AT HOME WITH BUCKLEY

At their Upper East Side home, Patricia and William F. Buckley invited their crowd for their presidential election viewing party: Nancy and Henry Kissinger; Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera; Annette and Oscar de la Renta; Shirley Lord and A.M. Rosenthal; the author of “Ronnie and Nancy,” Bob Colacello; Tom Wolfe; Richard Brookhiser; and Kenneth Jay Lane. Mrs. Buckley described the menu as “pickup food: caviar, lamb chops, pate, and filet.” With a broken shoulder, she was in some pain, and said a Bush victory “would make me feel better.” Mr. Brookhiser said four years ago, he’d left the Buckleys thinking Bush had lost.

EDITORIALIST ENTERTAINS

Republicans not only live on the Upper West Side – they throw election-night parties. The associate editor of the Wall Street Journal, Melanie Kirkpatrick, and her husband, Jack David, welcomed about 100 colleagues and friends to watch returns on three televisions throughout their apartment. Ms. Kirkpatrick inherited hosting duties for the Wall Street Journal gang from Robert Bartley, whose widow, Edith, was among the guests last night. As for the mood: “Most people here are conservative; it’s nice to be with people who share your views,” Mr. David said. Ms. Kirkpatrick described the guests as “New York conservative luminaries,” one of whom promised to give updates from a source “extremely close to the [Bush] campaign.” The couple decorated their apartment with mini flags from a July 4 party in Connecticut. The caterer Fanfare, of Brooklyn (who also catered the Bartley’s party) served new and familiar foods – steamed shumai, smoked turkey scones, crab cakes, Swedish meatballs, and bruschetta.

FOR GOD, FOR KERRY, AND BUSH

At the Yale Club, school pride and lots of scotch almost succeeded in melting partisan lines. But both President Bush and Senator Kerry had their staunch supporters closely following the returns in the Grill Room – with Kerry supporters speculating who would paint his portrait for the portrait gallery of presidents in the club’s lounge downstairs. While the bulk of the crowd assembled had graduated before Messrs. Kerry and Bush did, there were a few young ones on the scene – including Blair Golson, class of 2001, who was reporting for the New York Observer.

IN VIEW OF THE PUNDITS

Sir Harold Evans and Tina Brown stopped at the CNN party. “My mood is ambivalent,” said Mr. Evans, who described the party he’d just come from as “very very gloomy – I tried to cheer them up by showing them the facts didn’t warrant it yet.” At around 9:15 p.m., Norman Pearlstine headed back to the offices of Time to plan coverage for the magazine. The most hopping area of the party was the set of “Cross fire.” Spotted: Henry Schleiff of Court TV; Time Warner’s chief executive, Richard Parsons; Turner’s chief executive, Phil Kent; and the chief executive of Latinos in Information Services and Technology Association, Jose Marquez-Leon.

VIEW FROM THE AMERICAS

Latin American diplomats gathered at the Americas Society for an Election Night Fiesta – international guests included the consul general of Mexico, Arturo Sarukhan, and the consul general of Chile, Oscar Fuentes. Tango king Jo Fish stopped by before heading to Il Campanello to dance the tango. Mr. Fish noted that Mr. Kerry had recently told a reporter that his one ambition was to learn the Argentinian tango, and he’s available to teach him, Mr. Bush, or anybody else interested.

PLAYING IT FOR LAUGHS

At the Park, in the meatpacking district, Comedy Central and “The Daily Show” injected humor into the election-returns process at a party for staff, advertisers, and a bunch of comedians and actors (among them Ethan Hawke, Mena Suvari, Rosie Perez, Mos Def, Janeane Garofalo, and Ben Chaplin). Highlights: The Spin Room, featuring wheels with Bushisms and Kerryisms, and the Voting Booth – a photo booth where guests could take their pictures with the candidates. Television screens broadcast Jon Stewart from 10 to 11, and he headed over to the party afterward.

IN THE GAME

Another breed of election party is the one thrown by the political consultant. The Global Strategy Group, which did research for Senator Edward’s presidential campaign, and has worked for local politicians such as Eliot Spitzer, Nydia Velazquez, and Charles Rangel, welcomed about 350 guests to the party at its office in the Flatiron district. Who came? “Anybody in New York that matters,” said the firm’s chief, Jonathan Silvan. The party in 2000 went until 6 in the morning.

THE YOUTH VOTE

At New York University, the Jewish Student Union and Gesher, a pro-Israel student group, held an informal viewing party at the Bronfman Center. At Columbia, the student council hosted a party in the Lerner Hall Piano Lounge for sugar and caffeine fixes, and, of course, pizza.