adding that they had seemed “enthused” by his panda attire.

When asked whether he felt his panda suit would improve his chances of gaining the position of VUWSA president, he stated, “I am a panda,” and that he felt it was time for VUWSA to give pandas a fair go.