The final presidential debate between candidates George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry drew a modestly sized crowd to a viewing event at Columbia 150 Wednesday night. About 70 people, most of them students, attended to watch the candidates spar over domestic issues.
The fourth in a series of televised contests that began Sept. 30, the debate was the latest in a flurry of chances for students to see candidates on the major presidential tickets present and defend their platforms.
However, many students said the debates were repetitive.
Junior Steven Steinfeld, who stopped watching the debate early, said he didn’t see a change in the candidates’ talking points.
“I haven’t heard anything new,” he said.
“A lot of the things Bush was saying weren’t true,” Steinfeld said. “He says he’s helping education, but it’s very obvious that’s not going on.”
He said that watching the debates hasn’t changed his stance in support of Kerry.
“I just think Kerry is the lesser of two evils, but he’s not my ideal candidate,” he said.
Senior Garren LaRue agreed, saying the
debate was “more of the same.” He said he was frustrated by the candidates’ personal
attacks.
“There’s too much mudslinging,” he said.
LaRue said job outsourcing was a key
issue in the debate, but added that the candidates have neglected the environment during the series of debates.
“Environmental issues haven’t come up at all tonight, and that’s a really big thing,” he said.
Freshman Laura Hercher said Kerry presented more information, while Bush sometimes diverged from the questions.
“I thought that both candidates presented their views well,” Hercher said.
She added that she disagreed with Bush’s comments about the No Child Left Behind Act, which he said has improved education.
“I don’t like the No Child Left Behind Act and I’ve seen the effect of it on my school district back home,” she said.
She added that she wished the candidates had talked more
about abortion.

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